Poles Christmas shopping: traditions, trends and choices

Christmas is a special time in Poland, associated not only with traditional dishes and family gatherings, but also with frantic shopping for gifts that the recipients will find under the Christmas tree. Poles start preparing for Christmas long before Christmas Eve, looking for gifts, decorations and treats.

The pre-Christmas period is a time of joy and peace, but also a frantic search for perfect gifts. The tradition of gift-giving has deep roots, and the shopping process becomes an inseparable part of the magical atmosphere of Christmas.

Spontaneous or planed

Poles, trying to avoid the pre-Christmas chaos, are increasingly starting to plan their shopping early. Many of them choose to create a list of gifts and items they need to purchase. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of creative souls who prefer spontaneity and the search for unique gifts with personal meaning instead of using a list. According to the report “Poles pre-Christmas shopping “prepared by CBRE Poland, in the last days of November 36 per cent of respondents have already started shopping for gifts. The decision to choose this gift is most often dictated by the price (51 per cent), its practicality (48 per cent) and availability and ease of purchase (16 per cent). Only 5 per cent of respondents pay attention to whether the goods, their packaging and delivery are ecological.

Where to buy a Christmas gift

During the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy, traditional brick-and-mortar stores are still a favourite place to visit. Walking between shelves full of Christmas gadgets, decorations and gifts is becoming a kind of ritual for many. The intension of visiting  a shopping mall is declared by 63 per cent of respondents. However, with the growing popularity of e-commerce, more and more Poles are choosing to shop online. This year, as many as 74 per cent of respondents will be involved shopping in this way. Which is a significant increase compared to previous years (by 11 and 8 percentage points compared to 2019 and 2021). Online stores offer not only convenience, but also a wide range of products and attractive prices and many promotions.

A relaxed experience or a race against time

Pre-Christmas shopping can be both an enjoyable experience and a challenge. Many people enjoy searching for  special gifts, especially when they are accompanied by their loved ones. For others, however, this time becomes a hectic race against time, especially in the last days before Christmas Eve. Statistically, more than half of  respondents spend 2 to 4 hours on pre-Christmas shopping, while every tenth respondent needs as much as 8 hours to buy everything they need. Only 11 per cent of respondents spend less than an hour on Christmas shopping.

Christmas expenditure

According to data compiled by the Polish Bank Association, the average Pole plans to spend an average of PLN 1,490 (EUR 343) during this period. This is slightly more than the Christmas expenditure declared in the same survey last year (EUR 328). The largest part of this sum is spent on groceries and the broadly understood organization of the Christmas period. The average Pole allocates PLN 565 (EUR 130) on gifts for their loved ones – in nominal terms, this is as much as 13 per cent more than last year.

Pre-Christmas gift shopping isn’t just about picking out gifts, it’s also about looking for a way to express love and care. Traditional brick-and-mortar shopping still has its charm, but the dynamics of modern life means that more and more Poles are taking the decision to shop online. It is important to be able to find a balance between tradition and modernity, so that each gift is not only unique, but also tailored to the preferences of the recipient.

Sources:

• Przedświąteczne zakupy Polaków – CBRE Polska
• Świąteczny Portfel Polaków 2023 – Związek Banków Polskich