Holiday Spending Statistics: How Much Americans Spend & Shopping Trends [2026]

The average American will spend more on the holidays this year than they have in their savings account.

Let that sink in. 

While financial experts recommend three to six months of emergency savings, most people will drop $1,923 on gifts, decorations, and holiday meals between November and January—then start the new year with a credit card balance they’ll still be paying off in April.

But here’s the paradox: we know we’re overspending, and we do it anyway. Survey after survey shows that 62% of Americans say they plan to spend less during the holidays. Yet actual spending has increased every single year for the past decade, outpacing inflation by 34%.

Gen Z is spending 40% more than Millennials did at the same age, but they’re buying completely different things. And while everyone talks about cutting back, luxury holiday spending just hit an all-time high.

The holidays have become an annual financial stress test—a collision between generosity, social pressure, retail psychology, and personal finance. Understanding how much we actually spend (versus how much we think we spend) reveals patterns about inflation, consumer confidence, and why January always feels so financially painful.

Key Holiday Spending Statistics (Editor’s Pick)

• 77% of shoppers expect holiday goods to be more expensive, and 57% believe the economy will worsen in the next six months.
• 33% of shoppers plan to use generative AI for holiday shopping, more than double the 15% in 2024.
• Shoppers plan to allocate 56% of their holiday budget to online purchases and 44% to in-store spending.
• Traffic to retail websites from AI tools surged 693.4% year-over-year, with a 670% increase on Cyber Monday alone.
• 41% of Americans plan to cut back on holiday spending due to rising costs.
• Despite inflation concerns, holiday spending is expected to rise 7%, averaging $1,638 per shopper.
• U.S. internet users are expected to spend an average of $1,652 during the holiday season, higher than pre-pandemic levels.
• Black Friday sales reached $9.8 billion, a 9.8% increase year-over-year.
• Consumers spent $76.8 billion online during the holiday shopping period.
• The 2024 winter holiday season generated $241.4 billion in revenue between November 1 and December 31.
• Total U.S. holiday retail sales reached $964.4 billion in 2023, growing 3.8% year-over-year.
• Easter spending in the U.S. reached $23.6 billion in 2025, up from $22.4 billion the previous year.
• Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit a record $29.1 billion in 2026, with average spending of $199.78 per person.
• Christmas online spending reached a record $257.8 billion, increasing 6.8% year-over-year.
• 200.4 million consumers shopped between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday in 2023, highlighting the scale of the holiday shopping period.

General Holiday Spending Statistics

1. Three-quarters of shoppers surveyed (77%) anticipate that holiday goods will be more expensive, and over half (57%) predict the economy will deteriorate over the next six months—the most pessimistic view since economic sentiment tracking began in 1997. (Deloitte Insights)

2. Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are changing holiday shopping trends. They’re big on finding deals (95%), using influencers, social media (74%), and AI (43%) to discover products, and leveraging digital tools for price comparisons. This year, they’ll spend 34% less than last year, so engaging, authentic, and platform-native shopping experiences will be key. (Deloitte Insights)

3. 33% of shoppers surveyed intend to use generative AI in their shopping process, more than double the 15% reported in 2024. 1 in 5 plan to start shopping earlier than last year to manage finances and spread out purchases. 4 in 10 will shop during October promotions, consistent with 2024. (Deloitte Insights)

4. Shoppers intend to allocate 56% of their holiday budget to online spending and 44% to in-store purchases. 58% find holiday gift shopping stressful, and 77% often feel frustrated when shopping online. (Deloitte Insights)

5. At least 7 in 10 shoppers across income groups exhibit three or more value-seeking behaviors, with women (78%) more likely to do so than men (58%). Half of holiday shoppers will allocate most of their budget to online or mass retailers. (Deloitte Insights)

6. Generative AI is changing the game for holiday shopping. Traffic to retail sites from AI tools jumped 693.4% compared to last year, with a massive 670% increase on Cyber Monday alone. Shoppers are using AI to snag deals and research products, especially in categories like video games, toys, electronics, and personal care products. (Adobe News)

