Experts have created a formula to help Brits buy the perfect Christmas present – taking into account the time you have left to shop, who you have to buy for and the hints you receive.
TV presenter and mathematician Rachel Riley worked with Essex University statistician Dr Dai to develop the formula in a bid to save some of the Christmas shopping stress.
The formula, commissioned by Currys PC World, shows the probability of getting all of your presents right depends on the number of people you have to buy for and how many weeks you have left to shop before Christmas.
How difficult they are to buy for, the money you have to spend and whether you get any hints or ideas from them about what they want are also key to the equation.
Rachel Riley said: “We’ve all been there – you’ve left present buying to the last minute, haven’t a clue what to buy your loved ones and the panic is starting to set in.
“That’s why I’ve teamed up with Currys PC World to create this mathematically-derived formula to help those who aren’t overly confident with their gift ideas to give them the focus they need to get it right this Christmas.
“That way, customers can be confident their presents will be greeted with a smile, and not a receipt request.”
Research commissioned by Currys PC World, of 2,000 adults, also found more than one in five (22%) rank Christmas shopping as the most stressful time of the year.
And three in ten of those say the biggest cause of the stress is trying to come up with gift ideas.
Partners were named the most difficult to buy for, followed by children, dads and mums, with the average Brit buying for four adults and two children, parting with £21-£30 per head.
But the difficulty in deciding what to buy means more than one in ten (10%) have been late giving their presents to their loved ones, while another 29 per cent admit they have panic-bought more than they planned to.
Four in ten have just resorted to giving them a voucher while one in ten just picked up for the first thing they saw.
One in twenty even said their lack of inspiration meant their friend or relative ended up with nothing.
Currys PC World’s top tips to Get it Right this Christmas
Use Rachel Riley’s scientific formula to check the probability of you getting it right this Christmas – if it’s high, well done! If not, Currys PC World has everything you need to put things right:
- Make use of the Currys PC World’s in-store KnowHow team to get their expert advice on picking the perfect gift for your loved ones
- Message the Currys PC World Giftologist to gain extra inspiration and personal recommendations
- Shop with confidence – Currys PC World’s Price Promise means that the retailer promises to match or beat the prices at AO.com, Argos, Asda, John Lewis and Tesco
- Do your research – Currys PC World’s website has a wealth of information to help you pick the right products including this handy guide to get you started
