The tradition of filling stockings with pressies, as well as forking out for larger gifts, is alive and well despite the recession as parents continue to spend.
Children hoping for a jam packed stocking this year could do worse than head to the Valley’s with the Welsh topping the league of big spenders, with an average spend of £30 per stocking. In comparison, those living in Yorkshire came bottom of the league, spending a measly £10, a survey for Woolworths.co.uk revealed this week.
While almost everyone has had to make cutbacks on their spending during the recession, stockings have escaped the penny pinching, with over 90 per cent of parents saying that they still give their children Christmas stockings. 81 per cent of those said that they would spend the same this year as last on filling them. Just 10 per cent said they would spend less and six per cent said they would be spending more.
While the vast majority of parents seem keen to retain the tradition of filling the stocking with inexpensive toys, nuts and fruit, some parents push the boat out with these ‘filler’ presents – stuffing their children’s stockings with a range of high value items such as Ipod’s, Nintendo’s, laptops and in some cases airline tickets, holidays and even a Tiffany ring.
And the spending doesn’t stop there - a stonking 40.1% of parents surveyed said that in addition to Christmas stockings they would also be forking out for 10 or more presents per child.
Parents living in the North East were even more likely to indulge their little’uns with 52% planning to purchase 10 or more gifts while the vast majority of Londoner’s claimed that they would only purchase an additional two to three gifts per child.
Sadly, some age old traditions seem to have fallen out of favour at this most traditional time of year with only 5 per cent of kids leaving a note out for Santa to accompany their stocking.
However, tradition isn’t entirely dead - 78 per cent of children leave a mince pie out for Santa (though one upmarket household said that they left out a salmon sandwich). More than 40 per cent said they leave him out an alcoholic drink although a large proportion sited their opposition to ‘drink flying’ and left out milk or Diet Coke instead. Almost two per cent of children still get a lump of coal in their Christmas stocking – traditionally reserved for those who have misbehaved during the year.
Comments
We have always got the kids
We have always got the kids to do a xmas list, and put a limit of 5 presents, one big one and 4 little presents. Then as the mad run up to xmas when everything they see on tv they want is met with the reply " if you want that toy then you have to swap it with a toy already on the list, " am often met with the reply "No, would keep what on the list!" Therefore when santa does come the kids get what they really want rather than falling victim to TV advertisers! Does work even when the kids were 3yrs as we stuck pictures of the toys rather than writing a list. Give it a try, also I'm sure there is a weight limit on santas sleigh anyway!