Almost half of Irish consumers would prefer to send money to friends and family to avoid buying Christmas gifts, new research shows.
The survey carried out by PayPal shows that 46% of consumers would prefer to send cash, with this preference most popular among Generation Z - those born between 1996 and 2010.
Over 1,000 consumers across Ireland were surveyed, with almost 80% saying they'd prefer to spend quality time with family and friends rather than buying them presents.
Nonetheless, today's research shows that consumers are set to spend an average of €525 on Christmas gifts.
People from Carlow expect to spend the most with an average of €780, followed by Kildare and Meath.
However, almost half of respondents said they feel under pressure to spend more than they had budgeted - based on what others are spending.
Meanwhile, 47% expect to spend more on social events and gatherings this festive season - with an average spend of €339 on such outings.
