MANY people find Christmas shopping an exciting way of getting into the festive spirit – but for others, it’s the most stressful time of year.

Christmas shopping trips see £658 spent on gifts, 28 stores visited – and eight ‘presents for me’.

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A poll of 2,000 over 25s who celebrate the festive season found they typically go on four sprees each year, excluding online shopping.

Each trip results in £164.50 forked out on seven gifts for others – and two for themselves.

While a third of men wait until December to start their Christmas shopping, 77 per cent of women start in November or earlier.

The research was commissioned by experiential spirits store The Bar At Home and found 29 per cent of males admitted to buying some gifts on December 24th, as did 21 per cent of females.

Yet 26 per cent of all those polled try to start earlier each year but often fail.

Peter Singh, spokesperson for The Bar At Home, said: “Christmas shopping is no walk in the park.

“Every year it seems to creep up on us sooner than expected and we’re all familiar with the stress of buying last minute gifts.

“We know going to the shops can feel like a big commitment, from the commute to queues and other shoppers, but it becomes part of the festive experience.

“Plan ahead and make it into a daytrip, throw in lunch and a drinks break and perhaps an activity like the cinema at the end of the day to reward yourself.”

The research also found 42 per cent of shopping trips are successful, despite 27 per cent admitted they find it difficult buying for others.

And 49 per cent believe going to physical shops rather than seeking out gifts online is part of the festive experience.

A further 23 per cent agreed better and more unique presents can be found in stores because they can physically see the item (72 per cent) and potentially see something they weren’t initially looking for (62 per cent).

Almost half (48 per cent) prefer to go Christmas shopping on their own, while 17 per cent like to go with others.

If they do take someone else along, 56 per cent choose their partner, but 22 per cent have had to bribe them.

Ways to persuade them to join a gift-buying trip include stopping for food (53 per cent) and promising them a gift (42 per cent).

More than a third (35 per cent) admitted they see Christmas shopping as an experience with food and drink breaks thrown in, not just a dash to the shops.

And many have made it into a day trip to another city, including London (24 per cent), Manchester (16 per cent) and Birmingham (12 per cent).

Those polled via OnePoll describe themselves as thoughtful (60 per cent) and organised (49 per cent), yet indecisive (20 per cent) when buying gifts.

Peter Singh added: “We understand Christmas shopping is more than a task – it’s an experience, which is why we provide our customers with the opportunity to explore, taste, and personalise their gifts, turning every shopping trip into a festive experience.”

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