- ‘45% of people admit to re-packaging presents and passing them on to others as part of Secret Santa
- Over half of all Brits (55%) would prefer to receive something personalised and ‘unregiftable’ this Christmas
Secret Santa shoppers across the nation will have no excuse for not being truly thoughtful with their gifts this year, after a list of the most commonly regifted Christmas presents was revealed by Vistaprint.
While a source of present buying panic among work colleagues, friends and family up and down the land, with 58% of respondents feeling anxious, nervous or overwhelmed by the concept, on average generous Brits spend £12.38 per Secret Santa gift.
Researchers asked people to name presents that they have received themselves, but then re-wrapped and passed on to someone else. Topping the table were a basket of smellies (35%), scented candles (34%) and empty picture frames (29%). Socks (18%) also made an unsurprising appearance in the top 10.
The top 10 most regifted Christmas presents:
1. A basket of smellies (35%)
2. Scented candle (34%)
3. Empty picture frame (29%)
4. Beauty gift sets (25%)
5. Box of chocolates (25%)
6. Novelty mugs / cups (21%)
7. Alcohol (18%)
8. Socks (18%)
9. Gift basket of food (17%)
10. Novelty stationery (17%)
Top Secret Santa fails include picking something that looks cheap (29%), a gift that is rude or x-rated (27%) or one that is below the agreed budget (23%). Almost half (45%) of people also admitted to regifting a Secret Santa present before. Meanwhile people felt the most important factor when they received a gift was that it demonstrated thoughtfulness (37%).
With more people set to be apart during the festive period following a tough year, 65% of survey respondents said they would put in extra effort when choosing gifts this Christmas for colleagues, friends and family. When looking at what contributes to making a perfect present, over half of Brits (55%) say they’d prefer to receive something personalised, that could not be regifted to someone else.
Honey Langcaster-James, Behavioural Psychologist said: “The survey findings from Vistaprint suggest that there is going to be a shift in emphasis this Christmas. People seem to be wanting to buy and receive more thoughtful and personal presents. Brits may be looking to give something special back to those who have supported them through what has been a difficult year, or else they may be looking for ways to compensate for not being able to get together. Putting extra thought and effort into a gift and making sure it’s genuinely personal, is a great way to show just how much you care about someone.”
Honey went on to explain the survey findings “With nearly 1 in 5 respondents now considering opening gifts over Zoom it’s clear that people are keen to maintain a sense of connection. Personalising a gift is a great way to show that thought, effort and time has been spent on it. You don’t actually have to spend a lot of money at all for a gift to be of great value to someone. This is because a truly thoughtful gift is like receiving a mental or emotional hug so it’s a perfect way to show someone you care, even if you can’t actually hug them in person.”
Emily Shirley, General Manager of Vistaprint UK and Ireland said: “We know this year has been tough on everyone, so there’s going to be extra focus on cheering people up by getting them something more meaningful this Christmas. Everyone has suffered from present buying panic in the past, so if you’re struggling for inspiration then Vistaprint’s range of personalised, unregiftable products is the perfect way to avoid Secret Santa shame!”
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Research conducted by OnePoll in October 2020, sample size 2,000.
About Vistaprint
Vistaprint is the marketing partner to millions of small businesses around the world, empowering each one to live their dreams. For more than 20 years, we have helped small businesses look and feel professional through high-quality marketing products and solutions that include signage, branded clothing, promotional products, face masks, flyers, postcards, business cards, websites and digital marketing. With Vistaprint, small businesses are able to create and customise their marketing with easy-to-use digital tools and design templates, or by receiving expert graphic design support. In 2020, Vistaprint acquired 99designs to expand its design offering via a worldwide community of more than 150,000 talented designers to make it easy for designers and clients to work together to create designs they love. Vistaprint is focused on making great marketing and design accessible to every small business owner, allowing them to create a cohesive brand image for use in-store, online and on-the-go. To learn more, visit: https://www.vistaprint.co.uk Vistaprint is a Cimpress company (Nasdaq: CMPR).