Unwanted Christmas gifts: How many do we receive?

How many people are given unwanted Christmas presents and what are the most common?

Christmas – a time to spend with family, feast on roast turkey, enjoy the festive atmosphere and of course, receive presents. Many of us save up a Christmas gifts fund in our bank accounts for months. But, as it turns out, you’d better start thinking through the ‘presents’ part of the equation a little more, as more people than you think receive unwanted gifts each year. We look at how many people receive unwanted Christmas presents and the most common types.

Unwanted gifts: Highlights

  • 3 in 5 Brits (58%) have received an unwanted gift at Christmas, which is around 31 million adults.
  • The total spend on unwanted gifts is estimated to be £1.27 billion.
  • The average amount spent on an unwanted gift is £41.
  • The most popular unwanted gifts are soap, bath bombs and moisturisers.

How much do Brits spend on unwanted Christmas gifts?

Our survey found that 3 in 5 UK adults (58%), approximately 31 million people, have been given at least one Christmas gift they don’t like. The total estimated spend on these unwanted gifts works out at £1.27 billion. As of 2024, the average spend on unwanted gifts per person is £41.

Unwanted Christmas gifts by generation

The younger generations are more likely to receive a gift they dislike, with 8 in 10 from generation Z (80%) and three-quarters of millennials (74%) admitting they have been given an unwanted Christmas present before.

The likelihood of receiving an unwanted present decreases with age, as 54% of generation X, 35% of baby boomers and just a third (33%) of the silent generation revealing that they’ve received a Christmas present they dislike.

Generation Percentage receiving unwanted gifts Average worth (£)
Gen Z 80% £50
Millenials 74% £51
Gen X 54% £32
Baby boomers 35% £24
Silent generation 33% £16

Unwanted Christmas gifts by region

There are some differences between regions in terms of which Brits are most likely to be given an unwanted Christmas present. Those in Northern Ireland come out on top, with 8 in 10 (81%) admitting to receiving a gift that they didn’t like. They are followed by Londoners (72%) and those in the West Midlands (63%).

Meanwhile, residents in Wales are less fussy and more likely to be content with the Christmas gifts they are given as less than half (47%) have received one they don’t like. This is similar in the East Midlands, where 47% have also been unhappy with a gift, and the East, where 49% have received something they didn’t want.

Region Percentage receiving unwanted gifts
Northern Ireland 81%
Greater London 72%
West Midlands 63%
North West 62%
North East 59%
South East 56%
Yorkshire and The Humber 55%
South West 54%
Scotland 51%
East of England 49%
East Midlands 47%
Wales 47%

What are the most common unwanted Christmas gifts?

A separate 2023 survey found that soap and bath bombs are the most common unwanted gifts, with 28% of respondents getting these for Christmas when they didn’t want them. Other common festive faux pas included body spray, candles, jumpers and mugs.

    1. Soap
    2. Bath Bomb
    3. Moisturiser
    4. Bubble Bath
    5. Body Spray
    6. Candle
    7. Jumper
    8. Mug
    9. Joke gift
    10. Perfume

Methodology

To find out the number of people receiving unwanted gifts and their estimated worth, Finder commissioned Censuswide on 8-11 November 2024 to carry out a nationally representative survey of adults aged 18+. A total of 2,000 people were questioned throughout Great Britain, with representative quotas for gender, age and region.

Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact –

Matt Mckenna
UK Head of Communications
T: +44 20 8191 8806

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Matthew Boyle is a banking and mortgages publisher at Finder. He has a 7-year history of publishing helpful guides to assist consumers in making better decisions. In his spare time, you will find him walking in the Norfolk countryside admiring the local wildlife. See full bio

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Matthew has written 285 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Helping first-time buyers apply for a mortgage
  • Comparing bank accounts and highlighting useful features
  • Publishing easy-to-understand guides
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Sophie Barber is a content marketing manager for Finder in the UK after previously working as a content manager at a digital marketing agency. She has over 5 years experience in writing and publishing clear, concise and informative online articles for a variety of websites. See full bio

Sophie's expertise
Sophie has written 78 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Publishing original personal finance research
  • Creating data-led statistics pages to highlight industry trends
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