This year, Romanians will spend an average of RON 1,541 (some EUR 345) for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, up from RON 1,255 (EUR 282) in 2012 and RON 1,046 (EUR 236) the year before, according to a recent study by Mednet Marketing Research Center.

However, 33.5 percent of the respondents said their budget is lower compared to 2012. According to the study this "might mean that this increase in average budget allocated to winter holidays is a relative increase mainly caused by price increases”.

Romanians plan to spend an average amount of some RON 600 (or EUR 134) on food and drinks this year, up from RON 501 (EUR 112) in 2012, while the average budget for non-food products, such as clothes and cosmetics, amounts to RON 498 (some EUR 110).

Respondents are willing to spend some RON 1,524 (EUR 341) on trips/tours organized during the winter holidays, shows the study.

Another category of costs related to the winter holidays is the “going out in the city/to a restaurant”. For this category, Romanians intend to allocate an average budget of RON 378 (some EUR 84), similar to the previous year.

More than 81 percent of the respondents plan to offer Christmas gifts this year, the average amount allocated for this being some RON 465 (or slightly over EUR 100).

Over 52 percent plan to buy clothing products, 35 percent intend to purchase cosmetics/perfumes, while 34 percent of the respondents plan to buy chocolate/coffee.

A quarter of the surveyed respondents said they will use the internet for buying products and services for winter holidays.

Some 55 percent will not purchase a natural Christmas tree, mainly because over 40 percent already own an artificial one.

“Over a third of the respondents (38 percent) said that there are products they would like to purchase during winter holidays, but can’t afford to, due to financial limitations,” according to the study. Some of these products are electronics, TV, IT products and household appliances.

More than 90 percent of the Romanians plan to spend the New Year’s Eve in the country, while only 7.1 percent intend to go abroad.

For St. Nicholas day, on December 6, an important holiday for Romanians, 81 percent of the respondents plan to offer gifts to the loved ones, the average amount estimated to be spent for this purpose being RON 289 (EUR 64).

The study was conducted between November 21 and November 27 on a sample representative for Bucharest and cities with over 100,000 inhabitants.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com