The Irish spend more than any other nation does on Christmas presents according to a recent survey.
The average spend on Christmas in Ireland is a whopping €955 ($1,184) per person, higher than any other of the 12 countries surveyed.
Christmas is a special time in all countries, but for many families in Ireland it is extra-special because it is the only time of the year that the whole family is together, with many people living and working abroad throughout the rest of the year.
The survey highlights the generous spirit of the Irish, and the importance they place on family.
Ireland was one of the countries that was hit worst by the global recession, and many workers felt they had to leave their homes and move abroad in order to find work.
The country has since received a financial bail-out from the EU in 2010 and has started taking steps towards economic recovery, but as the survey shows, the Irish generous spirit has certainly not been affected.
The survey was carried out by international accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers, who explained that in most countries consumer spending has still not fully recovered to its natural position following the global economic crisis that began in 2007.
Senior economist Richard Boxshall said: “Some of the scars of the financial crisis are still visible in Christmas spending habits: US Christmas spending remains 10% behind that of 2007 in real terms.”
Britain was the second highest spending country over Christmas, with an average of $1,065 per person, and America came third with $776.
The thriftiest nation was Russia, with shoppers spending a miserly $93 each on Christmas.
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