A new survey from Hexbug has found that 27 per cent of parents have already made purchases which will put them ahead of the game in the run-up to Christmas this year, according to the Daily Mail.

There are more than four months to go until the big day arrives, but with the availability of affordable prices via safe shopping online, it is possible for consumers to start stocking up on gifts for their kids sooner rather than later without disrupting their daily routines.

In spite of this significant minority of well-prepared shoppers being especially eager to avoid disappointment on December 25th, 51 per cent said that they are at the other end of the spectrum in terms of readiness, with most choosing to leave gift buying until the final days of the season.

A quarter of those questioned said that their festive retail plans really kicked into action in September once kids were back at school and they had a little more time to make preparations and carry out shopping online in peace.

Some claimed that their preparedness can actually be a problem, since in the months between buying gifts and actually giving them, they can forget what they purchased and where they hid items, resulting in some products being purchased multiple times.

Report spokesperson, Heather Corbett, said that in spite of the fact that many retailers choose to heavily advertise Christmas deals in the weeks leading up to the event itself, many people are less likely to be influenced by this marketing push because they have already purchased the majority of the gifts they intend to give.

With e-commerce companies offering later deadlines for last orders, it is possible for Brits to push their luck and still get last minute items delivered in time, especially if the thought of starting to shop for Christmas in August is too much to bear.