How much should you spend on Christmas presents?

There is an evening in January when you sit down with your bank statement and quietly add up what Christmas cost. It is rarely one big item that gives you a fright. It is more the many small ones, each of which seemed perfectly reasonable on its own.

There is no good general answer to this question, and anyone who gives you one doesn't know your situation. A few pointers, though, can help you make the decision in December, so that it doesn't hurt in January.

How much do Hungarians spend on Christmas presents?

Going by the 2025 figures, less than you might think. According to Yettel's nationwide, representative survey, published in November 2025, respondents planned to spend an average of 75,000 forints on presents for their family – less than the previous year's 77,000 forints – and planned to give presents to an average of 5.4 people, compared with 5.8 the year before. Of the respondents, 45 per cent planned to spend less than 50,000 forints, and roughly one in five more than 100,000 forints.

The Cofidis Hitel Monitor – carried out by the market research firm NRC Marketingkutató – asked a different question and so got a different figure: those planning to give gifts were thinking in terms of an average budget of 46,000 forints, and set aside an average of 129,000 forints for the full cost of the holidays. In the same survey, 14 per cent of respondents said they would have to rein in their spending in January, after the holidays. Neither figure tells you how much is right for you. What they do show is that moderation is not the exception but the more common case.

How do you set a Christmas gift budget?

By settling on the figure before the list. The more common route is the reverse: we write down who we would like to give what to, add it up, and find that it comes to one and a half times what we meant to spend. At that point it either hurts or we cut back – and the cutting always happens where we least wanted it.

We suggest starting from an amount you can comfortably spend out of your monthly income, or out of money set aside for the purpose. If the budget only works with a loan, it is not the budget that is too small, but the list that is too long.

Set the budget before the list. The other way round, we always cut back where we least wanted to.

How should you split the budget between family and everyone else?

A split we think works well: half of the budget for close family, shared between three or four people. This is where you have the most freedom, because these are the people you know best. A quarter for the wider family – grandparents, siblings' families, godchildren. Here predictability is worth more than surprise: if last year's gifts were within a similar budget, it is good if this year's are too.

The other quarter is for everyone else: colleagues, teachers, the neighbours, the postman. Small sums, lots of people. This is the band where it is easiest to overspend, because one by one each seems a trifle.

How much should you spend on children at Christmas?

Many parents find that beyond a certain point, more presents don't bring more joy, just more unwrapping. That is why some limit themselves to four things: something the child wants, something they need, something to wear and something to read. It is not a rule, just a framework that helps you say no – to the child, and to yourself.

How much should you give a colleague, a teacher, a neighbour?

Not much, but the same for everyone. In this circle, giving everyone the same is part of being tactful. At work, the team often agrees on a spending limit itself; we have looked at this in more detail in our article on gifts for colleagues.

There are always two or three people we didn't count on: someone brings something, and you don't want to be left empty-handed. That is why it is worth keeping two or three neutral little gifts, wrapped in advance, at home. The GALAMBOM box works for this too: a box costs €4.20, and inside there is a piece of handmade gingerbread and a hidden satin ribbon bearing a thought from a Christian saint. The message on the ribbon is in English. The box keeps for one year from production. It fits in a drawer, and it isn't meant for anyone in particular until you give it.

What isn't decided by price?

Most memorable gifts were not the most expensive ones. A letter, a photograph, an afternoon together cost next to nothing, and they resurface years later. We believe a modest gift is not less, just more precise – we have also written about this in our piece on gifts that won't end up at the bottom of a drawer.

If, after Christmas, your first thought is what it all cost, something went off track somewhere. Not necessarily in the amount – more in the fact that we didn't decide in advance. We have gathered our Christmas range here, if you would like to have a look.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Hungarians plan to spend on Christmas presents?

According to Yettel's nationwide survey from November 2025, respondents planned to spend an average of 75,000 forints on presents for their family, for an average of 5.4 people. In the same year, the Cofidis Hitel Monitor measured an average budget of 46,000 forints among those planning to give gifts. The two figures differ because the surveys asked different questions.

How much of the budget should go to close family?

We suggest half: with close family you have the most freedom, and these are the people you know best. It is worth setting aside a quarter for the wider family, and the other quarter for everyone else – colleagues, teachers, neighbours.

What should I do if my list doesn't fit the budget?

Shorten the list rather than stretching the budget. It is worth asking the wider family whether they would rather draw names, and swapping the presents the adults give one another for one small shared treat. A handwritten letter often says more than an object bought on credit.

How many presents should a child get for Christmas?

There is no rule. Some people limit it to four things: something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Beyond a certain point, more presents don't bring more joy, just more unwrapping.

How much is it appropriate to spend on a colleague?

Not much, and the same for everyone. At work, the team often agrees on a spending limit itself, for example when drawing names. The key thing is that everyone in the team can commit to the limit without a second thought.

Is it worth buying a few spare gifts?

Yes, two or three neutral little gifts, wrapped in advance. There is always someone we didn't expect. Choose something that doesn't spoil quickly and isn't meant for anyone in particular – if it isn't needed, it will still be good next year.