When it comes to buying a Secret Santa gift, it seems that tradesmen are the most generous workers, with plumbers, builders and electricians spending the most on Christmas gifts for their colleagues.
According to research by short term loan provider Wonga, more than one in five (21%) tradesmen spend between £21 and £25 on a Secret Santa gift, compared to the national average of £13.
The professions that spend the most on Secret Santa gifts on average are:
- Plumber, builder or electrician - £18
- Designer or artist - £16
- IT - £16
The thriftiest professions, by the percentage of people who spend £5 or less on a gift, are:
- Teacher - 21.1%
- Sales - 12.5%
- Retail - 11.4%
Plumbers, builders and electricians also spend the most overall on seasonal workplace festivities, with 19% spending £76 - £100 on everything including Christmas parties, lunches, decorations, gifts and treats. They are a jolly lot!
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Geographically, people in Edinburgh are the most festive, with 90% buying a colleague a Secret Santa gift and attending at least one party. Workers in Southampton are the biggest party poopers, with just 51% taking part in Secret Santa and only 64% going to a party.
Lawyers, meanwhile, tend to have the largest number of Christmas meals and parties to look forward to. Almost a third (30%) have four such occasions coming up this year, while 19% have five. Workers across the country will attend two parties on average.
Read more: Gift wrapping ideas for Christmas presents with style
More women participate in workplace Christmas activities than men, though almost half (48%) said they feel more pressure to spend money in the workplace during the festive season, compared to just over a third (35%) of men.
How much will you spend on your Secret Santa?
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