According to early figures from Sainsbury's Bank, spending on Christmas has increased so far this year with debt problems expected to follow for many.
Figures from the end of the third week of November show that consumers had spent £7.21 billion on Christmas shopping, up from £6.29 billion at the same point last year.
It is widely expected that less will be spent on Christmas this year as consumers tighten their belts during the credit crunch.