SPANISH residents will spend an average of €682 on Christmas this year – the second-highest sum in Europe after the Danes, according to a survey by accountancy firm Deloitte.
Generally, the amount Spaniards intend to blow on the festive season this year is around 30% above the EU average – despite being in the bottom half for its income-living cost ratio.
And planned expenditure for yuletide 2017 is up 4% on that of 2016, the research shows.
The average European will spend €517, falling by 1% on last year's sum, meaning Spain's expected outpouring of cash is considerably higher.
Deloitte says this shows a more optimistic outlook, on the streets, about the country's economy and financial security – in fact, 74% of those interviewed in Spain believe it has improved since or, at least, is no worse than in, 2015, whilst 71% predict it will continue along these lines in 2017.
Compared with results of the same survey in November 2015, Deloitte reports a notable improvement: only 63% thought the nation's economic situation was better or at least as stable as a year previously, and just 66% expected the trend to continue in 2016.
Confidence among consumers appears to be rising in Spain, says Deloitte: two-thirds of respondents consider they have at least the same or even greater spending power this year than last, compared with 52% in the run-up to Christmas 2015.
And Spain is only just behind Europe's biggest festive spenders: Danish householders expect to blow around €689 on Christmas, just €7 more than in Spain.
Other countries above average in terms of planned expenditure were Italy, where respondents said they would spend around €614; Belgium (€592), and Germany (€529).
Some of the lowest planned Christmas expense was found in Greece, with a predicted €439 each; Portugal (€431); Russia (€348), and Poland (€328).
Part of the reason Spain's spending will be the second-highest in Europe is because, effectively, the country has two Christmases – presents are exchanged and families get together for meals on Christmas Eve night, and the Three Kings on the night of January 5 is another gift-giving session.
The 'Kings' used to be the main, or even the only, festive celebration in Spain, even until just five or 10 years ago, but the tradition of Santa Claus and December 24 and 25 has caught on.
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