Irish shoppers are truly in a giving mood as the amount spent on Christmas presents is twice the amount spent during the Celtic Tiger.
The boom may not quite be back but the figures show that bigger pay cheques and a high employment rate has led to more generous spending.
Retail Ireland predicts the Irish household will spend an average of €2,800 in shops this December, approximately €940 more than any other month of the year and roughly 3.4% more than Christmas 2018.
And the IBEC group say that spending over the Christmas season is expected to top €4.9 billion, up from €4.75 billion in 2018.
Irish retailers are expected to continue to grow their share of the online market during the period, with continued significant investment in online platforms.
Retail Ireland Director Arnold Dillon said: "Brexit concerns weighed on consumer sentiment during the year, but this did not translate into a fall in sales.
"With the risk of an imminent ‘no deal’ Brexit gone, Christmas 2019 looks set to deliver a strong performance for the retail sector.
"Rising disposable incomes, record numbers at work and falling prices have all combined to give consumers greater spending power than ever before.
“Christmas remains crucial for retailers, with many doing over 30% of their annual trade over the six-week period.
"Black Friday fell nearly a week later this year, with some of the bounce from it carrying through into December.
"Retailers have reported strong trading over the recent fortnight, making up for a slower start in some categories.
"The spending power is there in the economy, but retailers are having to compete aggressively to attract consumers to their offering.”
