Nerves get jingle jangled

Busy shopping times and queue jumpers are the worst, says Jennifer Smith. Photo / Janna Dixon

You've battled crowds of shoppers with carols ringing in your ears, struggling with bags of presents, when suddenly something snaps. Your heart rate increases, and you need to scream.

The phenomenon is called Christmas rage and a quarter of us will experience it this season, according to a survey of 1000 Kiwi shoppers.

The figure is even higher among 18 to 24-year-olds, with 38 per cent likely to flip during gift-buying expeditions.

Psychologist John Groom is already seeing signs of shopping stress, despite the trend not usually occurring until mid-December.

He put the shift down to people being affected by the recession or fearful they would become victims of financial woes. "There's a tremendous amount of irritation, anxiety and stress," he said.

Auckland psychotherapist Mary Farrell said the problem was down to the pressure of giving the perfect gift but not receiving the same from loved ones. This was especially true for women.

"Women take giving seriously. Girls often think hard to give the right thing for their boyfriend and receive something that hasn't connected with them."

The Colmar Brunton survey for New World reveals we have ourselves to blame for Christmas rage, with the supermarket rush not expected to start until the week before the big day.

Farrell said buying online was one way to avoid the queues. People who felt overwhelmed should do something for themselves, such as have their nails done or stop for a quiet coffee, she said.

Groom's recommendations included accepting that all shoppers were stressed at this time of year and doing random acts of kindness for others.

Major shopping centres will do their bit to help, with Westfield extending shopping hours from mid-December and hiring carpark crews to point out spaces at busy times.

The survey revealed a host of other festive facts. The majority of us - 62 per cent - prefer a fake Christmas tree to the real thing.

Food-wise we're traditional, with 62 per cent planning a roast for Christmas Day and a third opting for a barbecue. Dessert is more alternative, with 57 per cent favouring fruit salad and pavlova instead of Christmas pudding or cake.

If you're suffering Christmas rage, spare a thought for the 8 per cent of New Zealanders who work on the day - and the 10 per cent who spend it alone.

Managing the stress

Jennifer Smith freely admits to becoming a "queue hater" in the run-up to Christmas. The Auckland mother of two said her major gripes were crowds at The Warehouse and people cutting in front of her baby buggy.

"I definitely get grumpy and irritable. You just get fed up pushing babies around with buggies. I don't mind if it's peaceful, but when it's busy that's when I become a queue hater."

Smith beats Christmas rage by avoiding stores at peak times and shopping at night when her partner can look after their children.