OPINION: $624. That’s the average amount of money we will each spend on Christmas.
New Zealanders will spend perhaps close to $10 billion this Christmas and one-third of you will tick it up on the credit card for another day.
But here’s the number that really intrigues me: 15 percent of you will screw your faces up, throw a wobbly, play grinch and proudly tell people you spent nothing.
Because, and here’s a question I’ve been randomly asking people, do you remember what you got for Christmas last year?
All this money spent and do you actually recall what you got?
I have no idea.
The one thing I do remember is that it wasn’t much, and you know what, it didn’t bother me one bit.
I’ve always found vouchers extraordinarily unimaginative but incredibly useful. Although, you might remember the expired Briscoes voucher I found earlier this year from my equally expired wedding.
So you’ll know my general tardiness means I normally don’t use them.
About 10 percent of us will be ungrateful and fussy and rush to return or regift presents.
I don’t know how many times I’ve told Mum I don’t need a designer metal wine holder from that delightful Hawke’s Bay design shop.
A survey of the 10 most returned presents shows, at 10, it’s makeup, then glassware and toddler clothing (because we always get the size wrong), DVDs are a waste of time.
At 6, don’t buy other people their gym wear, at 5 it’s candles - people tend to hate the scent they are given, sweets are often returned because people are bloated, video games are unpopular, kitchen appliances are pointless (who needs four toasters), but it’s shoes that you must avoid at all costs.
They’re the most returned item because when you’re size 9, size 6 is pointless.
Hope all this helps.
But just remember: they’ll forget what you gave them within days.
Duncan Garner hosts The AM Show.