7. Social media is a key driver of online sales this holiday season, accounting for 4.6% of US retail site revenue, a 40.3% year-over-year increase. Affiliates and partners, including influencers, also saw significant growth, with a 15.9% increase in revenue share, reaching 20.4%. This trend suggests consumers are increasingly relying on social media to discover new products. (Adobe News)

8. Visa reports that in-store shopping dominated holiday spending with 73% of retail payment volume, while online purchases accounted for 27%. E-commerce drove growth, with online sales up 7.8% year-over-year, fueled by convenience and early promotions. (CNBC 2)

9. According to recent data, 41% of Americans plan to cut back on holiday spending this year, a 6-point increase from last year. The main reason is high costs – 46% of those tightening their belts cite this as the culprit, up 10 points from 2024. Unsurprisingly, 61% of consumers feel prices are outpacing their income, with lower-income households feeling the pinch most. (CNBC 3)

10. Americans are heading into the holidays with heavier debt loads: 57% have at least some debt, up 11 points from last year, with a notable increase in those carrying significant debt. (CNBC 3)

11. Gen-Z consumers increased their holiday spending by 35%, spending about $1,275. (PwC)

12. Even though 59% of consumers expect inflation to impact their holiday spending, overall spending is projected to rise by 7%, averaging $1,638 per shopper. (PwC)

13. American Christmas holiday shoppers planned to spend around $694 in 2025, on experiential gifts like restaurant meals and concert tickets this season, prioritizing these over physical products like home decor and furnishings. (Statista)

14. According to Deloitte, U.S. internet users will spend an average of $1,652 this holiday season, which is higher than pre-pandemic figures. This represents a 13.5% increase from 2022, when average spending was $1,455. (eMarketer)

15. Consumers spent $9.8 billion in the 2023 Black Friday sales. This is a whopping 9.8% increase from the previous year. (Fresh Take Georgia)

16. Middle-income households in the U.S., with an annual salary of $40,000 to $99,999, planned to spend $947 on holiday gifts. (Gallup News) 

17. Conversely, high-income households planned to spend over $1400. Low-income households planned to spend $429 on average—a decline from $477. Middle-aged adults spend the most on holiday gifts, with an average of $1,111. Households with children planned to spend $1,306 on average, compared to $835 for those without children. (Gallup News)

18. The primary reason why people start their winter holiday shopping earlier is to spread out their budget (60%). Other top reasons include to avoid the stress of last-minute shopping (46%) and to avoid crowds (45%). (NRF) 

19. 58% of consumers prefer to shop online during the winter holiday season. 49% say they also prefer departmental stores, 48% prefer discount stores, and 44% prefer grocery stores and supermarkets. (NRF) 

20. Nearly half (48%) of surveyed consumers intend to adjust spending by reducing holiday expenditures. (eMarketer)

21. Approximately 62% of consumers intend to pay for holiday expenses with a credit card. This makes credit cards the top payment choice during the holidays. (eMarketer)

22. 68% of baby boomers and 64% of Gen Xers plan to utilize credit cards, compared to 44% of Gen Z consumers. (eMarketer)

23. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is more popular among Gen Zers for financing holiday gifts than other demographics. About 39% of Gen Zers will use BNPL during the holidays, compared to only 9% of baby boomers and 21% of Gen X consumers. (eMarketer)

24. 28% of shoppers plan to use their PayPal reward points to buy gifts, emphasizing another way consumers are trying to save money. (eMarketer)

25. According to Adobe, consumers spent $76.8 billion online, attracted by pre-winter-holiday discounts and flexible payment options. (Adobe)

26. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) payment method drove up to $6.4 billion of online spending in October 2023. Between January 2023 and October 2023, BNPL drove over $58.5 billion in online sales. (Adobe)

27. In October 2023, online holiday spending via mobile devices reached $35.9 billion. (Adobe)

28. In the U.K., 79% of holiday shoppers say they will spend less on non-food-related items. (Statista)

29. 28% say they’re stressed about the cost of holiday shopping, and 28% say it will strain their budget. (Bank Rate) 

