Traditionalist Italians, Christmas lunch at home for 8 out of 10

Italian families will spend 108 euros this year on Christmas lunch which 88% will consume in their own home or that of relatives and friends, with an average of 8 guests. This is what emerges from the Coldiretti/Ixe’ survey on the highlight of the Christmas holidays which confirms the traditional tendency to spend the December 25th date within the home and with the family. If the budget this year is slightly decreasing compared to 2023 (-6%), the relative majority of families (30%) plan to spend – Coldiretti finds – between 50 and 100 euros, while 23% will go up to 150 euros, 11% to 200 euros and 4% will reach 300 euros (with another 4% exceeding this figure).

Only 10% will keep costs under 30 euros, 13% between 30 and 50 euros, while 5% prefer not to provide an answer. But there are also clear territorial differences, with the extreme peaks represented by a South which will see an average of 121 euros per family and a North West which will stop at 96 euros. Whoever prepares the Christmas lunch will pass on average 2.2 hours at the stovea sharp decline compared to the average of previous years, according to Coldiretti/Ixe’.

If the vast majority of Italians will spend the Christmas meal at home, between 55% who will remain within their own home and 33% who will go to friends and relatives, there is no shortage of 9% who will choose a restaurant or a farmhouse, while the rest will decide at the last moment. In the menu choices, the winner once again tradition – continues Coldiretti -, from fresh pasta in broth to roasts, while on the dessert front there is a trend towards do-it-yourself in almost half of the homes (47%) where the traditional desserts of the individual regions will be prepared.

In the glasses, the great protagonist is the sparkling wine, which will not be missing in 83% of the tables. In holiday food preferences, however, there is a clear “patriotic” trend with 82% choosing products of national origin, of which 30% will go towards mainly local products, while the remaining 18% will decide more based on price.