Highlights. In 2025, the average American plans to spend $890 for the winter holidays, most of it on gift shopping.
- American holiday shoppers will spend a projected $1.01 trillion in 2025; by 2030, winter holiday* spending is expected to total $1.20 trillion.
- The average American consumer budgets around $628 for holiday gifts alone.
- Including travel and entertainment expenses, the average consumer spends $1,595 throughout the holiday season.
*This refers to all winter holidays, including (but not limited to) Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Las Posadas, New Year’s Eve, and other holidays on or around the Winter Solstice.
2025 Holiday Shopping Statistics
91% of American consumers plan to shop for the holidays in 2025.
- Holiday shoppers in the U.S. are expected to spend $254.3 billion online, accounting for 24.9% of holiday sales dollars in 2025.
- Projections indicate that U.S. shoppers will spend 5.47% more online during the winter holidays in 2025 than they did in 2024.
- 34% of shoppers plan to spend less in 2025 than they did in 2024; 22% of shoppers plan to spend more.
- 42% of Americans began their 2025 holiday shopping in October, down 6.67% year-over-year (YoY).
- 55% of holiday shoppers plan to make holiday purchases online, down 3.51% YoY.
- 33% of holiday shoppers plan to use generative AI in their shopping journeys.
- 85% of consumers expect to see higher prices due to tariffs during the 2025 holiday shopping season.
Holiday Spending Statistics
Record holiday retail sales are expected in 2025, with a projected total between $1.012 trillion and $1.017 trillion.
- Retail sales over the 2024 winter holiday shopping season totaled $976.1 billion.
- Online sales totaled $241.1 billion, or 24.1% of winter holiday retail sales.
- Holiday season retail sales increased 4.28% YoY in 2024.
- In 2023, U.S. holiday spending totaled $936.0 billion, up 3.93% YoY.
- From 2015 to 2025, $858 was the 10-year average amount shoppers spent over the holiday season.
- Consumers spend an average of $263 during the holidays on seasonal items such as decorations, cards, candy, and food.
- 24% of winter holiday celebrants plan to host a gathering in 2025.
- The average holiday gathering budget is $252, down 3.45% YoY.
| Year | Sales Dollars (in billions) |
%Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 2025* | $1,014.7 | 3.95% |
| 2024 | $976.1 | 4.28% |
| 2023 | $936.0 | 3.93% |
| 2022 | $900.6 | 4.68% |
| 2021 | $860.3 | 12.5% |
| 2020 | $764.5 | 8.95% |
| 2019 | $701.7 | 3.73% |
| 2018 | $676.5 | 2.45% |
| 2017 | $660.3 | 4.91% |
| 2016 | $629.4 | 3.03% |
| 2015 | $610.9 | 2.59% |
| 2014 | $595.5 | 4.64% |
| 2013 | $569.1 | 2.56% |
| 2012 | $554.9 | 2.51% |
| 2011 | $541.3 | 4.60% |
| 2010 | $517.5 | 5.20% |
| 2009 | $491.9 | 0.22% |
| 2008 | $490.8 | -4.48% |
| 2007 | $513.8 | 2.64% |
| 2006 | $500.6 | 3.43% |
*Projected
Holiday Gift Shopping Statistics
The largest holiday expense for the average consumer is gift purchases.
- Holiday gift sales are projected to total $715.9 billion in 2025, up 3.20% YoY.
- In 2024, gift sales are expected to account for 70.6% of total holiday spending.
- Gift sales totaled an estimated $693.7 billion in 2024, or 71.1% of holiday spending.
- 95% of holiday shoppers purchase gifts for family, 68% for friends, and 34% for coworkers.
- 32% of holiday shoppers plan to purchase gifts for themselves in 2025, with an average self-gift budget of $264.
- 44% of shoppers plan on purchasing luxury goods for holiday gifts in 2025, including 25% who are considering pre-owned luxury items.
- 29% of consumers plan to purchase American-made holiday gifts in 2025.
Holiday Gift Budget Statistics
Most holiday shopping is for gifts for family, friends, and co-workers.
- The average consumer budgeted $628 for holiday gifts in 2025.
- Households with children plan to spend an average of $743 on holiday gifts in 2025, which is 18.3% more than the average spending by all adults.
- While holiday gift budgets among all adults decreased 2.04% from 2024 to 2025, the budgets for households with children increased 4.65%.
- The average parents’ holiday gift budget includes at least $103 per child; 16% of parents spend over $200 per child.
Holiday Gift Shopping by Category
Holiday shoppers spend more on electronics than any other gift category.
- In 2025, holiday e-commerce shoppers are expected to spend a total of $57.5 billion on electronics, up 3.98% from 2024 ($55.3 billion).
- 22% of gift recipients have electronics on their holiday wish list; 42% of gift shoppers purchase electronics.
- Holiday shoppers in 2025 are expected to spend a total of $47.6 billion on apparel online, up 4.39% from 2024 ($45.6 billion).
