Brits are ditching big-ticket items this Christmas in favour of ‘micro gifting’, with new research* carried out by Virgin Money revealing 22% don’t intend to buy anyone a singular, pricey item, opting instead to give loved ones lots of smaller gifts.
The trend is driven by a desire to give gifts that feel more thoughtful and personal, combined with the appeal of affordability, as micro gifts typically come with lower price points, and the flexibility to spread costs more easily across the festive season.
According to 39% of respondents, micro gifting is becoming popular, especially among younger generations, with a third (36%) believing it’s Gen Z embracing the trend the most.
The research follows the launch of Virgin Money’s autumn spend trends detailing spend from September to November this year by their credit card customers.
Nick Martin, head of lending insights at Virgin Money, said: “Our research shows a clear shift towards ‘micro gifting’, with people preferring multiple smaller gifts over one big-ticket item.
“Everyone loves opening presents on Christmas Day, but what really stands out is the move towards more thoughtful, personal gifts for friends and family. This trend is proving popular with both shoppers and recipients.”
Almost half (45%) said they’d recommend ‘micro gifting’ to friends and family due to it being budget-friendly, encouraging thoughtfulness and being a fun and creative way to surprise someone, while 38% believe having multiple mini items to buy makes festive shopping more fun.
Interestingly, 17% would prefer to receive micro gifts compared to 10% who would opt for a singular, more expensive present. Top smaller presents include chocolates, cosy socks, and scented candles or diffusers, with other popular mini gifts including bath salts, food and drink sets, as well as lip balms, hand creams, and hot chocolate sets.
According to the research, consumers will buy an average of five presents per person this year, spending £49 in total, which is down £16 from £65 in 2024. However, 52% admit they still feel pressured to buy expensive gifts.
When it comes to shopping for loved ones, over half (57%) start their festive shopping in November or earlier, with 47% expecting to finish by mid-December. Virgin Money’s spend trends report reveals their credit card customers spent £1.9 billion on purchases in September, October and November this year.
Nick Martin from Virgin Money added: “Our customer spend data shows tech and electrical goods dominated spending in autumn, likely for Christmas gifts.
“We can see people were making the most of the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, as our credit card customers made 1.2 million lifestyle purchases (the equivalent of seven per second) totalling £77m on Black Friday and Cyber Monday alone.
“Interestingly, overall spend for the quarter is down compared to the previous quarter, suggesting smaller, more thoughtful, budget-friendly gifts could be on the agenda this Christmas.”
*About the research
The survey was carried out by OnePoll in December 2025 with 2,000 UK adults.