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Nearly one in three Britons are planning to scale back their spending at Christmas in the light of the credit crunch, with many swapping shopping for cooking to provide personalised gifts, according to research from Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Good Food magazine.
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The survey of 2,104 Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Magazines readers found that with pressure on family budgets, the celebration was set to take on a less commercial flavour than in recent years with more than 30 per cent of those surveyed planning to strip back the celebrations, and go back to basics.
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More than 90 per cent of those cutting costs said they plan to spend less on presents. Other popular ways to save money includeΜύcutting down spending on alcohol and not hosting a drinks party.
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However one in four of those cutting costs said they would be making food-based presents, with 82 per cent saying they plan to make more this Christmas. Scaling back the Christmas dinner and buying cheaper meat were less popular alternatives, indicating that the Christmas dinner would remain sacred.
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Despite the recent gloomy economic news, the majority of those surveyed are still looking forward to the celebration – some of those polled said they were looking forward to 'a welcome break' from all the depressing news.
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Of the 2,104 surveyed, good food was the most popular treat they weren't prepared to go without at the 'credit crunch Christmas', (36 per cent) followed by alcohol (22 per cent). This was followed by chocolate, spending time with family then exchanging presents.
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Gillian Carter, Editor of Good Food, said: "The research shows that although nearly a third of people are planning to cut back on their celebrations, most people still intend to make it as special as ever.
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"The main meal is the one area no one wants to cut back on, as it offers the opportunity to get the family together. It is interesting to see how many people are thinking about making more presents this year – food-based treats are always well received as real time and effort has gone into preparing them, as opposed to a hastily bought gift."
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This month's bumper Christmas Good Food magazine features every recipe you'll need for the festive season, including: A series of inexpensive homemade gifts such as Chocolate truffles, Spanish fig & almond balls and Sweet chilli jam.
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Britain's best-selling food magazine contains over 120 recipes, ranging from traditional turkey and vegetarian alternatives to Christmas cakes and stunning desserts, as well as vital tips and timeplans The December issue also includes a host of recipes from Britain's top celebrity chefs, including Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver and James Martin.
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Toby Hicks
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Notes to Editors:
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Good Food magazine is the market leading food title. It has 340,057 monthly readers according to the last ABC figures, while its website has 600,000 unique users each month.
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