20+ Holiday Spending Statistics to Know Before You Shop for Gifts

It’s that time of the year — a holiday season, again!

Have you ever asked yourself:

“Where did all my money go?!”

Here’s a little hint from us: You spent it! Yes, that’s right.

Don’t believe us? We’ve compiled the latest holiday spending statistics just to show you how much an average American spends during the holidays.

Check out the following highlights first:

Holiday Spending Statistics (Editor’s Choice):

• Holiday spending rose 16.1% in 2021.
• In 2021, the average amount of money Americans planned to spend on Christmas gifts was $648.
• Nearly 180 million Americans shopped from Thanksgiving day through Cyber Monday in 2021.
• In 2022, US consumers spent an average of $169.79 on Easter-related items.
• A new record of $31.7 billion was set for Mother’s Day spending in 2022.
• Americans planned to spend a total of $23.9 billion on gifts for Valentine’s Day in 2022.

Eager to learn more about US shaping habits? Let’s get going!

Winter Holidays Spending Statistics

Do you have a spending limit for the most joyful holiday of the year? No? Believe us, you are not alone. So, let’s check these interesting Christmas shopping facts and stats.

1. US consumers spent more than $1.2 trillion during the 2021 winter holiday season.

(Source: eMarketer)

In 2021, holiday spending rose 16.1% to $1.221 trillion. As illustrated in the graphic below, this was the largest increase in the last seven years.

Online retail sales grew 10.4% to $204.2 billion, while the total revenue from brick-and-mortar stores increased by 17.3% to $1.17 trillion.

(Image source: eMarketer)

2. In 2021, nearly 180 million Americans shopped from Thanksgiving day through Cyber Monday.

(Source: NRF)

During this busy five-day holiday period, 179.8 million Americans went shopping online and in brick-and-mortar stores. And the number of online shoppers was always ahead of the number of in-store shoppers each of the five days.

(Image source: NRF)

3. Online holiday sales were highest on Cyber Monday.

(Source: eMarketer)

Cyber Monday was the heaviest online spending day of 2021’s holiday shopping season. Sales rose 1.1% to $10.90 billion.

Next in line was the Black Friday sale, one of the biggest retail holidays, with $9.03 billion spent online by consumers. Thanksgiving Day followed with $5.17 billion in online sales.

4. Amazon was the top online shopping destination during the 2021 winter holiday season.

(Source: eMarketer)

When it comes to the top online retailers, Amazon was first on the list, with 223.5 million visitors on average. The next in line was Walmart with 139.5 million shoppers, and in third place was eBay with 100.4 million online visitors.

5. 65% of Americans planned to shop during the first week after Christmas.

(Source: NRF)

According to a survey conducted ahead of the 2021 holiday season, consumers planned to shop after Christmas to take advantage of late sales and use their gift cards.

6. Americans planned to spend an average of $648 on Christmas gifts in 2021.

(Source: NRF)

Isn’t it fulfilling to find the perfect Christmas gifts for your family? But how much are you willing to pay, and what’s the average Christmas gift spending?

Asked a similar question ahead of the 2021 season, US consumers said they planned to spend $648 on average.

Another interesting fact is that Americans intended to spend $231 on average on holiday items such as Christmas cards, home decor, and food supplies. As for other non-gifts purchases for themselves and their families, their planned budget was $118, on average.

7. Millennials planned to spend the most during the 2021 winter holiday season.

(Source: Statista)

According to a survey conducted in 2021 on the planned Christmas spending in the US, millennials were the ones who intended to fork out the most – $1,646. Generation X followed, with a budget of $1,594. Other generational cohorts planned to spend as follows:

• Greatest Generation – $1,510
• Boomers – $1,347
• Generation Z – $1,154

8. Prices during the 2021 holiday season were 6.8% higher than a year ago.

(Source: Deloitte)

With the economy still grappling with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation hit a 39-year high in November 2021.

Overall, prices during the 2021 holiday season were 6.8% higher than the year before. In addition, online prices climbed 3.5%, which was a record annual increase. Online prices for apparel were particularly high, rising 17.3%.

Discounts remained relatively flat, but the number of markdowns and clearance items was the lowest in five years.

9. The average online holiday sales discount was 9%.

(Source: Adobe Analytics)

Not just were prices higher in 2021, but discounts were significantly more modest. The average markdown was 9%, compared to 14% in 2020.

So what did consumers do to get the most out of the holiday sales and save money?

10. 61% of consumers joined a loyalty program to get discounts for their 2021 holiday shopping.

(Source: Deloitte)

Loyalty programs are soaring. Statistics show members spend more than guest customers, so many brands and retailers offer such reward or discount systems. From a customer perspective, joining a loyalty program is a way to access the best deals.

With record inflation affecting prices, no wonder that over 60% of shoppers joined a loyalty program during the 2021 holiday season to receive discounts.

Another factor defining the recent economic situation is the supply chain disruptions that emerged during the Covid-19 crisis. Online out-of-stock messages increased 256% during the 2021 holiday season compared to the pre-pandemic 2019. This problem was the reason for 43% of consumers to join loyalty programs and access hard-to-find-products.

