The Filipino Christmas is not complete without filling every corner of the house with red and green décor, attending or hosting family reunions and—of course—gift-giving. It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or poor; if you’re a Filipino, it’s in your blood to share your blessings with the people around you during the festive season.

But just how Christmas-obsessed are we Pinoys? Google conducted a survey last month to know more about how the holidays are in the country, particularly the gift-shopping aspect of it.

While some of us wait until the last minute (and for our Christmas bonuses) to even think about what gifts to get our loved ones, Google found that there’s a minority (4 percent) that starts their “online research for Christmas items to buy” as early as July. The number increases every month—6 percent in August, 15 percent in September and 21 percent in October—until it reaches fever pitch in November, in which 36 percent of online Filipino respondents scour the Web for all things Christmas. By December, only 19 percent are left to begin making their Christmas list.

A whopping 72 percent of respondents say that their Christmas shopping ideas come from the Internet; but not exclusively because 69 percent go window-shopping to check out what’s available at the stores. Filipinos also take the opinions of those close to them to heart, with 62 percent following recommendations from family and friends.

When asked when exactly they start their Christmas shopping, 4 percent admitted to be really early birds, having already gotten a few things in September. A further 11 percent answered October while 32 percent typically shop in November. The first two weeks of December see the bulk of Christmas shoppers, with 44 percent of respondents saying that that’s when they’re in the zone. The number drastically drops to 5 percent during the third week. And on Christmas eve, the remaining 4 percent join in the holiday rush.

The most popular Christmas-related items for Filipino shoppers are clothing and accessories—88 percent of respondents report purchasing them during the season. Tied at second place are foodstuffs and toys (60 percent each). Tech items are in demand as well: 23 percent of respondents buy phones; 10 percent, tablets; 9 percent, computer hardware; and other gadgets, 27 percent. Meanwhile, beauty products got 23 percent. Old-fashioned gifts seemed to have gone out of style, as flowers and greeting cards are collectively only purchased by 4 percent of respondents.

According to the survey, 36 percent of local shoppers go online to know more about products before they buy them. The rest, presumably, don’t. But it doesn’t mean that they don’t compare prices and features across retailers. After all, for Filipinos, the most important aspects of a purchase are value for money (84 percent), price (80 percent) and quality (78 percent).

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