Despite the economic gloom, the French Christmas budget increases in 2026, to 581 euros on average

As Christmas approaches, a breeze of worry is blowing through French households, who fear having to arbitrate their spending to preserve the spirit of the end-of-year holidays. Pained by the acceleration of inflation which is weighing on their purchasing power, almost two thirds of French households (62%) fear the cost of Christmas celebrations, especially those under 35 (77%), according to the tenth edition of the annual Cofidis barometer on the subject, carried out with the CSA Research institute.

The main source of concern for the French remains food prices (72%). Because who says Christmas says big holiday dinners. However, if overall inflation reached 3.4% over one year in October, that of food remained limited to 1.2%, according to INSEE. But food prices are expected to soar again next spring, following annual trade negotiations between manufacturers and distributors, under the effect of soaring oil and gas prices and last summer's heatwaves. Added to this, at Christmas, is the travel necessary to reunite with family, which weighs on end-of-year finances: more than half of those surveyed (58%) are worried about fuel prices, which have soared since the start of the Middle East conflict last February.

Despite these budgetary pressures, the budget allocated to this year's celebrations remains surprisingly strong. The French plan to spend on average 581 euros. A sum partly driven by inflation, showing a strong rebound compared to 2025 (+90 euros), a year in which the envelope was the lowest since 2017. In a context of moribund morale and consumption, households therefore seem to want to preserve the bubble that the end-of-year holidays represent, for them.

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Gifts, unsurprisingly, capture more than half of the budget, with 340 euros dedicated to this item on average, up 43 euros compared to last year. However, households are prioritizing quality over quantity with a reduction in gifts purchased, from nine to seven per household. The trade-offs are made on items deemed more superfluous: 26% of respondents favor savings on clothing and 20% on decorations. The budget devoted to holiday meals is holding up better (8%), these moments representing a special opportunity to bring loved ones together around a table.