Christmas could be a turkey this year as the credit crunch forces Kent shoppers to spend less.

Nearly 80 per cent of people in the South East will be a Scrooge when it comes to spending on this year's Yuletide compared to last year.

Research by the Institute of Customer Service (ICS) found women will guard the purse strings more than men as concerns over the economic downturn take their toll.

The figures say a total of 79.4 per cent of people in the south east of England expect to spend less on this year's Christmas compared to last year.

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High Street retailers have held sales this month to combat a decline in trading figures for September and October.

But as the reality of Christmas shopping sets in, are we trying to put Christmas shopping to the back of our minds as we save the pennies?

ICS Chief Executive David Parsons said: “Christmas is the busiest time of year for many businesses, so this trend will make for worrying reading.

“People will still be buying presents for their loved ones but with less money to spend they will be more careful where they shop.”