Some Canadians Would Rather Have a Root Canal Than Shop for the Holidays [INFOGRAPHIC]

One in five Canadians say they'd rather clean the house than visit a mall the week before Christmas, and 8% say they'd even rather get a root canal than brave the long lines at stores.

But holiday crowds aren't the only reason that 57% of Canadians plan to do some or all of their shopping online this season, according to the results of a Vision Critical survey released by American Express Canada. The majority cite avoiding crowds (65%), finding deals (57%), having 24/7 access to retailers (57%) and simplifying their lives (58%) as top reasons.

"When you consider that 60% of Canadians make two to five trips to retail stores during the holiday season, and the gas and parking costs involved, shopping online not only makes sense from a time-saving perspective, but also in terms of the holiday budget," says Tracey Evans, Vice President of Merchant Services Marketing at American Express Canada.

Canadians plan to spend their money on entertainment products (68%), electronics (46%), apparel and accessories (41%), toys (31%) and gift cards (26%). 62% of men purchase electronics, compared to 30% of women.

Leveraging email and social networks to share holiday wishlists is gaining in popularity. Currently, 21% of Canadians share their wishlist via email or social networks like Facebook. This percentage is highest among B.C. residents at 34%.

"Canadians are waking up to the convenience and flexibility of online shopping, especially during the busy holiday season," says Joanna Track, co-founder and CEO of luxury online retailer Dealuxe.