30. 48% of holiday shoppers will start their shopping in August, September, or October. (Bank Rate)

31. This holiday season, male shoppers are expected to outspend women, with a 13% increase in their budgets. They’re focusing on footwear (58%), electronics (55%), and video games (51%). (PwC)

32. The top 3 busiest holidays for restaurants in the US are Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Cinco de Mayo. (DoorDash)

Other busy holidays include: 

33. The total revenue for the winter holiday season in 2024 was $241.4 billion. The period was between November 1st and December 31st. (Adobe Business) 

34. The total core retail sales for the 2023 holiday season reached $964.4 billion as they grew by 3.8%. (NRF)

Valentine’s Day Spending Statistics

35. Valentine’s Day spending is projected to hit a record $29.1 billion in 2026, up from $27.5 billion in 2025. On average, shoppers plan to spend a record $199.78, exceeding last year’s $188.81 and the 2020 high of $196.31. (NRF Valentine’s Day Survey)

36.  55% of consumers plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Of those, 83% will get gifts for significant others (expected spend: $14.5 billion), and 58% will gift other family members like kids or parents (expected spend: $4.5 billion). (NRF Valentine’s Day Survey)

37. Beyond significant others and family, 33% of consumers will gift friends ($2.4 billion) on Valentine’s Day. 27% will get gifts for kids’ classmates and teachers ($2.2 billion), and 21% will treat coworkers ($1.7 billion). A record 35% plan to spoil their pets with $2.1 billion in gifts, up from $1.7 billion in 2025. (NRF Valentine’s Day Survey)

38. Candy tops the list as the most popular Valentine’s gift (56%), followed by flowers (41%), greeting cards (41%), an evening out (39%), and jewelry (25%). However, shoppers will spend the most on jewelry ($7 billion), an evening out ($6.3 billion), clothing ($3.5 billion), and flowers ($3.1 billion). (NRF Valentine’s Day Survey)

39. For Valentine’s Day gifts, shoppers head online (38%), followed by department stores (35%), discount stores (30%), and specialty stores (21%). (NRF Valentine’s Day Survey)

40. Valentine’s Day was a big splurge last year (2025), with an average spend of $188.81 per person. That beats out Halloween ($114.45), Independence Day ($92.44), and St. Patrick’s Day ($43.64), but Easter ($189.26) was slightly pricier. (Statista) 

41. Americans were expected to spend $14.6 billion on Valentine’s gifts last year (2025), up from $14.2 billion in 2024, according to the National Retail Federation. (CNBC)

42. Top 3 Valentine’s Day gifts include candy (57%), greeting cards (40%), and flowers (39%). Other gifts include:

43. Valentine’s Day has carved out a niche in the global retail and service economy, spanning fashion, luxury, food, and leisure. In the UK, spending is set to hit 1.6 billion British pounds in 2026, a 12% jump from the previous year, with overall spending more than doubling since 2017. (Statista)

44. Valentine’s Day spending in the United States was expected to total just under $27.5 billion by 2025. (NRF) 

45. Over 58 million pounds of chocolate are bought during the Valentine’s Day sales week. (Candy Store)

46. 82% of Americans in a relationship will give their partner a Valentine’s Day gift. (Lending Tree)

47. According to 31% of Americans in a relationship, spending more than you can afford proves how much you care for your significant other. Additionally, 55% have never set a spending limit for Valentine’s Day. And 47% have never skipped Valentine’s Day celebrations with their partner. (Lending Tree)

48. About 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged yearly. This makes it the second-biggest card-sharing holiday. (Hallmark)

49. 85.6% of respondents plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, a significant increase from 37.2% last year, while 14.4% do not intend to celebrate. (Sbmintel)

50. Nearly 80% of consumers plan to spend on food and perfumes, followed by 28.2% on jewelry. (Sbmintel)

51. When asked about affordable places, 27% of consumers mentioned restaurants, followed by cinemas at 20%. Other popular options include hotels (11%) and local eateries (9%). (Sbmintel)

