The world’s most generous Christmas shoppers take their task seriously. They enjoy lavishing their affections upon their family and friends through beautiful – and sometimes expensive – tokens. Let’s see who they are!

Consumerism is a cult in the United States of America – actually, it has come to represent it. And as the ones that are expected to set an example, the Americans don’t really disappoint. In 2011, for instance, researched showed that the average American spends around 700 Dollars per person on Christmas gifts. That is around 570 Euro – a significant amount, come to think of it. But the first on the list according to the same poll is a small Eruropean country with a big heart (and GDP): Luxembourg. Its population of less than half a million nevertheless spends around 600 Euro per person on Christmas gifts.

At the other end, among the “rich, Western democracies”, the most stingy are the Dutch.

This year, the world’s most generous Christmas shoppers proved to be the Irish and the Brits. The reported spendings during this Irish Christmas season has been nearly 1000 Euro per person. The British shopper spends somewhere in the vicinity of 860 Euro. The Americans strive to remain on top, spending around 625 Euro per person on tokens that can bring a smile on the faces of their loved ones.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese also love to shop – within the limitations of their more modest income. Notwithstanding, traveling to Portugal for the winter season can be a beautiful experience, one you can make even better if you rent a car.