Hungarians are planning to spend about the same amount on Christmas presents this year as in 2024 — an average of 75,000 forints, according to a nationwide representative survey by Yettel.
Half of the respondents have already started shopping or plan to do so in November, while one-third intend to buy gifts in the first half of December.
The survey indicates that the steady increase in holiday spending seen over the past five years has come to a halt. Respondents plan to spend an average of 75,000 forints on family gifts, which in real terms is slightly below last year’s 77,000 forints, Yettel reported. The proportion of those planning higher spending has decreased, with 45% of families budgeting under 50,000 forints, and only two in ten respondents expecting to exceed the 100,000-forint mark.
The average number of people respondents plan to give gifts to has also declined — from 5.8 last year to 5.4 this year. The survey shows that women and people under 30 tend to give presents to more individuals than older respondents or men. Most people plan to surprise their partner or spouse (59%), followed by children (55%) and parents (48%). Compared to last year, fewer people will give gifts to more distant relatives, but one in five celebrants also plans to buy something for friends, Yettel added.
The most popular gift categories remain unchanged from previous years: clothing (46%), toys (39%), and electronics (34%) continue to top the list.
The survey was conducted among 1,000 respondents between October 10 and October 27, 2025, and is representative of the Hungarian population aged 18–69 by gender, age, region, and settlement type.
(MTI)