52. Most people (24.10%) prefer spending quality time dating, while 22.50% choose entertainment and activities. (Sbmintel)

53. Only 35% of respondents in a survey believe celebrating Valentine’s Day depends on the couple, while 32.4% see it as somewhat necessary. 22.3% consider it important, and 10.1% view it as insignificant. (Sbmintel)

Easter Spending Statistics 

54. An NRF survey found top Easter categories are candy (92%), food (89%), gifts (65%), decorations (51%), and clothing (49%). Shoppers plan to spend $7.4 billion on food, $3.8 billion on gifts, $3.5 billion on clothing, $3.3 billion on candy, $1.9 billion on flowers, and $1.7 billion on decorations. (NRF Easter Survey)

55. Over half of consumers plan to cook a holiday meal (58%), visit loved ones (55%), and attend church (45%) on Easter Sunday. Most families with kids (54%) will host an Easter egg hunt at home. (NRF Easter Survey)

56. For Easter, most consumers (63%) are driven by tradition when shopping for holiday items. Great deals also play a big role, with 36% saying sales and promotions influence their purchases. And nearly a third (32%) shop because it’s a fun social activity with family and friends. (NRF Easter Survey)

57. Even among those not celebrating Easter, 54% still plan to spend an average of $25.43 per person on holiday items, which is $5 more than last year, adding up to $0.8 billion. (NRF Easter Survey)

58. While Halloween typically leads in candy sales, Easter is a close second and sometimes surpasses Halloween. In 2022, U.S. spending on Easter candy reached nearly $3 billion, up $1 billion since 2007. (Finance Buzz)

59. For Easter, 88% of surveyed respondents planned to purchase food, while 63% planned to buy gifts. Clothing and decorations were also popular, with 49% and 48% of respondents, respectively, intending to buy these items. (Finance Buzz)

60. 80% of Americans plan to celebrate Easter, with men and women equally likely to participate (79% of men and 80% of women). (Finance Buzz)

61. Easter is the 7th top-selling week for U.S. retail. (NIQ) 

62. 25% of Americans who celebrate Easter and spend on gifts aren’t religious. (NIQ)

63. Egg prices increased by 75% in February 2023. (NIQ)

64. Over 70% of people celebrating Easter prefer to buy food. 50% prefer to buy candy. (Numerator)

65. 51% of those celebrating Easter believe inflation will affect their celebrations. Hence, 58% say they’ll buy items on sale to save money. 37% will save money by using coupons to purchase gifts. 29% say they’ll prepare budget-friendly foods, and 26% say they’ll instead shop at discount stores. (Numerator) 

66. The total planned Easter spending in the U.S. reached around $23.6 billion in 2025, up from the $22.4 billion the previous year. This marks a significant rise from 2009, when spending was just under $13 billion. (Statista)

67. U.S. consumers planned to spend $3.3 billion on candy during Easter. Also, U.S. consumers planned to spend an average of $26.31 on candy during Easter. (Statista)

68. According to 51% of surveyed U.S. consumers, Reese’s peanut butter eggs are the number one and most popular Easter candy. (Statista)

69. About 40 million Easter cards are sent and exchanged yearly. (Hallmark 2)

70. Jelly beans see a 109% sales growth in the two weeks before Easter, second only to marshmallow treats, which grow by 111%. (Finance Buzz)

71. Easter retail spending in the UK amounted to £1.3 billion. (Statista)

72. The UK sells between 80 and 90 million chocolate Easter eggs yearly. (Good to Know)

73. 11.5 million Italians travel for the Easter holidays. 8.2 million are adults, and the remaining 3.3 million are children. (Nova News) 

Thanksgiving Spending Statistics 

74. Christmas shopping is expected to peak between late November (77% of active shoppers) and early December (76%). 70% of shoppers plan to shop during Thanksgiving week, up from 68% in 2024, with the $100K-$199K income group most likely to participate (77%). 68% will use digital tools like social media, AI, and price comparison for holiday shopping. (Deloitte Insights)

