A fifth of Britons start their Christmas planning in November, according to John Lewis’s report into changing festive habits.
The department store’s commercial director Kathleen Mitchell said the trend is driven by both shoppers getting excited for the festive season and trying to spread costs.
“While we see a spike in searches for Christmas trees immediately after the summer holidays, people begin shopping in earnest on 10 November – a 45-day run-up to the big event,” she told The Guardian.
John Lewis has benefitted from the early surge with sales of its Christmas ranges up 10% year on year in October whilst the number of visitors to its dedicated festive department was also up 13%.
The retailer’s report, which is based upon sales analysis and YouGov polling, also forecasts that shoppers will purchase fewer and cheaper products this year as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.
Other trends highlighted in the John Lewis report show that a third of homes have more than one Christmas tree whilst outdoor festive lights are also becoming the norm.
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Homemade gifts are also set to be a common sight this year and the department store has seen a big increase in demand for candles, soap and pottery making kits.
One Christmas tradition that appears to be dying out is dressing up for the big day.
While 43% of people intend to wear “sparkles, bright colours and bold clothing”, younger shoppers are opted for more casual attire.
More than half of the 25-34-year-olds surveyed plan to wear comfy casuals while a third of 18-24-year-olds intended to stay in pyjamas all day.
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