18 Christmas remains one of the most important trading periods for clothing and fashion brands – but new research suggests the category is increasingly exposed to pressure, anxiety and late decision-making. The Great British Christmas 2025 Survey – jointly created and curated by Richmond & Towers and Possibility? – reveals that fashion sits at the intersection of three growing Christmas tensions: financial stress, gifting anxiety and last-minute purchasing behaviour. Sharing a unique view of Britain at Christmas by blending hard data with human stories, the in-depth 126-page report provides marketers with a forensic view of the nation’s festive season, helping to ensure that Christmas 2026 will be their most successful yet. Based on research with 2,000 UK adults conducted immediately after Christmas, the study offers a data playground for fashion marketers planning 2026 – and a warning that traditional festive playbooks are losing relevance for large parts of the population. “The Great British Christmas 2025 Survey breaks new ground to show how misconceptions about Britain’s Christmas habits may be hindering effective marketing, and even how some campaigns – including those that are often held up as best in class – are missing the target with large numbers of consumers,” explains Matt de Leon, Managing Director at Richmond & Towers. Fashion gifting is emotionally loaded – and increasingly risky While gift-giving remains a core Christmas ritual, the research shows that it is far from universally enjoyed. Only 48 per cent of celebrants say they loved or really enjoyed Christmas, with enjoyment dropping sharply among single adults, lower social grades and those without children. In a Christmas shaped by financial pressure, late purchasing and uneven enjoyment, fashion gifting is particularly exposed to anxiety and uncertainty for many shoppers. Unlike food or shared experiences, clothing gifts are deeply personal, visible and socially judged – intensifying pressure on buyers already anxious about money and taste. “Christmas gifting has become a moment where financial pressure and emotional risk collide,” explains Nick Rabin, Managing Director at Possibility?. “Fashion gifts carry FESTIVE FASHION Why fashion gifting is under pressure – and how clothing brands must rethink Christmas for 2026
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