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A more expensive Christmas than ever: average spending approaches €800 and half of Spaniards admit they will lose control
The OCU has put figures on a widespread feeling: this Christmas will be the most expensive in years.
According to its latest survey, each Spaniard will spend an average of €796, a 16.5% jump on 2024 that turns the festivities into a real test for many budgets.
Most of the money will go, as always, on gifts: €370 per person between Christmas Eve and Epiphany. Next come family dinners (€132), travel (€117) and the ever-present lottery, which takes another €73. Even Christmas decorations add their share, at around €31 per household.
But the survey reveals something more telling: 53% of the population assume they will spend more than planned, even knowing that January will be an uphill month. Some 29% will try to postpone purchases to take advantage of sales, but the rush, social pressure and last-minute gifts make it difficult to stick to the original plan.
Online shopping continues to dominate (37%), although almost a third still prefer physical shops. And this year there will also be more activity in the streets: 84% plan to meet outside the home for lunch or dinner, 70% want to visit Christmas markets and 61% intend to attend the Cabalgata de Reyes.
The OCU insists on basic but necessary recommendations: closed lists, buying in advance and paying attention to return policies. Because, with spending rising and rising, every small gesture can make the difference between enjoying intense festivities… or facing even tougher January accounts.