Presents cost 'one week's earnings'

There are only 19 shopping days to go, but by the time Christmas Day arrives half of us will have splashed out a week's salary or more on presents for family and friends, according to a survey. It claims 50 per cent of Londoners spend £600 or more on gifts.

Men are likely to receive a gadget or a gizmo as a present. Women are most likely to receive either jewellery (50 per cent) or clothes (18 per cent).

"Our research shows that Londoners are prepared to spend a big chunk of their cash on presents for their family and friends," said Kully Buhal of lastminute.com, which conducted the survey of 8,000 people.

The online retailer claims:

The average Londoner buys gifts for between 10 and 15 people.

The average spend on a present for a mother is between £61 and £80.

Siblings have between £41 and £60 spent on them.

When asked if they enjoyed Christmas shopping, almost half of those surveyed said they did not.