Microsoft: Aussies rack up over half a billion hours in holiday season prep

Microsoft research reveals Australians spend an average of 27 hours on holiday tasks, including travel planning, gift shopping, and event organisation – adding up to a huge 540 million hours nationwide.

The Microsoft AI Holiday Hacks Report also uncovered that 77 per cent of Australians find aspects of the holiday season stressful, with the top stressors being choosing the right gifts (36 per cent), staying on budget (36 per cent), and shopping for food, decorations, or presents (33 per cent).

The report revealed that holiday planning isn’t everyone’s cup of eggnog, with fewer than half (45 per cent) of Aussies attempting to plan their holiday festivities well in advance to avoid the last-minute gift-buying rush. Although 58 per cent say they’d rather do almost anything than hit the shops on Christmas Eve, including taking an ice bath (20 per cent), assembling IKEA furniture without instructions (20 per cent) and listening to an uncle explain cryptocurrency over Christmas lunch (15 per cent). Choosing gifts ranks as one of the hardest holiday tasks, with 72 per cent of respondents struggling to find presents for at least one person on their list.

With the chaos of Christmas approaching, the report found that nearly half (47 per cent) of Aussies are open to using AI to streamline holiday tasks, including choosing gifts (19 per cent), meal planning and cooking (16 per cent), travel planning (16 per cent) and finding unique holiday recipes (16 per cent).

Microsoft’s Copilot AI feature is designed to help ease the holiday burden. From generating personalised gift ideas to creating efficient travel itineraries and even optimising dinner parties, Copilot can give back precious hours during the busiest season.

Windows Category Lead for ANZ at Microsoft, Dan Johnson, said, “This time of year can be hectic. With Microsoft Copilot, we want to help Australians reclaim their time, whether it’s through smart scheduling, recipe ideas, or even travel coordination. Think of it as your personal assistant, ready to tackle the little tasks so you can enjoy more of what matters this season. ”

With time saved using AI, nearly two in five Aussies (37 per cent) said they would spend it on quality family time, while another 37 per cent would catch up on sleep. Gen Z respondents, in particular, are keen to maximise their downtime, with 53 per cent saying they’d use the extra hours to rest and recharge.