Savvy shopping and mocktails – a deep dive into how Britain will be celebrating Christmas 2021

A new survey from gifts and gadgets retailer Menkind reveals key insights into gifting trends for Christmas 2021, including how Brits are celebrating Christmas this year, and explores a few hot topics of debate, such as when is acceptable to put up the Christmas tree, how much Brits are planning to spend on stocking fillers and which items are the most appropriate for regifting.

Gadgets crowned Britain’s favourite Secret Santa gift

The first two weeks of December are peak Secret Santa time where the highest search interest for this topic is registered (Google Trends Data). According to the Menkind survey, gadgets are the Secret Santa gift of choice for almost a third of Brits, followed by personalised items, with 1 in 5 respondents stating this is their go-to present. Only 7% of Brits prefer to gift alcohol and 3% prefer to gift something homemade for Secret Santa.

The yay or nay guide to regifting as voted by Brits

Regifting can be a dangerous sport, but data from the new survey sheds some light on the “rulebook”. With 7 in 10 Brits giving wine and spirits the regifting stamp of approval, this is the most popular item to regift. Coming in second and third are confectionery and books, with one third of Brits choosing these among the top items appropriate for regifting.

Albeit further down the list, family heirlooms and even underwear are acceptable regifting items for some of the survey respondents, getting the stamp of regifting approval from respectively 9% and 4% of respondents.

With more than 1 in 3 Brits buying Christmas presents throughout the year, the survey paints a financially savvy picture of a modern bargain hunting Britain.

In addition to the main present haul, the survey also reveals that Brits are planning to spend an average of £64 on stocking fillers this year.

November’s Christmas ad roll-out marks the (un)official start of Christmas

1 in 4 survey respondents said the November Christmas ad rollout was their top festive mood booster. With online interest in Christmas and Christmas ads also taking an exponential jump around early November, the anticipation and launch of the yearly Christmas ads can hereby be declared the (un)official beginning of Christmas.

There are however those who go by their own festive rules according to the data, with 1 in 5 respondents saying they are always in the mood and prepping for the festive season.

When it comes to the perfect time for putting up Christmas decorations, mid-December was voted by a third of Brits, being the top choice in the ranking. There is however an eager 1% of respondents who simply LOVE Christmas, declaring they start decorating in the summer.

Deciding when to put up the Christmas tree can be difficult, with 1 in 3 Brits favouring the mid-December option. However, there are some split opinions on the matter with 1 in 4 opting for the start of December, and another 1 in 4 starting as early as late November.

Non-alcoholic drinks voted the drink of Christmas 2021

With close to one-third of Brits (29%) favouring non-alcoholic drink options for the holidays, the new study reveals that this is the official beverage of Christmas 2021. This may also explain why almost three quarters of respondents are considering wine and spirits perfect items for regifting this year. Potentially a reflection of Covid lockdowns and a slightly increased alcohol intake has had Brits reconsider and choose more healthy alternatives. On a strong second place are prosecco and champagne, with 1 in 7 Brits favouring the bubbles. All the way down in 9th place is mulled wine, with less than 1 in 10 Brits favouring the traditional hot drink.