Just how big is Christmas in York for city businesses? STEVE CARROLL investigates.

IT TOOK shoppers on the streets of York by surprise.

According to surveys, Britons are the most generous people in Europe when it comes to buying Christmas presents - spending an average of £600 on gifts each.

But that figure was stretching the budgets of those who were hunting for gifts at busy high street retailers in Parliament Street and Coney Street.

It was insurance giants AXA who revealed Britain's generosity at Christmas time, but this country still lags way behind the United States, which lavished a phenomenal average of £764 on friends and family.

Overall, UK parents will lay out some £1.8 billion on Christmas gifts for the children in the next few weeks, with boys getting the best deal.

High street retailer Woolworths, which has a shop in Coney Street, York, has revealed that parents spend £96 more on their sons than on daughters.

Parents said boys wanted more expensive items at Christmas, and were better at using "pester-power" to get what they want.

Christmas is booming business in York and, as expected, the shops were full of people laden down with gifts for the upcoming festive season.

York Tourism Bureau bosses revealed that on one weekend, more than 350 coaches and a minimum of 14,000 people visited York for St Nicholas Fayre.

Retailers said city sales were buoyant so far, though some firms were doing better than others - with Zara and a new bigger Top Shop bringing a new retail mix in the city.

On average, more than half a million people will flock to York over the festive season - more than ten per cent of the city's total annual visitors, spending a minimum of £33 million.

Kay Hyde, PR manager for the York Tourism Bureau, said: "Christmas and York's Yuletide programme of events is a huge draw for visitors.

"Few things are guaranteed to make you feel more festive than a Christmas shopping trip to York. Visitors come not just for the great range of individual shops but also for the wonderful atmosphere.

"While some other cities have become shopping clones, we're fortunate to be able to offer a shopping experience with a difference and at Christmas time this is particularly important."

But Hayden Beaumont, from Malton, who was entertaining shoppers with medleys of Christmas carols in Davygate, said the image of Christmas was being lost, as society continually focussed on the cash values of presents.

He said that while buying presents was nice, big business shouldn't get in the way of the overall Christmas message.

"It is nice for Christmas to be a special time," the 22-year-old said. "It is not just about spending money, it's about spending time with each other."

DO we spend too much on Christmas shopping? STEVE CARROLL took to the streets of York to ask present hunters.

Mandy Hazel, 47, a district nurse, from Bishop Monkton, said: "I think we spend way too much on Christmas. "I certainly don't spend anything like £600.

"It can be difficult to spend more time together if people work, but no, I think that's too much money."

Hayden Beaumont, 22, a student, from Malton, said: "I think we do spend too much on Christmas. It has begun to lose its meaning. Christmas is all about celebrating Jesus' birth and it is about spending time with the family.

"It is nice to spend money on each other, but it is getting to be too much."

Joan Heard, 55, a clerk, from Manchester, said: "I come here for three days and do my Christmas shopping. I don't spend anywhere near that amount of money.

"I spend quite a lot on my daughters, but I don't spend £600.

"I suppose it would be nice if you could spend that kind of money, but I think it's about spending time together."

Chris Jackson, 23, a city student, originally from Bradford, said: "I think Christmas has got to be about the time rather than the money.

"People forget about the presents after a while, but they don't forget to remember their family traditions."

Updated: 10:17 Saturday, December 10, 2005