"Perennially, popular gifts such as items of clothing, perfume/aftershave, jewellery, chocolates, drink and toiletries will do well again, but demand could be patchy as more interesting and imaginative gifts may take a greater share of gift purchasers' expenditure."

Extract from this report

The impending Millennium celebrations are likely to have a huge impact on Christmas shopping this year, holding strong implications for retailers and those reliant on holiday expenditure. Christmas Shopping Habits considers the gift buying intentions and receiving preferences of adults in the UK, and monitors the possible effect of the end of the century on purchase decisions.

· Findings revealed that over 9% of those questioned were planning a trip to the Millennium dome.

· Some 35% of consumers expect to spend more on this Christmas than last year.

· Clothing, toys and games, and books will be bought by over half of all adults at Christmas as gifts.

What are the most popular purchase items and what gifts do people want most? In analysing the overall market and which sectors will benefit most from the holidays, Christmas Shopping Habits reveals what consumers are expecting from the shopping season and when the majority of their shopping will occur. Will the Millennium hype dampen or fuel Christmas spirits? This report also examines how people are celebrating the New Year and its relative importance to retailers.