Recent research has given findings that 90% of Brits admit they wouldn’t tell someone if they did not like a Christmas gift they had received…
The act of gift-giving at Christmas dates back many years, but not everyone always gets it right. According to a new study by Paddy Power Bingo, 9 out of 10 (90%) Brits likely wouldn’t tell someone if they hated the Christmas gift they were given. Some stereotypes are true, and British politeness is one of them (along with our fondness for tea!), but sometimes they can be too polite for their own good. When it comes to gifts, is honesty the best policy?
More than half of Brits (58%) polled reveal that they’ve never re-gifted a Christmas gift, with men (63%) even less likely to. Half of Brits (50%) also say they would never return a Christmas gift that was specially picked out for them, breaking down further to 47% of men and 52% of women.
Interestingly, it is tech items (3%) that Brits are less likely to return if received as a Christmas gift, whilst candles and clothing (12%) come in as the most likely to be returned.
| Rank |
Top 5 Christmas gifts for 2023 |
| 1 |
Cash (41%) |
| 2 |
Clothes (23%) |
| 3 |
Gift Card (18%) |
| ~4 |
Beauty / Make-up Products (12%) |
| ~4 |
Shoes (12%) |
| 5 |
Air fryer (10%) |
It’s no surprise that cash takes the throne as the number one gift that people wanted to receive this past Christmas, with the cost-of-living crisis and rising household costs such as energy bills – cash is king. A new entry to the list is the Air Fryer, with six million Brits hoping to wake up on Christmas morning to one under their tree.
Whether it’s a garish jumper or a bottle of perfume you simply can’t stand the smell of, we’ve all received a present that we hate. The cheeky Irish entertainment brand also revealed the nation’s top 5 most disappointing gifts to receive on Christmas:
- Cleaning products (36%)
- Practical items (batteries etc.) (27%)
- Christmas decorations (25%)
- Candles (20%)
- Fitness products (17%)
Unsurprisingly, nearly half of women (41%) would be disappointed with receiving cleaning products for Christmas this year, compared to nearly a third of men (30%)! We’ve got 359 days to get it right this year…
Paddy Power Bingo spokesperson Rachael Kane:
“One of the undeniable highlights of Christmas day is ripping open wrapped presents that have been calling your name from under the tree. However, good gift giving is an art and not everyone gets it right. A staggering 90% of Brits say they wouldn’t admit to someone if they did not like a Christmas gift they received.”
