The Christmas period is approaching and, like every year, millions of Italians are preparing for the expenses related to gifts, dinners and decorations. According to a recent survey carried out by mUp Research for Facile.it, over 6 million people have already started shopping for the holidays. Among these, around 800 thousand Italians have chosen to rely on a personal loan or a form of consumer credit, confirming how the economic weight of Christmas continues to impact family budgets.
The study reveals that advance shopping isn’t just about gifts: many have already stocked up on food for festive lunches and dinners. Payment methods also show a significant change. Cash, used by 47% of consumers, still remains the most widespread instrument, but the use of digital payment apps is growing rapidly, chosen by 20% of those who have already purchased. At the same time, “buy now pay later” is gaining ground, the formula that allows the cost to be divided into interest-free installments and which was adopted by 7.7% of those interviewed.
Because more and more Italians are resorting to financing
Between inflation, increased energy costs and extraordinary expenses typical of the holidays, many families choose consumer credit as a tool to lighten the economic burden. 12% of those who have already started shopping have turned to a bank or finance company, a figure which highlights how Christmas can represent a moment of strong economic pressure for many people. It is no coincidence that 5.5 million Italians are waiting for the thirteenth to be able to proceed with purchases.
Advance purchases to save money
Almost half of those interviewed, 48%, say they start buying in advance to take advantage of discounts, promos and initiatives related to Black Friday, with the aim of reducing the impact of overall expenses. This is an increasingly widespread strategy, which also involves the food sector: 5.2 million Italians have already purchased products to put in the pantry for the holidays. Planning ahead can help spread costs over several months, avoiding spending peaks that are difficult to manage.
Italians expect to purchase an average of 7 gifts, with women purchasing approximately 20% more than men. The territorial data is interesting: the inhabitants of Central Italy are the most likely to buy gifts. There is no shortage of those who exaggerate: around 800 thousand people declare that they want to exceed 20 gifts, a number that further explains the need for many to resort to credit.
An increasingly fragile balance
In short, every year Christmas arrives with its load of lights, expectations and – inevitably – expenses. For many, all this means only one thing: having to go into debt to buy gifts, a sign of an increasingly fragile economic balance. All it takes is an extra discount period, a dinner to organize or the desire not to disappoint someone to make what isn’t normal seem normal.
The growing use of loans, installments and formulas such as buy now pay later reveals something deeper: while the cost of living increases, at Christmas you cannot give up giving something to the people you love. And so solutions are sought to “withstand the blow”, shifting the burden of expenses forward. It’s an understandable strategy, but also a reminder of how much the holidays can become a rush to arrive “prepared”, rather than a moment of pause.
Perhaps it would be useful to remember – every now and then – that the value of gifts lies not in the price, but in the gesture. But in a system where everything arrives in December along with bills and inflation, it’s not so easy. And then we make do: one month at a time, one installment at a time, one Christmas at a time.
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