Have Australian’s forgotten the real meaning of Christmas?
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The results of two separate surveys reveal a stark contrast in how people will be spending their money this Christmas.
New research from the Salvation Army showed an alarming increase in the number of Australian children who won't receive Christmas presents this year.
Meanwhile, a global survey by Ferratum Group estimates the average Tasmanian will spend just under $2000 on Christmas related purchases.
As part of the Salvation Army's Christmas Appeal, research commissioned through Roy Morgan revealed 1.6 million Australians with children under the age of 10 will not be providing a Christmas present in 2017.
This figure is an increase of more than one million compared to last year.
The Salvation Army’s Major Paul Moulds said the research paints a bleak picture for Australians, describing the trends as “extremely disturbing”.
“People living on marginal incomes and tight budgets are already carefully managing how they spend their money but with power prices escalating, housing affordability getting worse and more Australians struggling to get enough paid work, it's getting harder and harder for many people to keep their head above water,” he said.
On the other end of the scale, the global survey reviewing consumer spending ranked Tasmania as the lowest spenders in Australia.
During the holiday period, the Ferratum Group’s Christmas Barometer estimates the average Tasmanian will spend $1192 on gifts.
The figure represents about 22 per cent of the average monthly income in the state.
Major purchases include toys and games, clothing, alcohol, gift cards and electronics with Australia’s top Christmas spenders found in the ACT with $1563, Western Australia with $1509 and the Northern Territory with $1408.
The Examiner asked readers how much they thought parents should spend on Christmas presents for their children.
In a poll, 37 per cent of respondents chose between $50 and $150, followed by 26 per cent for $150 to $300, while 23 per cent said less than $50.
When asked, 61 per cent of respondents also said they believed Tasmanians had forgotten the true meaning of Christmas.
“Wow, I don't know many people who have $1192 to spend on presents these days,” Eleanor Binns said.
“Personally, Christmas isn't about presents, but for those who do, it doesn't have to cost a fortune to show someone you care.”