75. US retail same-store sales rose 5.7% during Thanksgiving Week 2024, driven by a 6.7% increase in transactions. Brick-and-mortar sales grew 4.6% in dollars and 3% in transactions, accounting for 58% of total retail sales. (Fiserv)

76. U.S. shoppers spent over $6 billion in total during Thanksgiving 2024. (Adobe Business) 

77. Approximately 200.4 million consumers shopped between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday in 2023. (NRF)

78. General Merchandise led the Thanksgiving holiday retail sales with a 13.5% increase in spend and a 17% rise in transactions. Building Materials/DIY saw strong Black Friday sales, driven by deals. In contrast, Furniture, Electronics, and Appliances experienced a 1.9% decline in spend despite a 6.2% increase in transactions. Clothing sales grew modestly at 2%, while Sporting Goods and Hobby sales were mixed, with a 1.3% decline in spend but a 4.9% increase in transactions. (Fiserv)

79. Between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, 121.4 million consumers visited physical retail locations to check out items and make purchases. However, 134.2 million consumers visited online retail stores. (NRF)

80. Americans were expected to waste up to 312 million pounds of food during Thanksgiving. This is approximately $608 million worth of food. Also, roughly 103.6 billion gallons of water were expected to be wasted during Thanksgiving. (ReFed)

81. According to Hallmark, about 16 million Thanksgiving cards are exchanged yearly. Almost 60% of these cards are given to family members and 25% to friends. (Hallmark)

82. During Thanksgiving 2023, airplane tickets averaged $286. Also, car rentals for Thanksgiving averaged $42 per day. (Media Hopper)

83. In 2025, 32% of U.S. consumers planned to spend $100-$199 on Thanksgiving, while just 5% expected to spend over $300. (Statista)

84. In 2025, about 130.4 million Americans planned to shop on Black Friday, with 187 million potentially shopping over the Thanksgiving weekend, kicking off the holiday season. (Statista) 

85. In 2025, the average price of a 16-pound turkey in the U.S. was $21.50. Other Thanksgiving ingredients included pumpkin pie mix at $4.16, and a one-pound veggie tray with carrots and celery at $1.36, with most items falling within the $1.36 to $4.16 range. (Statista)

86. In the United States, the price of uncooked poultry, such as turkeys, rose by 7.2% in October 2023. The price of this turkey had risen by 16.9% in 2022. In contrast, the cost of potatoes fell by 3.3% compared to the same period in 2022. (Statista)

87. The average cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for a family of ten dropped to $55.18 in 2025, down from $64.05 in 2022. This feast includes turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and other traditional sides and desserts. Despite the recent dip, prices have generally risen over the past three decades, with a notable spike of nearly 40% between 2019 and 2022. (Statista) 

88. In Thanksgiving 2025, many U.S. consumers planned to cut costs, with 28% looking to use more coupons and 23% changing their food choices, according to a survey. (Statista)

89. Aside from Turkey, Americans spent $5.6 billion on items such as clothing, electronics, jewelry, and toys on Thanksgiving. (CBS News)

90. It was estimated that up to 293.3 million (88%) Americans ate turkey during Thanksgiving 2024. Americans spent about $1.28 billion on Thanksgiving turkeys. (Finder)

91. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 46 million turkeys are consumed every Thanksgiving. (Finder) 

92. The average American household most likely spent $107.01 on Thanksgiving in 2023. (Casino) 

93. Also, Miami is most likely the highest-spending city for Thanksgiving at $205.40 per household. On the other hand, Alabama is most likely the most generous state for Thanksgiving, spending an average of $176.56 per household. (Casino)

94. Clothing experienced an 8.6% increase in total retail spend but a 2.0% decline in transactions during Thanksgiving Week. (Fiserv)

95. The “Buy Now, Pay Later” option gained popularity, driving $430 million in online spending. (CNN Business)

96. Thanksgiving sales rose 8.8% from 2023, with toys seeing 27.2% discounts and electronics making up over 26.5% of sales. (CNN Business)

97. Thanksgiving hosts plan to spend an average of $431—19% more than last year—and 36% admit it’s a financial strain, possibly leading to debt. (Lending Tree)

