Women carry Christmas workload, dedicating 83 exhausting hours on average to festive season preparation Women are bearing the brunt of the Christmas preparation burden, a poll suggests. THE Christmas countdown is on - and women are carrying the load. Females dedicate an average 83 exhausting hours to gift and food shopping, arranging family get-togethers, cooking, decorations and other preparations, a poll suggests. Blokes get off lighter, claiming Christmas steals an average 58 hours of their time. The festive season habits research found one in three women devote a week - or 168 hours - shopping and getting ready for the big day. In contrast, one in three men expect to be done and dusted within half a day - and one in 14 spend "an hour at most." The Pure Profile online survey of 1000 adults nationwide, commissioned by Sydney's Broadway Shopping Centre, revealed: SOCKS, weight loss and exercise gear, and underwear are the worst gifts. ONE in 10 admit to re-gifting unwanted presents. ONE in five purchase a present for a pet. ONE in five predict they'll spend up to three-quarters of their December pay packet. ALMOST half prefer buying at shopping centres for personal touches such as gift wrapping, entertainment and atmosphere - double the number who favour online. One in four didn't have a preference. The Australian National Retailers Association tips the average shopper will splurge $1280 over the festive season. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, released yesterday, recorded a 0.5 per cent retail sales boost in October. ANRA chief Margy Osmond said the momentum of six consecutive monthly gains would "give retailers something to smile about this Christmas." However, the industry had buried hope of another interest rate cut until next year after the Reserve Bank kept cash rates on hold.