These are the pictures which show just how mega the spending for Christmas has become.
Gigantic warehouses stuffed from floor to ceiling with festive gifts are used to process thousands of packages in time for December 25th. Who needs Santa, eh?
Leading the charge is the Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre which looks more like a space shuttle control centre than a postal room.
Robot-like sorting machines dominate the £70m mail centre in Rochester which handles an average of 3.2 million items per day.
The epic postal centre in Rochester deals with millions of items everyday
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(01 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A postal worker pushes a trolley full of post to be sorted at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(02 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Sorting machines dominate the Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(03 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Letters are placed in an automatic sorting machine at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(04 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A postal worker feed letters into an automatic sorting machine at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(05 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Letters are collected from an automatic sorting machine at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(06 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A postal worker sorts parcels at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(07 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Letters are sorted for Santa Claus at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(08 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A postal worker passes a rack of destination cards at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(09 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A postal worker pushes sorted post to be placed on a delivery truck at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(10 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Sorted letters sit in a row at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(11 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Letters are sorted for foreign destinations at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(12 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Parcels are sorted at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(13 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Sorted local letters are collected at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(14 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Bags of mail arrives for sorting at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(15 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Destination cards are displayed in a rack at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(16 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Letters are sorted at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(17 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Postal worker Alison Jeffery sorts letter at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(18 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: Sorted letters sit in a row at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(19 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A truck leaves Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Postal Workers At The Medway Mail Centre Sort Christmas Post During Their Busiest Week Of The Year(20 of20)
ROCHESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 18: A postal worker pushes a trolley full of post to be sorted at Royal Mail's Medway Sorting Centre on December 18, 2012 in Rochester, England. The recently opened £70 million mail centre replaces four sites also based in Kent and handles an average of 3.2 million items per day. Tomorrow, December 20, sees the last day for Christmas first class post with the centre working flat out to deliver mail across the country and overseas on the busiest week of the year. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
But it's not just post which needs processing - there's boozy festive fun to be had too and that's where the Molson Coors national distribution centre comes in.
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst (below) stands amongst crates of beer at the distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.
Molson Coors distribution centre
Molson Coors distribution centre(01 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(02 of12)
Crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(03 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(04 of12)
Crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(05 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(06 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst (left) amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(07 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(08 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(09 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(10 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst (right) amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(11 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Molson Coors distribution centre(12 of12)
Operations manager Graham Broadhurst amongst crates of beer at the Molson Coors national distribution centre in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire. (credit:PA)
Spare a thought for the workers at the Argos Distribution Centre which is also fully geared up for the Christmas rush this coming weekend.
This view of its Barton Under Needwood centre shows how Santa might need a few more little helpers!
Argos prepared for Christmas battle
Argos Distribution Centre
Argos Distribution Centre(01 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(02 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(03 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(04 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(05 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(06 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(07 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Argos Distribution Centre(08 of08)
General view of Argos Distribution Centre, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire as the high street retailer gears itself up for the Christmas rush. (credit:PA)
Trust Amazon to come up with a silly name for its operation in Swansea. Even though it's probably one of the biggest going, we're not sure it merits being called a "fulfilment centre".
Below is a worker at the Amazon "fulfilment centre" pulling a pump trolley past thousands of cardboard storage bins, which hold goods to be shipped all over the the world, in the run up to the festive period as online Christmas shopping increases.
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(01 of08)
A worker at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea uses a barcode scanning gun to check and pick out books from a floor to ceiling racking area, of which there are a number spread over a large area in the centre. (credit:PA)
Online retailers braced for rush(02 of08)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea, as online retailers are braced for their busiest day of the year as consumers take part in the annual pre-Christmas shopping spree (credit:PA)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(03 of08)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea, as online retailers are braced for their busiest day of the year as consumers take part in the annual pre-Christmas shopping spree (credit:PA)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(04 of08)
A worker at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea pushes a picker trolley past thousands of cardboard storage bins, which hold goods to be shipped all over the the world, in the run up to the festive period as online Christmas shopping increases. (credit:PA)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(05 of08)
A worker at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea pushes a picker trolley past thousands of cardboard storage bins, which hold goods to be shipped all over the the world, in the run up to the festive period as online Christmas shopping increases. (credit:PA)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(06 of08)
A worker at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea, opens one of thousands of cardboard storage boxes which hold goods to be shipped all over the world, in the run up to the festive period as online Christmas shopping increases. (credit:PA)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(07 of08)
A worker at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea pushes a picker trolley past thousands of cardboard storage bins, which hold goods to be shipped all over the the world, in the run up to the festive period as online Christmas shopping increases. (credit:PA)
Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea(08 of08)
Workers at the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea pack goods into cardboard boxes in the run up to the festive period as online Christmas shopping increases. (credit:PA)
Meanwhile in the US, checkout Overstock.com's over-sized distribution centre in Salt Lake City - bonkers!