You probably won't be surprised to hear the UK is the biggest household spender ahead of Christmas – if you've lived there or visited in December (or, some might argue, any time after August), it's pretty clear from the widespread pomp and promotions on the streets that this is the biggest (and, publicly, the only) collective celebration of the year. And after the UK, the countries which shell out the most on the festivities are likely to be in central and northern Europe, where they go in for this winter holiday in a big way.
Actually, no – it's Spain.
According to accountancy firm Deloitte, Spain will be, probably, by the end of 2020, the highest-spending country in the EU, is already the nation that parts with the most Christmas cash in continental Europe, and shifts the second-largest amount per household in Europe as a whole.
This is likely to be partly because Spain takes full advantage of the whole 12 days of Christmas and, in fact, traditionally, presents were given on the night of January 5 and children believed the 'Three Kings', or Wise Men from the East in Anglo-Saxon parlance, were the gift-bearers.
Santa Claus has only really become a 'thing' in Spain in the last 10 to 15 years, and many of those Spaniards who are resistant to change and 'modern' influences continue to believe Father Christmas was invented by Coca-Cola.
Nowadays, even when the children are old enough to stop believing in Father Christmas and the Three Kings, and even where families are non-practising Catholics or openly atheist, both occasions serve as gift-giving moments, meaning many Spaniards receive two lots of presents.
In practice, the €241 per family spent on Christmas presents – more than a third of the €600 each household will part with these holidays – still, largely, finds itself in children's hands; households without children nearly always have nieces or nephews or second or third cousins, who typically live close enough for everyone to be heavily involved in their lives. Adults do not spend much on each other, with maybe a small token gift given to closest family members.
In Spain, the crucial part of Christmas is the food rather than what's inside the wrapping paper. The main festive meal is on Christmas Eve night, or Nochebuena, when the King's speech is televised and the whole family gathers together. Christmas Day is more like Boxing Day for Spain, and actual Boxing Day is not a national holiday.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com