Australians are set to seek a return on emotion this Christmas, prioritising joy, connection and meaningful experiences, according to new research released today by Are Media.

Presented at The Australian Women’s Weekly Test Kitchen, the research identifies Joy Maxxing as a defining consumer behaviour of Christmas 2026 and highlights a growing truth for marketers: while AI is transforming discovery, trusted sources remain the deciding factor.

The findings underpin Are Media’s Christmas 2026 commercial platform and coincide with the launch of Are Visible, a new AI visibility and content intelligence platform that helps brands extend the power of trusted publishing into the age of AI.

Trust still wins

While AI is rapidly changing how Australians discover ideas, the research shows trust remains the deciding factor when consumers choose what to buy, cook, gift and celebrate. The research found:

• 55% of Australian women expect to combine AI with trusted publishers when planning Christmas.
• 78% say trusted publishers remain their preferred source of festive inspiration.
• More than three in four trust publisher recommendations over influencer recommendations.
• More than nine in ten women remain responsible for planning Christmas across food, entertaining, decorating and gifting.

Despite ongoing cost-of-living pressures, Australians are choosing to spend more intentionally. While 84% say they are more price conscious and 74% are cautious with discretionary spending, almost half still expect to spend more than $500 this Christmas, reflecting a desire to invest in experiences and traditions that create lasting memories.

Jocelin Abbey, Director of Content & Consumer Growth at Are Media, said the findings reinforce that trust remains  the most valuable currency for both consumers and brands.

“Australians are looking for a return on emotion as much as a return on spend. They’re seeking ideas they can trust, recommendations they can act on and inspiration that genuinely makes life easier.”

“AI is changing how people discover ideas, but it isn’t replacing the validation of trusted sources. If anything, it’s making trusted brands like The Weekly and Better Homes and Gardens more valuable because we’re helping consumers cut through the noise with recommendations they have confidence in.”

Introducing Are Visible

As more Australians ask AI what to buy, where to travel, what to cook and which brands to trust, the challenge is no longer simply being found, it’s becoming one of the brands AI recommends.

Developed in partnership with Peec AI, Are Visible helps brands understand how they appear across AI-powered search and recommendation platforms, identify gaps in visibility and build the trusted, authoritative content that increases both discoverability and recommendation.

Anna Quinn, Sales Director at Are Media, said the launch builds on the trust Are Media has earned with Australian audiences over decades.

“Our audiences don’t just consume our content. They act on it. They cook our recipes, buy our recommendations, visit the destinations we feature and bring our ideas into their everyday lives. That’s a level of trust that’s incredibly powerful.”

“Are Visible” is an extension of that trust. It helps brands create the kind of authoritative content that earns recommendations not just from people, but increasingly from AI.”

Bringing Joy Maxxing to life

To bring the Joy Maxxing insight to life, Are Media has developed six integrated Christmas platforms across The Australian Women’s Weekly, Better Homes & Gardens and Home Beautiful, helping brands connect with Australian women throughout the 90-day festive season.

• At The Christmas Table: A new Australian Women’s Weekly vodcast hosted by Food Director Fran Abdallaoui and Friends of The Weekly exploring the food, traditions and celebrations that bring Australians together at Christmas. Supported by social content featuring Laura Sharrad, Depinder Chhibber and Karima-Chloe Hazim.
• A Joyful Aussie Christmas: Better Homes and Gardens Editor Megan Osborne hosts iconic Australians sharing festive traditions, recipes, entertaining tips and holiday mishaps across vodcast, digital and social.
• The Best Christmas Ever: A community initiative by Better Homes and Gardens inviting Australians to nominate someone deserving of an unforgettable Christmas, celebrating generosity through weekly surprise community drops.
• The Ultimate Dessert Showdown: A playful, audience-led campaign celebrating Australia’s most-loved Christmas desserts across the Better Homes and Gardens ecosystem. Through weekly voting, hero recipe content and social engagement, brands can become part of one of the season’s most nostalgic and talked-about food conversations.
• Lights, Camera, Christmas: Home Beautiful’s video-first Christmas platform brings decorating, entertaining, gifting and home transformation to life across social, YouTube, digital and print.
• Amazon Storefront: Building on Better Homes and Gardens’ publisher-led Amazon storefront, brands can seamlessly move consumers from trusted editorial inspiration to purchase through curated shopping collections, commerce content and dedicated editorial email campaigns.

For more information, please contact: Luke Robinson – 0417548688 | luke@storydisco.com.au

Are Media – where connection ignites intention