This year, Poles most commonly plan to spend between 200-500 PLN per person on Christmas Eve and holiday celebrations. Nearly one in four respondents declared this intention. Planned expenses include food, decorations, gifts, gatherings, and trips. Specifically, 13% of respondents indicated spending between 200-300 PLN, 12.8% selected 400-500 PLN, and 12% expect to spend more than 1000 PLN. On the other hand, the smallest group (1.3%) stated they would spend nothing. Additionally, 3.2% of those surveyed plan to spend 800-900 PLN, while 3.7% expect to spend under 100 PLN.
According to the report by UCE RESEARCH and the Offerista Group, titled “Poles’ Holiday Spending. December 2024”, respondents were asked how much they plan to spend on Christmas Eve and Christmas celebrations (including food, decorations, gifts, gatherings, and trips) per person. Among 13 response options, the most frequently selected range was 200-300 PLN (13%). Meanwhile, 12.8% chose 400-500 PLN, and 12% planned to spend over 1000 PLN.
Robert Biegaj, co-author of the report and a retail market expert from the Offerista Group, commented:
“Nearly one in four respondents will spend between 200-500 PLN on this year’s holidays. In my opinion, this is a rather modest result considering current prices. It seems the holidays might be a bit simpler than last year. Although year-over-year price increases are not as steep as last year, consumers still face rising costs. Fewer people are willing to host lavish celebrations at all costs. Poles are moving away from the ‘go big or go home’ mindset. They prefer to allocate their funds to other goals, such as trips or children’s education. This trend is becoming increasingly evident.”
Spending Trends by Group
Additionally, 10.7% of Poles plan to spend 100-200 PLN per person, 9.3% chose 500-600 PLN, and 9.1% indicated 300-400 PLN. Meanwhile, 7.7% of respondents are undecided.
“Those budgeting 100-200 PLN likely belong to lower-income groups or may not be particularly engaged in celebrating the holidays. In my view, 500-600 PLN is a realistic expenditure given today’s prices. However, the fact that only a small group chose this range may be concerning for the retail sector,” added Robert Biegaj.
The smallest group (1.3%) reported they would spend nothing, likely because they do not celebrate the holidays. Meanwhile, 3.2% plan to spend 800-900 PLN, and 3.7% anticipate spending under 100 PLN.
“Spending between 800-900 PLN per person is rarely declared. This isn’t surprising, as for a family of four, the total expenditure would be 3200-3600 PLN, which is quite high for just a few days of celebration. An exception might be a trip to the mountains. Conversely, spending under 100 PLN is feasible for those who celebrate symbolically or visit family and friends, enjoying the holidays at someone else’s expense,” the expert explained.
Differences in Spending by Gender and Demographics
Women are more likely than men to declare spending 200-300 PLN. This range is primarily chosen by individuals aged 65-74, with a monthly net income of 1000-2999 PLN, secondary education, and those living in rural areas or towns with up to 5,000 residents.
“When analyzing these figures, it’s important to consider that women in Poland primarily manage household food budgets. This explains the slight difference compared to men. The data also shows that seniors are the most likely to spend 200-300 PLN, often celebrating alone or in pairs, or visiting others and dedicating most of this budget to gifts. This trend is also evident among Poles from smaller towns,” Robert Biegaj noted.
Actual Spending in Previous Year
Respondents also reported their actual spending per person on last year’s Christmas celebrations. The most common range was 200-300 PLN (13%). Other frequent ranges included 100-200 PLN (12.6%), 300-400 PLN (11.8%), over 1000 PLN (11.1%), and 400-500 PLN (10.8%). Additionally, 8.9% of respondents did not remember how much they spent.
The expert summarized:
“Last year’s and this year’s spending levels are quite similar. However, some spending categories have shifted places in the ranking. In my view, this does not significantly impact the overall assessment of the situation compared to last year. Consumers remain cautious with holiday spending, spending only what is necessary. This shows that the spirit of saving is still present, even though inflation is lower than in 2023.”
Only 0.8% reported spending nothing last year. Additionally, 3.2% spent 800-900 PLN, and 4.1% spent 900-1000 PLN.
“Consumer predictions often differ from actual spending. From my observations, these deviations usually range between 5-8%, sometimes even exceeding 10%. These figures are typically underestimated, as many consumers make impulse purchases, particularly for gifts. This happens less often with food shopping, which is carefully planned. Shoppers know what ingredients they need, although they can still be surprised by prices, which are beyond their control,” concluded Robert Biegaj.
Research Methodology
The report “Poles’ Holiday Spending. December 2024” is based on a public opinion survey conducted on December 5-6, 2024, using the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) method. The survey was conducted by UCE RESEARCH and the Offerista Group with a sample of 1,019 adult Poles aged 18-80.
Source: managerplus.pl