11. Clothing and accessories were the most popular gifts for 44% of winter holiday shoppers.

(Source: NRF)

Here are the most popular gifts Americans planned to purchase during the 2021 winter holiday season:

• Clothing and accessories – 44%
• Toys – 30%
• Books and media – 26%
• Gift cards – 25%
• Electronics – 20%

Easter Spending Statistics

The following statistics will show you how much money is spent on Easter. Let’s take a look:

11. In 2022, Americans’ planned spending for Easter-related items was $169.79 on average per person.

(Source: NRF)

In 2022, 80% of Americans were planning to celebrate Easter and spend a total of $20.8 billion. But their predetermined average holiday spending per person decreased by nearly $10 compared to the previous two years.

Notably, the households with children planned to spend $248.52 on average. And almost every American household that includes children celebrated Easter in 2022. So, don’t you dare think about skipping Easter if you have a kid around — obviously, those bunnies must be bought.

13. Families with children spend more than double on gifts than those without children.

(Source: NRF)

Another striking difference between families with and without children. The latest statistics from 2022 show that American households with kids spend $46 on average on Easter gifts, while the households without kids only $20.
Also, the families with children spend $63 on food, $47 on clothing, and $33 on candies. As for the families without children, their average holiday spending is $49 on food, $19 on clothing, and $20 on candies.

14. Americans spent $53.61 on average for the Easter feast.

(Source: NRF)

For the Easter holiday in 2022, the US consumer spending was mostly on food. Other than that, $28.04 on average was spent on gifts, and $27.93 on average on clothing. Again, these averages are per person.

Other American Holiday Spending Statistics

It’s not all about Christmas and Easter. Let’s see more spending statistics for other seasonal holidays:

15. In 2021, Americans spent $20.1 billion on Father’s Day.

(Source: NRF)

Americans spent $20.1 billion on Father’s Day in 2021. And preliminary 2022 sales data shows a similar figure of $20 billion.

Among the top gifts purchased for fathers are outings, electronics, clothes, and gift cards.

16. Mother’s Day spending for 2021 was $28.1 billion.

(Source: NRF)

In 2021, American households spent $28.1 billion on Mother’s Day.

But, according to a survey from NRF, 2022 is expected to set a new record for Mother’s Day spending — a total amount of $31.7 billion.

17. In 2021, Halloween spending was expected to reach a new record of $10 billion.

(Source: NRF)

Around 65% of Americans celebrated Halloween in 2021. This was up from the 58% share in 2020 when the pandemic of Covid-19 was widely spread.

What’s more, Americans spent an estimated $10.14 billion on Halloween items. This amount is an incredible increase from the previous year’s $8 billion. More importantly, the estimated 2021 amount represents a new record in historical spending for Halloween.

18. Valentine’s Day sales were estimated to reach nearly $24 billion in 2022.

(Source: NRF)

Americans spent an estimated $23.9 billion on gifts for their loved ones in 2022. This is the second-largest amount since 2007. The average holiday spending per person was $175.41.

Are you curious what were shoppers’ top picks?

19. Candies are the most popular Valentine’s gift for 56% of Americans.

(Source: NRF)

In 2022, candies remained bestsellers as Valentine’s gifts. Other than that, let’s check some other popular gifts:

• Greeting cards – 40%
• Flowers – 37%
• Evening out – 31%
• Jewelry – 22%

20. American households were set to spend $7.7 billion for Independence Day in 2022.

(Source: NRF)

The vast majority (84%) of Americans said they would celebrate Independence Day in 2022. The estimated total spending was $7.7 billion, mainly on food supplies for the holiday.

21. In 2021, US consumers spent the most during the back-to-college shopping event.

(Source: NRF)

First on the list of the top holiday spending for 2021 was the back-to-college event, with an average of $1,200 spent per consumer.

The rest of the most profitable holidays for retailers are as follows:

• Winter holidays — $998
• Back-to-school — $849
• Mother’s Day — $220
• Easter — $180

22. In 2022, Americans were expected to spend $5.87 billion on St. Patrick’s Day.

(Source: NRF)

According to the statistics from NRF, 54% of Americans planned to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in 2022 and spend $5.87 billion in total, or $42.33 per person on average.

What were their celebrational plans? Read along:

• 80% were wearing green
• 34% made a special dinner
• 26% decorated at home or in the office
• 19% attended a party at a bar or restaurant
• 15% attended a private party

23. Amazon Prime Day sales were estimated to reach $12.52 billion in 2022.

(Source: eMarketer)

According to a survey conducted by eMarketer in May 2022, Amazon Prime Day sales (July 2022) were expected to hit $12.52 billion worldwide. This is significant growth from the $10.70 billion sales generated the previous year.

Wrap Up

One thing is certain — each heart melts when it comes to the time of festivities and wonders. Nothing else matters than spending time with your families and loved ones in peace and joy.

Somehow, how much money you spend on holidays isn’t that important.

It’s just money — easy comes, easy goes.

Our holiday spending statistics confirm that. People just love to shop when there is a particular holiday season ahead. All of the candies out there and the different kinds of decors must be bought. Food and clothing too.

The winter holidays, especially Christmas, are the favorite and most profitable ones for retailers. But, let’s not forget Mother’s and Father’s Day, as well as Valentine’s. These holidays are also worth to be celebrating … or, um … worth some money spending.