Christmas costs worry 22% of Brits

December 1, 2006

Over a fifth of British people are concerned that the financial burden of the Christmas period will prevent them from enjoying the season, according to a new survey.

Of the 2,000 people polled by Tesco Personal Finance, 39 per cent said they were worried about the rising cost of heating bills over the winter period.

The Tesco Personal Finance study showed that Christmas can be a stressful period for many reasons, with 28 per cent of people saying that they dreaded the prospect of the festive period in general.

Strained personal relationships, which can suffer as families get together in December, were one of the reasons offered.

John Trotter, head of customer insight at Tesco Personal Finance, said: "It could be that as we move into autumn, the prospect of the colder winter weather and family tensions erupting over the Christmas period are contributing to the dip.

"While many people look forward to the end of the year, for others the festive season can be a source of stress."

The general outlook identified by the research was a positive one, with 36 per cent of people saying they felt optimistic as they approach Christmas and 13 per cent more people expressing positive views than negative.