In 2024, consumers in the United States expected to spend over 1,000 U.S. dollars on holiday gifts on average. This is the first time the projected spending estimate reached that 1,000-dollar-mark. Holiday shopping The Christmas, or holiday season, is the single most critical sales period of the year for many retailers: this period includes days, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and an increasing amount of Americans also shop online during this busy time. An incredible shopping hubbub is produced during this period, with a staggering ** percent of U.S. consumers having said they intended to buy something during the Christmas season in 2024. Gift cards and vouchers Christmas is a public holiday in the United States and is celebrated on December 25th each year. It is known as a big economic stimulus for many people to purchase Christmas gifts for their beloved family and friends. After Christmas and New Year’s Eve, retail sales often peak again in January as many people redeem their received Christmas gift cards and vouchers. In fact, over **** of U.S. consumers planned to buy gift cards or gift certificates for others. It is a popular gifting option, with many Americans indicating that it can be very convenient.

According to a recent study, average spending per head during the Christmas period in 2023 is expected to vary between just below 700 British pounds in North East to around 980 British pounds in London in the United Kingdom (UK).

Of the average household Christmas budget in Canada, the majority is spent on gifts, according to data compiled in 2023. Decorations were calculated to be the next biggest expenditure, only narrowly beating food. The budget for this data refers to the calculated cost of how much the average Canadian spends on Christmas items, rather than the budget Canadian holiday shoppers set for themselves. Canadian Christmas budgets The holiday season is a busy time in the retail sector, with consumers typically spending more than usual. With so many presents to buy, special events, parties, and gatherings, it is no wonder that the majority of consumers spend even more than they planned for over the Christmas period. A fair share of shoppers exceeded their budget by over ************ Canadian dollars. But it would appear this spending comes from a place of love, as the consumers in Canada planned to spend the most money on their family. The lingering effects of COVID-19 Whilst it looks like Christmas will not be affected by coronavirus as much as in 2020, consumers still have reservations going into the holiday shopping season, above all crowded stores, and the risks that being in close proximity with many people brings. A further, indirect result of the pandemic is the delayed supply chain. Many shoppers worry that their goods will not reach them in time for Christmas, or that they may not be available at all.

This year, the highest spending on Christmas gifts in Europe is expected to occur in the United Kingdom (UK), where shoppers are expected to spend an average of *** euros on Christmas gifts. Those living in the Netherlands are set to have the cheapest Christmas when it comes to gift-giving, with an expected spend of *** euros. The European average sits at *** euros for Christmas gifts.

Overall expenses for general Christmas celebrations in the UK are expected to exceed *** euros.

Online Christmas

The same survey found out that invariably, gifts make up the biggest part of Christmas spending by consumers, followed closely by on food. Consumers were expecting to make their Christmas shopping predominantly in-store, however, online channels showed prospects for growth. The average online Christmas budget increased by *** percent, compared to just *** percent improvement expected in in-store shopping for Christmas.

European Christmas retail spending stalls

Typically, during the last quarter of the year, retail sector sees spikes in spending. In 2017 and 2018, Christmas retail spending in Europe saw growth rates of *** percent. This Christmas, however, spending is forecast to stagnate, and drop from the previous levels for many European countries.

In 2024, about ** percent of consumers in Italy planned to spend between 100 and *** euros for Christmas gifts. Only ***** percent of surveyed respondents intended to spend between *** and *** euros that year.

Young Hungarians' expenditure on Christmas presents increased considerably over the observed period, partially due to rising consumer prices and increased salaries. In 2023, ** to 29-year-old Hungarians spent an average of ****** forints on Christmas gifts.

In 2024, on average, Poles will spend more than ***** zloty on Christmas, of which *** zloty will be spent only on gifts.

In 2024, Millennials shared that they planned to spend the most on holiday gifts, with an average of over *** British pounds each. Consumers aged 79 and over followed, with a planned average spend of about *** British pounds.

This statistic displays the average amount consumers plan to spend on Christmas presents in 2015 in selected European countries. The United Kingdom (UK) had the highest spend, with consumers expecting to budget 420 euros for Christmas gifts.

According to a survey conducted in November 2024, about ********* of Danish consumers shared that they would spend anywhere between *** and *** Danish kroner on Christmas gifts. About ** percent expect to go above the thousand-kroner mark.

Holiday season is an important time of the year for analyzing shopping behavior. According to this data, French people spent in average more money in gifts for their partner and child: between *** and *** euros. On the other hand, they appeared to spend less money on presents for friends or cousins.