- Apparel is the second-most in-demand gift category, with 46% of consumers wanting to receive clothing and accessories during the 2025 holiday season.
- Holiday shoppers are most likely to purchase clothing and accessories to give as gifts, with 63% of gift shoppers purchasing.
- Furniture and home goods are the third-largest gift category, with a projected online spend of $31.1 billion in 2025, up 4.17% YoY.
- 61% of holiday gift shoppers purchase toys, 54% buy food or beverages, and 47% purchase home and kitchen products.
Holiday Gift Card Statistics
54% of holiday shoppers plan to purchase gift cards in 2025.
- 50% of gift recipients want to receive gift cards in the 2024 holiday season, down 5.66% YoY.
- In 2024, consumers each budgeted an average of $170.48 for gift cards, spending a nationwide total of $28.6 billion.
- Holiday shoppers purchased an average of 3 to 4 gift cards during the 2024 holiday season, with an average value of $51.18 per card.
- 30% of holiday gift cards in 2024 were for restaurants, making this the most popular gift card type.
- 25% of holiday gift cards were bank-issued, 25% were for department stores, and 22% were for coffee shops in 2024.
Holiday Sales Event Statistics
70% of holiday shoppers plan on shopping during Cyber Week 2025.
- Holiday shoppers who made purchases over the 5-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2024 (also known as Cyber Week or Cyber Weekend) spent an average of $235 on gifts.
- Up to 55% of shoppers who buy holiday presents make purchases on Black Friday.
- The Saturday before Christmas, also known as Super Saturday, is traditionally a large shopping day with 20% of holiday shoppers participating in 2024.
- As many as 30% of holiday shoppers don’t participate in large shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Super Saturday.
- 38% of holiday shoppers make purchases during early holiday sales before Thanksgiving.
- 71% of holiday shoppers planned to shop during the week following December 25; 48% of these shoppers wanted to take advantage of post-holiday promotions.
| Item Category | Projected Discount 2025* | Average Discounts 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 28% | 30.1% |
| Toys | 27% | 28.0% |
| Apparel | 25% | 23.2% |
| Televisions | 23% | 24.2% |
| Computers | 23% | 22.8% |
| Sporting Goods | 19% | 19.5% |
| Furniture | 18% | 19.0% |
| Appliances | 18% | 19.2% |
Holiday Sales Statistics
Traditionally, the holiday shopping season begins November 1 and ends December 31.
- 24.1% of total holiday sales revenue was from online sales in 2024.
- Holiday shopping accounts for 13.4% of annual retail sales revenue.
- Most consumers (55%) shop online for the holiday season.
- 56.1% of online holiday sales revenue comes from shoppers using mobile devices.
- Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) spending is expected to total $20.2 billion over the 2025 holiday season, up 9.6% YoY.
- Customer returns increased 17% during the 2024 holiday season compared to the rest of the year.
- 59% of consumers are more likely to consider return policies over the holidays.
Holiday Shopping Statistics
Most consumers make holiday-related purchases at some point throughout November and December, and many start shopping even before the season begins.
- In 2024, the average holiday shopper had purchased at least 50% of the items on their shopping list by early December.
- 42% of consumers begin holiday shopping before the first week of November.
- Holiday shoppers in 2025 are 7.69% more likely to begin shopping by early November than shoppers in 2019 (pre-pandemic).
- In 2025, 47% of holiday shoppers prefer shopping online, and 29% prefer shopping in-store.
- 24% of holiday shoppers prefer a mix of online and in-store shopping.
- Consumers are 43.5% more likely to do their holiday shopping online than in any other store or shopping venue.
- 39% of holiday shoppers plan to spend most of their budgets at big-box retailers, while 36% plan to spend most online.
- 29% of holiday shoppers want to see more gift wrapping services available at retailers.
| Year | Estimated Seasonal Employees | Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 419,400 | 5.40% |
| 2023 | 397,900 | 6.68% |
| 2022 | 373,00 | -14.1% |
| 2021 | 434,400 | -14.2% |
| 2020 | 506,200 | 1.79% |
| 2019 | 497,300 | 2.18% |
| 2018 | 486,700 | 0.25% |
| 2017 | 485,500 | -1.62% |
| 2016 | 493,500 | -5.80% |
Holiday Season Employment Statistics
Retailers and logistics companies hire more employees in anticipation of the holiday season.
- Retailers are expected to hire an additional 265,00 to 365,000 employees for the 2025 holiday shopping season.
- Employers added an estimated 419,400 seasonal retail positions in 2024.
- 34% of retailers advertise more staff positions to handle merchandise returns alone.
- Among these retailers, 49% hire additional staff for distribution centers, and 48% hire for in-store positions.
These data and insights were compiled by the Capital One Shopping team based on publicly available data.
Sources
- National Retail Federation (NRF)
- Adobe Experience Cloud, Resources
- United States Census Bureau
- Statista, Retail & Trade
- Morning Consult
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Statistics Survey
- Deloitte Insights, Holiday Retail Survey