According to data from the Austrian Trade Association, Austrian residents are projected to spend approximately EUR 360 per person on gifts this holiday season. This amount is about nine percent lower than last year, reflecting people's efforts to tighten their budgets. In comparison, Americans are expected to spend around EUR 460 on gifts in 2023, which is about EUR 100 more than Austrians.

On the other hand, Brits plan to increase their Christmas gift spending by about 40 percent compared to last year, with an average outflow of about EUR 700. Canadians are not far behind, with an anticipated average spending of about EUR 650 per person, as predicted by the Retail Council of Canada.

A third of Austrian consumers intend to maintain their spending at the same level by utilising coupons, discounts and sales. Only a small percentage, approximately 2.5 percent, plan to increase their Christmas spending.

When it comes to gift preferences, the most common choice among Austrians is gift certificates, with 41 percent of people opting to buy those instead of gifts. Around 30 percent will purchase toys, while approximately 27 percent will choose delicacies like chocolates or cash. Additionally, about 25 percent will buy clothing, cosmetics or books. Finally, around 17 percent of people plan to buy personalised presents such as photo albums or engraved jewellery.

In summary, Austrians generally spend less on Christmas gifts compared to their counterparts in English-speaking countries, and this trend is expected to continue.