In a 2022 survey, over ** percent of consumers in Belgium stated that they would not spend any money on Christmas decorations that year. Meanwhile, only *** percent of survey participants said that they would spend over 100 U.S. dollars.

According to a survey conducted among Australian consumers in 2024, Gen X consumers expected to spend the most across the generational cohorts on Christmas gifts, at an average of around *** Australian dollars. Millennials had the lowest planned expenditure for Christmas presents, averaging at around *** Australian dollars. The overall average planned expenditure on Christmas gifts among Australians had dropped from 2023, with consumers reining in their budgets as cost of living continued to bite.

In a survey conducted in ************ among Australian consumers, the estimated average spend per person at Christmas in Australia was around ***** Australian dollars. During the survey period, it was estimated that the average spend per person on presents during the 2023 holiday period would be around *** Australian dollars. By comparison, the estimated spending on presents during the same period was just over *** Australian dollars per person.

In 2021, spending on Christmas shopping in Poland will be 11 percent higher than in 2020. Poles plan to spend on Christmas presents 546 zloty.

UK consumers can pride themselves on having the biggest Christmas budget in Europe. According to the 2019 results of Deloitte’s annual Christmas shopping survey, Christmas expenditure per household placed the UK ahead of ***** other countries in Europe with an estimated budget of *** euros, or *** British pounds.

First giving, then feasting.
As was the case in 2018, gifts were expected to make up the majority of Christmas spending of UK consumers in 2019. Travel expenses accounted for only a small share in Christmas plans, yet this category still saw an increase of ** British pounds on the previous year’s spending figures.

What will Christmas bring for the UK?

This lavish Christmas spending behavior not only distinguishes the UK consumers among their European counterparts, but also pumps lifeblood into retail industry in the last quarter of the year. Typically, November and December see the most heightened activity in retail sector. Yet the growth graphic of UK retail during the Christmas period has been far from cheery in 2018 with flat results. In 2019, considering the ongoing Brexit uncertainties and a surprise snap election, UK retailers have every reason to stay apprehensive about Christmas sales.

Americans planned to spend ** U.S. dollars on average on decorations for the holiday season in 2021. This is an increase of almost ten dollars compared to 2015, when consumers spent around ** U.S. dollars.

Holiday season spending

Home and holiday furnishings, which includes decorations, ranked in fifth place on a list of planned holiday expenditures among American consumers. In 2020, Americans planned to spend approximately *** U.S. dollars on home and holiday furnishings on average. Gifts topped the list that year with consumers planning to spend around *** U.S. dollars. When it came to total Christmas spending, most U.S. consumers in 2020 said they would spend around the same amount of money as last Christmas, whilst roughly ** percent planned on spending more.

Online holiday shopping

During the very busy holiday shopping season, many consumers prefer shopping online in order to avoid the crowds. In fact, in 2020 and 2021, more than nine in ten consumers in the United States used Amazon during the holiday season, making it the most popular e-commerce website for this time of year. In order to keep up with the high demand, Amazon planned to hire about *** thousand workers ahead of the holiday shopping stretch.

According to a survey, the intended expenses for Christmas gifts and other Christmas expenses such as food, decorations, clothing, activities etc. amounted to almost 5.9 thousand Swedish kronor in Sweden in 2018.  In this year, the average budget for gifts and other Christmas related expenses was higher for men than for women. Only for Christmas gifts, it was 3.86 thousand Swedish kronor for Swedish men and 3.5 thousand Swedish kronor for women.

Households’ Christmas budget
In 2018, households with children had an intended budget for Christmas gifts of 4.53 thousand Swedish kronor. For other expenses, it amounted to 2.8 thousand Swedish kronor. By comparison, for gifts, it was more than one thousand Swedish kronor lower for Swedish households without children.

Christmas retail sales 
The Christmas retail trade revenue in Sweden increased constantly in the period from 1991 to 2018. It grew from a retail sales value during the Christmas season of roughly 38 billion Swedish kronor to nearly 80 billion Swedish kronor.

A survey conducted among Australian shoppers in October 2023 revealed that Gen X consumers were expected to spend the most on Christmas presents during the holiday period, with an estimated average spend per person of around *** Australian dollars. In comparison, Gen Z's average spend on presents was estimated to come to around *** Australian dollars.

This statistic shows the results of a survey on the average budget for Christmas gifts in Sweden in 2021, by gender. As of 2021, the average intended expenses for Christmas gifts of Swedish men amounted to 3,910 Swedish kronor.