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.

In 2024, about 52 percent of consumers in the United States intended to spend roughly the same amount of money on Christmas goods as they did in the respective previous year. A quarter of American respondents intended to spend less for Christmas, whilst 20 percent expected to spend more. Christmas celebrations in the U.S. In the United States, Christmas is one of the biggest holidays of the year: according to a survey, roughly eight and a half out of 10 Americans stated they would celebrate the holiday. Only about 10 percent of Americans were not planning to partake in any celebrations. Holiday promotions In the past few years, holiday retail sales in the United States have skyrocketed. In 2023, U.S. holiday retail sales figures reached just over 950 billion U.S. dollars, which was an increase of some 20 billion just compared to the year before. The winter holiday season includes shopping occasions, such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. On days such as these, retail products are somewhat to significantly cheaper, making them opportune moments for holiday shopping. When asked when they would likely start their holiday shopping, about 40 percent of U.S. consumers said they would begin in November already, i.e., when these major sales events take place.

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).

The statistic depicts the results of a survey about the average U.S. consumer spending during Christmas season, i.e. in the last 5 weeks of the year from 2008 to 2010, by week. Even though the trend seems to indicate that people spent the most of their money in the first three weeks of December, in 2010 data differs slightly: spending has increased even more over the weeks with Christmas approaching more and more and consumers getting more eager - and maybe a little desperate - to find presents for their loved ones. While the respondents reported to have spent an average of 79 U.S. dollars in the last week of November 2010, they spent an average of 85 U.S. dollars in the 4th week of December in 2010.

In the 2024 holiday season, the average Christmas spending on gifts in the United Kingdom (UK) was forecast to be slightly higher compared to the previous year, although this wasn't the case for all categories. In 2024, UK consumers were expected to spend the most money on toys, at around ** British pounds on a per capita basis.

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.

This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted in the United States in October to November 2024. U.S. consumers were asked how much they usually plan to spend on Christmas gifts for their children. During the survey, 16 percent of the respondents said that they plan to spend more that $200 on Christmas gifts per child.

The planned expenses for annual Christmas presents in Germany amounted to just over *** euros per person in 2024. This was an increase of almost ** euros compared to the previous year.

Among the three leading European countries, the total value of Christmas spending in 2023 is forecast to be the highest in the United Kingdom (UK) with over ** billion British pounds. In 2020, when coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and national lockdowns severely impacted Christmas trading, all three countries had experienced decline in the total retail sales value during this period.

Spanish consumers expected to spend the most on gifts for Christmas and Reyes during the 2023 holiday season - roughly *** euros. The Christmas lottery, a long-standing Spanish tradition, is expected to take up almost ** euros of consumer's Christmas budget.

In 2023, Peruvian men planned to spend on average 400 Peruvian soles on Christmas presents during the holiday season, roughly 50 soles more than their female counterparts.

In 2024, consumers in the Netherlands are forecast to spend *** percent less over the Christmas period, compared to last year's holiday season. In 2021, Dutch Christmas retail sales had dropped by nearly *** percent compared to 2020.

In 2021, consumers from the Northeast were expected to spens the most over the holiday period, with a predicted average spend of over ***** US dollars. Consumers in the Midwest expected to spend just under 1000 U.S. dollars on average.

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.

For 2022's holiday season, a significant share of consumers intended to cut back on spending due to inflation. In the United Kingdom (UK), for example, roughly **** in ** shoppers said they expected to reduce all of their Black Friday and Christmas spending this year. Only about ** percent of surveyed UK consumers said they would not cut back on their holiday spending. According to the same report, European holiday season spending in 2022 was expected to see a considerable drop in comparison to 2021.

Why do consumers shop on Black Friday?

Black Friday takes place on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States and is the largest discount shopping event of the year. While Thanksgiving is not celebrated overseas, the shopping event did become an international phenomenon over time. When asked why they planned to shop during Black Friday, about ***** in ** consumers in the United Kingdom said the sales event offers better deals and prices for buying gifts.

The impact of inflation on holiday shopping

Unsurprisingly, consumers are more cautious about their spending due to the wave of rising consumer prices. This applies especially during the holiday season, which is typically a time of year that involves more expenses than usual. According to a survey conducted in Germany, roughly half of consumers planned to pay closer attention to offers during Black Friday as a result of rising prices and the effects of the energy crisis in 2022. Close to the same number of German shoppers said they intended to buy less overall.

For 2020's holiday season, approximately ** percent of consumers in selected countries, such as Finland, Sweden, Romania, among several others, were planning to spend less on Christmas, while only about **** percent intended to spend more. Just under ** percent of these consumers expected to spend about the same amount for Christmas in 2020 as they did in the previous year.

18- to 24-year-olds were the age group in Great Britain most likely to say that the rise in the cost of living meant that they were going to spend less over Christmas in 2024. Only a very small percentage of British consumers across all ages said that they would spend more than normal on Christmas time, regardless of the rising cost of living.

This statistic shows the results of a survey regarding Christmas spending on gifts for others in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2015 compared to last year, by region. In Wales 30 percent of respondents planned to spend more on gifts for others this year compared to last.

Three in ** Mexican consumers expected to spend less money making Christmas purchases in 2022 than they did during the previous holiday season.

Spanish consumers expected to spend roughly *** euros on Christmas purchases in 2023. For the past three years, the amount of money that Spaniards expected to spend during Christmas has decreased.