WASHINGTON — Holiday shoppers are showing resilience once again. Consumers plan to spend an average of $890.49 per person this year on gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items, according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) annual holiday survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. That figure marks the second-highest total on record, just 1.3% below last year’s record-setting $901.99.
“Time and again, Americans prioritize spending on loved ones for holidays despite economic uncertainty,” NRF Vice President of Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen said. “With more consumers planning to seek out sale events this year, retailers are prepared to deliver on deals and value to ensure consumers have everything they need to make the holiday special.”
Nearly all U.S. adults (91%) say they will celebrate winter holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, consistent with previous years. Of total planned spending, about $628 will go toward gifts for family and friends, while $263 will cover food, decorations and other holiday-related purchases.
Early shopping continues to be a key trend: 42% of consumers expect to start browsing and buying before November, primarily to manage budgets (54%) or reduce last-minute stress (41%). Still, most shoppers (60%) anticipate finishing their purchases in December.
Tariffs are weighing on shoppers’ minds, with 85% expecting higher prices and 63% saying they will wait until Thanksgiving weekend to complete most of their shopping — up from 59% last year.
“Despite consumers’ economic concerns, the winter holidays remain an important occasion to celebrate with loved ones,” said Phil Rist, Prosper’s executive vice president of strategy. “This is particularly true for families with children, who are expected to increase their gift budgets by more than $30 on average.”
Online remains the most popular shopping destination (55%), followed by grocery stores (46%), department stores (44%) and discount stores (42%). The most desired gifts this year include gift cards (50%), clothing or accessories (46%), books or media (27%), beauty and personal care items (23%), and electronics (22%).
The survey of 8,247 adults was conducted October 1–7 and has a margin of error of ±1.1 percentage points.
