NRF's 2021 Christmas spend total of $886 is the highest since records began, $20 higher than 2007’s total.

Personal Christmas Gift Spend Estimate (Gallup) Personal Christmas Gift Spend Estimate (NRF) Here’s a closer look at the figures: Year Unsurprisingly, the lowest expected Christmas gift spending of the 21st century came in 2008 ( $616) and 2009 ( $638). That’s $112 less than the average spent during that holiday season. That year saw the proportion of Americans buying:Īccording to recent data, Americans underestimate their Christmas gift spend by over $100.Ī 2021 survey revealed that US citizens expected to spend an average of $886 on Christmas shopping. This appeared to have a knock-on effect in 2009 for gift recipients. The total spent on gifts for family dropped by $65 following the 2008 global financial crisis. While people purchasing for coworkers has dropped from 39% ( 41% high in 2008) to 30% in 2021.Īnd other gift purchases are being made by just 41% of Americans - down from 50% in 2004 and 52% in 2006.

And is 15% lower than the 15-year peak of 83% in 2006. However, the number of people purchasing holiday gifts for friends is down 12% since 2004. The proportion of Americans purchasing gifts for family has remained largely unchanged over the last 15 years or so. Yet, average spending on gifts for friends, coworkers, and other gifts have each remained relatively stagnant.īelow is a breakdown of average holiday spending over time by gift recipient: YearĪnd here’s a look at what percentage of Americans bought for those recipients during the same period: Year The amount spent on gifts for family members has increased year-over-year from $389 in 2008 to $514 in 2021. Here’s a more detailed look at US holiday sales over time: Yearĭespite consistent increases in annual total holiday spending, gift spending hasn’t increased in every category. That’s more than double 2004’s figure of $467.2 billion. Last year's holiday season sales totaled approximately $936.3 billion. The NRF reports that US holiday season retail sales have increased year-over-year since 2008. Source: GoBankingRates, National Retail Federation, YouGov US Christmas Gift Spending Over Time The rest is mainly spent on decorations and non-gift purchases (ie. The data shows that well over 50% of the average American’s holiday budget goes towards gifts. Other Non-Gift Purchases for Friends or Family Non-Gift Holiday Items (Food, Decorations, etc.) Here’s how that $997 dollars is spent: Purchase Type Put another way, the average American spends about a week’s salary on Christmas gifts annually. That’s approximately the same as the median pre-tax weekly salary of $1,001. According to the latest data from the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans spend an average of $997.73 each Christmas.

More than half (63%) of Americans shop online for holiday purchases.Ĭhristmas is a major expenditure for many Americans.

48% of Americans begin Christmas shopping before the end of October.

Gift cards are the most popular present to receive.

The Northeast outspends the South by around $100 per person each year.

The highest-spending Americans over the winter holidays are aged 45-54.

On average, men spend 10% more than women on holiday purchases.

Canadians spend nearly $1,000 more than Americans during the holidays.

Americans spend well over $200 a year on non-gift items.

96% of Americans buy gifts for their families.US holiday sales have grown year-over-year for over a decade.71% of US holiday budgets are assigned to gift purchases.Americans spend approximately $1,000 on Christmas each year.Key 2023 American Christmas Spending Stats Average Christmas Spending Around The World.US Christmas Non-Gift Spending Over Time.In this article we'll do a deep dive into the latest data, covering each of these subcategories: But how much do Americans spend on Christmas each year? In fact, annual Christmas spending budgets appear to be on the rise. Americans spend a lot of money over the holidays.

Us household budget percentages