Analysts have found out the most coveted New Year's gifts from Russians

Russians began to prepare for the New Year celebrations earlier than last year. More and more people buy gifts and drinks in advance, while alcohol remains not only a part of the festive table, but also one of the coveted gifts. Most often, Russians would like to see whiskey or sparkling wine under the tree, both Russian and imported. This is evidenced by data from a survey conducted by SimpleWine in collaboration with OMI (Online Market Intelligence), which was reviewed by Izvestia.

According to the survey, while last year 50% of respondents postponed buying gifts for the last two weeks before the holiday, this year there were fewer such people — 39%. A third of Russians started training a month before the New Year, and 18% — two months or more. In addition, the share of those who do not plan to give gifts at all has decreased — from 13% to 10% in 2024.

Most Russians traditionally leave the purchase of alcohol and beverages for the New Year's table at the last moment. However, there is also a transition to advance preparation. So, 57% of respondents plan to buy during the two weeks before the holiday, whereas last year the figure was 64%. The survey also showed that the number of those who do not purchase alcohol by the New Year decreased from 17% to 14%.

Alcohol remains not only a part of the festive table, but also one of the most popular gifts — 18% of respondents plan to present it. At the same time, much more Russians are not against receiving alcohol as a gift — 73%. When asked "What kind of alcohol they would like as a gift," the respondents most often mentioned whiskey. Russian sparkling wine, imported sparkling wine, French champagne, and French cognac are coming with a slight margin.

"It is noteworthy that Russian and imported sparkling wine received the same number of responses — 16% each. According to our observations, customers are becoming more selective when choosing alcohol, focusing on taste and quality, rather than on the country of origin. In addition, the survey showed an increase in interest in categories such as gin and tinctures. Despite their relatively small share — 8 and 6%, respectively — they began to be chosen as a coveted gift more often than last year," Anatoly Korneev, co—founder and vice president of the Simple Group, explained to Izvestia.

If we talk in general about the gifts that Russians would like to receive, then practical and universal categories are in the lead here. First of all, these are electronics and household appliances (30%), followed by gift certificates (24%), cosmetics and perfumes (23%), as well as household goods and jewelry (20% each).

At the same time, the wishes of Russians are somewhat different from what they themselves plan to give. Sweets and candies are still the most popular when choosing a gift (51%). At the same time, compared to last year, interest in New Year's souvenirs has increased (from 31% to 35%), cosmetics and perfumes (from 30% to 35%), household goods (from 27% to 32%), gift certificates (from 20% to 23%), and also clothing and accessories (from 16% to 21%).

Red Fiery Horse: how to meet the year 2026 and what to expect from it

What does the fire element symbolize and what symbols and decorations are suitable for celebrating the year of the Red Fiery Horse according to the Eastern calendar

Earlier, on November 19, representatives of companies selling wine and vodka products told Izvestia that alcohol remains one of the most popular New Year's gifts. It was noted that the average budget for such gifts now stands at 1.5–3 thousand rubles, while the premium segment of 5 thousand rubles and above maintains stable demand.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.