POST OFFICE URGES PEOPLE TO POST EARLY AS IT FORECASTS THE BUSIEST DAY IN BRANCH

Post Office urges the nation to post before Monday 11 December as it releases its annual Christmas survey results

• One in five are shopping earlier this year, with 37 percent saying it saves money.
• A third will talk to their kids about the importance of budgeting ahead of Christmas.
• Christmas dinner is the last thing people would forgo to save money this Christmas.
• Two in five Gen Zs will make homemade gifts, 50 percent doing so to save money.

If you’re one of the 37% of Brits determined to beat the Christmas rush this year, Post Office have given you a helping hand by revealing this festive season’s peak posting day.

By analysing the post of Christmases past, they’ve calculated that Monday 11 December is likely to be the day that the largest number of people brave the cold to get their gifts and cards sent to loved ones.

But with 30 percent saying they leave it until the week before the big day to have all their Christmas shopping done, the crowds are likely to remain sizeable all the way up to Christmas. Effort counts too: 29 percent worry a late gift will give a poor impression if it doesn’t arrive on time.

And with just eight percent of people planning to do all their Christmas shopping online this year, the majority of us will be taking to the streets to soak up the festive atmosphere, meaning branches could be busier still.

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the general mood of the nation is a little gloomy, but the research shows that excitement for Christmas has never been higher in the three years of the Post Office Annual Christmas Survey. More than a third of us (35%) were so enthusiastic we started our Christmas shopping in October.

On the flip side, fewer of us are feeling negative about Christmas, with 10 percent saying they feel anxious about the day compared to 23 percent last year.

Two in three (63 percent) say that spending time with family and friends feels more important than ever – and over half think they’ll spend more time at home.

Laura Joseph, Director of Customer Experience, Marketing and Digital at Post Office said: “It’s wonderful to see so much excitement for Christmas and enthusiasm for getting out onto the high street this year. You can help to avoid the rush by posting early to make sure gifts and cards arrive in plenty of time.”

Excitement about Christmas is tempered by concern about the affordability of Christmas and the cost of living. 32 percent are concerned that they’ll be unable to afford it this year – although this is down on last year (41 percent).

The first thing people will sacrifice to save money this year are Christmas parties (24 percent) followed by visiting Santa (18 percent) and putting up Christmas decorations (15 percent).

In typical British fashion, the very last things to go would be Christmas dinner (8 percent) and mince pies (11 percent). In a new dynamic, one in six (16 percent) of those in Gen Z are even paying or getting paid by their family to eat or cook Christmas dinner this year.

Presents are one of the most expensive elements of Christmas, and 30 percent of people say they’ll be talking to friends and family about whether gift-giving is necessary this year, while 20 percent say they’ll spend less than in previous years.

The people who’d be most disappointed by fewer pressies are, of course, kids. 24 percent of parents worry about the upset to their children of fewer presents, while 31 percent of parents plan to sit down and talk to their children about the importance of budgeting ahead of Christmas.

Meanwhile, Gen Z are the most likely to make homemade gifts, with two in five (39 percent) putting their creative hats on to save money (50 percent).

Of those who are shopping earlier, 37 percent say it is because they have less money to spend and that things are cheaper the earlier they’re bought (35 percent).

Laura continued: “Posting early is a great way to capitalise on different posting options and rates. We’ve actually got more than you might think: our new in-branch parcel service, using DPD and Evri, offers far more choice for your post in time for peak Christmas delivery. And if you don’t fancy braving the cold and the crowds, our Parcels Online service enables you to compare and purchase postage online, and all you need to do is drop it off in store. If you’re posting internationally, make sure you’re aware of international posting rules and consider filling out customs forms at home to save time in branch, as well as getting the right compensation cover for your gift.”

“For anyone too busy to stay at home and wait for deliveries in the run up to Christmas, you can also take advantage of click and collect services from your local Post Office. Look out for the Post Office branch delivery option when shopping online.”

33 percent of the population plan to send gifts or cards abroad this year, yet nearly half (48 percent) do not insure the contents of their presents and just 11 percent tick the ‘gift box’ item when sending gifts outside the EU. Things occasionally go wrong in international posting, yet 3 in 5 (60 percent) don’t add a sender’s address – making it hard to return an item if there is an issue.

For more information this Christmas period, head to the Post Office’s Christmas hub, https://www.postoffice.co.uk/christmas