Tired of seeing your entire salary spent on buying Christmas gifts every year? Take inspiration from this Canadian tradition, which allows you to make real savings, while pleasing each member of the family.
Every year, Christmas gifts represent a considerable budget for families. According to a Kidexpo survey unveiled in October 2023, parents are preparing to spend 124 euros on toys for their children, not counting gifts for other members of the family. Last year, gifts represented a budget of 354 euros and a total of 568 euros of expenses if we take into account the meal, the Christmas decoration and even the outfits, according to a CSA Research survey for Cofidis. Due to inflation, the French are looking to save money, by turning to second-hand toys, on promotions or by spreading spending over the months leading up to the end-of-year holidays. What if we took inspiration from this Canadian tradition to save on our Christmas gifts?
Some families are increasingly opting for a concept that avoids the pile of gifts under the tree. Moreover, the gifts are not always very useful, often offered in duplicate, which leads to an increase in resales the days following December 25 on online sales sites. So, to save on Christmas gift purchases, and give useful and responsible gifts, take inspiration from this very widespread practice in Canada, called Secret Santa (or Canadian Christmas). You have certainly already heard of it since this tradition has become quite common within companies. What if we applied it to family members this year?
The principle of Secret Santa? All you have to do is draw the name of a person to whom you plan to give a gift. Set a budget: no more than 40-50 euros or more depending on your desires. Result: everyone receives only one gift, but everyone is spoiled. This trend, aimed at reducing the budget while pleasing each member of the family, generally only applies to adults. However, some parents choose to limit the number of gifts given to children: “Last year we made sure that our children received no more than three presents each on Christmas Eve,” tells us Marion, mother of three children.
A very practical tradition, both economical, ecological and responsible, which also avoids the rush for gifts in stores and helps reduce the mental load before the holidays. If you like this alternative, be aware that several tools and sites offer a practical draw system: www.joffreaqui.fr, DrawNames, Secret Santa Organizer or Tirokdo.