Name: Shoppers search for last-minute gifts with Christmas around the corner
Uploaded: 2025-12-24T07:50:41.245Z
Duration: 2 min 42 s
Description: There are two types of Christmas shoppers: those who plan for months in advance, and those who wait until days in advance to find the perfect gift.

There are two types of Christmas shoppers: those who plan for months in advance, and those who wait until days in advance to find the perfect gift.

Berlin

As Christmas nears, shoppers in European cities including Berlin, Lille, and Athens are turning to brick-and-mortar stores for last-minute gifts, with online orders no longer able to arrive in time. Retailers in Austria and France report a slight increase in sales, while Athens shop owners note that financial concerns are causing shoppers to be more cautious and delay purchases.

Markets and shopping streets are busy, with high demand for popular gifts and festive decorations creating a lively atmosphere. However, the overall pace of shopping is slower than in previous years, reflecting economic caution among consumers. In Greece, Christmas is celebrated on December 25, in line with the revised Julian calendar.

Shoppers search for last-minute gifts with Christmas around the corner

Many shoppers were still out on the shopping streets doing last-minute Christmas shopping. Since online orders no longer arrive in time, brick-and-mortar stores benefit particularly in the days leading up to Christmas. As pressure mounts on late shoppers, retailers are now racing against the clock. Gift vouchers, toys, books and fashion are once again in high demand. Retailers in Austria are pleased and expect a modest but slight increase in sales this year. We're just buying the last ones. Last-minute, so? Yes, unfortunately. Didn't you manage to do it earlier? No, actually not. We had a bit of trouble at the university, so unfortunately everything didn't work out. But we hope that we can find the last ones and then everything should work out. I think it was a solid Christmas shop given the framework conditions. We must not forget where we come from. Difficult phase of the last two years. We hope for a slight increase, yes. But in this setting, it's a good, solid result, but not an euphoric celebration. In Lille, France's third-largest wholesale market, the excitement is at its peak and everything is negotiable. Surrounded by pallet trucks and crates of fruit and vegetables, at this market more than 1,000 tonnes of produce were sold in a single day. We buy them to put in the baskets because it's Christmas, it's a celebration. We want the customer to be satisfied and to taste new products. How long will you be gone? In two days. In central Athens, streets filled with people carrying shopping bags. Girls dressed as Santa Claus welcomed residents and tourists alike, singing and dancing to the sound of festive Christmas music. Shop windows and streets were filled with glittering decorations, festive music and colourful lights the day before Christmas Eve. However, shop owners say they are experiencing a slower pace this year, noting increased financial concerns among consumers. Generally, people are in a good mood, but they are very cautious. They look at their wallets first and then cover their needs. I see this as a shopkeeper, because people who were more comfortable last year, this year they are more cautious and they leave their markets until the end. While some Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on January 7, Greece celebrates Christmas on December 25. This is because the Greek Orthodox Church follows the revised Julian calendar, which currently aligns with the Gregorian calendar for fixed holidays, such as Christmas.

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