98. 56% of Americans plan to host Thanksgiving, spending an average of $431, up 19% from last year. (Lending Tree)

99. 60% of celebrators say inflation is affecting Thanksgiving, with 27% changing food choices, 26% using coupons more, and 9% not hosting. (Lending Tree)

100. 56% of Americans are preparing to host Thanksgiving, with the highest likelihood among those with children under 18 (68%), six-figure earners (66%), and Gen Zers ages 18 to 27 (63%). (Lending Tree)

Christmas Spending Statistics 

101. Online spending, for the Christmas holidays, hit a record $257.8 billion from Nov 1 to Dec 31, up 6.8% year-over-year. 25 days saw over $4 billion in sales, with mobile shopping driving 56.4% of online transactions, led by Christmas Day at 66.5%. (Adobe News) 

102. Shoppers went wild online thanks to some amazing deals. Electronics saw discounts as high as 30.9% off, toys were 29.6% off, and apparel was marked down 25.1%. TVs, computers, sporting goods, appliances, and furniture all had great savings, too. (Adobe News)

103. The BNPL usage hit an all-time high this holiday season (2025), with $20 billion in online spend, up 9.8% year-over-year. Smartphones drove 82.2% of BNPL purchases, and Cyber Monday was a record-breaker, crossing $1 billion in sales. Shoppers are using BNPL for big-ticket items like electronics, apparel, toys, and furniture. (Adobe News)

104. Electronics ($59.8 billion, +8.2%), apparel ($49 billion, +7.4%), and furniture ($31.1 billion, +6.6%) drove over half of online spending this holiday season. Other big winners included cosmetics (+9.3%), groceries (+10.2%), sporting goods (+7.7%), and toys (+7.8%). (Adobe News)

105. Online sales surged this holiday season, driven by significant growth in video games (415%), hand tools (395%), home security products (360%), and appliances like refrigerators (360%) and washers (350%). Jewelry and electronics also saw substantial increases. (Adobe News)

106. 43% of surveyed U.S shoppers say they start their winter holiday shopping before November. (NRF) 

107. Up to 61% of consumers will continue to shop between December 1 and December 25. (CNBC)

108. 50% (over 130 million) of surveyed U.S adults planned to spend money on flights or hotel lodgings during the holiday season. These holiday travelers plan to spend an average of $1,947 on holiday travel expenses. (Nerd Wallet)

109. 21% of holiday travelers have either bought or plan to purchase travel insurance for their holiday travels. 35% say they will maintain their travel plans despite the expense. (Nerd Wallet)

110. However, 24% of non-holiday travelers say cost is their primary reason for not traveling. (Nerd Wallet) 

111. Additionally, 40% of non-travelers say they prefer to spend their holiday at home instead of traveling. (Nerd Wallet)

112. 75% of the surveyed U.S. holiday travelers planned to use credit cards to fund some of their travel expenses. (Nerd Wallet) 

113. 29% of gift buyers participated in Secret Santa exchanges, and 31% gave combined gifts to family and friends instead of individual ones. (Mintel Store)

114. Americans who intend to decorate budget an average of $384 for holiday decorations. (Today’s Homeowner)

115. Americans who plan on using professional decorating services will pay an average of $1,023 — almost 4x the cost of self-service. (Today’s Homeowner)

116. Men will most likely spend more on holiday decorations as they budget an average of $490, while women budget an average of $292. (Today’s Homeowner)

117. Over 1.3 billion Christmas cards are sent yearly. This makes Christmas the biggest season for sending and exchanging cards. (Hallmark Christmas)

118. 98% of consumers say they always participate in wrapping presents on Christmas. 90% say they decorate their homes. 88% decorate a Christmas tree, and 85% send letters, cards, and photos. (Hallmark Christmas)

119. In 2025, about 56% of consumers in the US intended to spend roughly the same amount on Christmas goods as they did the previous year. Around 23% planned to spend less, while 19% expected to spend more. (Statista)

