<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>336853</docID> <postdate>2025-01-23 11:09:16</postdate> <headline>Christmas parcel boom despite hardships</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-336854" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/20231206001874213141-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Australia Post delivered more than 100 million parcels in the months leading up to Christmas. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Holly Hales</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Australians' Christmas spending habits have continued to climb despite apparent widespread economic hardship. </strong></p> <p>A new record was set for Australia Post's busiest peak period during the latest festive season, with almost 103 million parcels delivered in the two months leading up to December 31.</p> <p>This figure was released on Thursday and marked a 3.1 per cent climb from 2023 according to its latest quarterly Inside Australian Online Shopping Report.</p> <p>Health and wellness was the crowd favourite for presents, growing 20.5 per cent in the number of online purchases since the previous year.</p> <p>That was followed closely by athleisure and tools & garden increasing 15.8 per cent and 14.6 per cent.</p> <p>More than 2800 parcels were delivered every minute in November and December across a total of 7.6 million households, a 2.4 per cent increase from last year.</p> <p>Northern Territory shopping habits were up the most at 12.4 per cent, while Tasmania's rose 11.4 per cent, which was followed by South Australia at 8.9 per cent.</p> <p>Nationally, the three top suburbs for online shopping were the Queensland towns Mackay and Toowoomba, and Victoria's Point Cook.</p> <p>Australia Post parcel, post, and ecommerce services executive general manager Gary Starr said its busiest day, December 9, resulted in more than three million parcels delivered.</p> <p>"While we are proud of what we have achieved, we can always do better, and we'll reflect on this peak to start planning for the next," he said.</p> <p>It comes after other insight into Australians' shopping habits by insurer Budget Direct.</p> <p>A survey, which polled almost 1000 people, found 38 per cent making a purchase monthly online, 30 per cent fortnightly and 21 per cent weekly.</p> <p>More than half of all respondents – 69 per cent – said they planned to continue or increase their online purchase in the next 12 months.</p> </body>