120. In a 2025 Christmas survey, 50% of respondents planned to spend more than $150 on Christmas decorations. (Statista)

121. 70% of surveyed Americans planned to buy ornaments as their decorative item for Christmas. String lights and wreaths were among the most popular options as well. (Statista)

122. 80% of consumers surveyed planned to purchase new holiday decorations. (Statista) 

123. Consumers planned to spend more than 60% of their holiday budget online, with the remainder spent in-store. (Statista)

124. Over half of American consumers planned to purchase gift cards or certificates for others. As it is a trendy gifting option, it’s also very convenient. (Statista)

125. According to a report, Pork dishes are the most popular Christmas celebration dish, especially in 23 countries. (CNBC)

126. In Southeast Asia, about 60% of surveyed consumers planned to increase their online spending for the Christmas holidays. (Inmobi Advertising)

127. 53% of consumers from Great Britain said they are not worried about Christmas expenses. (Statista)

128. In 2023, Aldi was the UK’s cheapest place to buy Christmas dinner. Aldi’s Christmas dinner ingredients cost an average of £33.80, with Lidl following closely behind at £33.84. (Statista)

129. Most UK consumers planned to eat roast potatoes as part of their Christmas dinner. This makes roast potatoes the most popular Christmas celebration dish in the UK. However, turkey is the most popular meat, as over 62% of consumers plan to eat it during Christmas. (Statista)

130. A four-person turkey meal cost 11.16% more in 2023 than the previous year. (Statista)

131. Almost 25% of people said they would pay $200 or more for a real Christmas tree. (Fox News)

132. People feel the same about the holidays as they do every year. Most (59%) say their excitement for the holidays is the same as the previous year. However, 20% said they were more excited than the previous year. And 21.7% admitted less enthusiasm. (US News: Money)

133. The average amount people expect to spend this Christmas is £426. (WPR Agency)

134. 41% of consumers will be buying practical gifts that people need this year. (WPR Agency)

135. 53% of 16-24-year-olds plan to spend the same or more on socializing in pubs and restaurants this Christmas. (WPR Agency)

136. Holidays, socializing, and home improvements are the top spending priorities for 2025. (WPR Agency) 

137. Around 36% of consumers plan to cut back on presents for friends, while 34% will reduce spending on days out during the festive period, and 33% will cut back on clothes and fashion. (WPR Agency)

138. In Canada, the average amount each consumer most likely spent on Christmas was $1,853. This is a 13% increase from the previous year. (PwC: Canada)

139. Holiday shoppers are aware of rising prices, with 81% expecting to pay more for products and services this year. (PwC: Canada)

140. Holiday travel expenses, which dropped during the pandemic, have surged 59% in the last two years as consumers spend more on trips. Gift spending also rose, but by a smaller 9%. (PwC: Canada)

141. Most consumers plan to do their shopping between Thanksgiving and Black Friday weekend. However, 21% of Gen Z shoppers (vs. 11% overall) plan to finish their shopping before Thanksgiving. (PwC: Canada) 

142. Canadian consumers prefer using search engines like Google (51%) for product research over Amazon and other online marketplaces (44%). (PwC: Canada)

143. 60% of consumers visit stores in person to discover gift ideas, 51% to compare items, and 65% to make purchases. (PwC: Canada)

144. Consumers value in-store digital services that simplify payments, such as self-checkouts (46%), digital receipts (46%), and mobile payments (40%). Younger shoppers, especially Gen Z, also appreciate technologies that enhance the in-store experience, like store apps (45% overall, 77% of Gen Z) and personalized real-time offers (37% overall, 65% of Gen Z)  (PwC: Canada) 

Conclusion

Holiday spending isn’t just about gifts—it’s a reflection of trends, emotions, and evolving financial habits. 

As we’ve seen, people are spending more on experiences, navigating inflation, and even shifting toward digital shopping like never before. 

These holiday spending statistics reveal just how much the holiday season shapes our economy and personal finances. 

So, as the next holiday season approaches, will you stick to tradition, splurge a little more, or rethink your spending strategy? One thing’s for sure—the numbers never lie, and they tell a fascinating story every year.