Highlights. The average American spends around $1,000 for the winter holidays, most of it on gift shopping.
- American holiday shoppers will spend an estimated $984.3 billion in 2024; projections indicate that by 2030, winter holiday* spending will total $1.22 trillion.
- The average American consumer budgets around $641 for holiday gifts alone.
- Including travel and entertainment expenses, the average consumer spends $1,638 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.
2024 Holiday Shopping Statistics
As many as 70% of American consumers plan to spend more on the holidays in 2024 than they did in 2023.
- Holiday shoppers in the U.S. are expected to spend $296.5 billion online, accounting for 30.1% of holiday sales dollars in 2024.
- Projections indicate that U.S. shoppers will spend 3.0% more on holiday shopping in 2024 than they did in 2023.
- 92% of American consumers plan to shop for the holidays in 2024.
- 30% of shoppers planned to spend less in 2024 than they spent in 2023; 17% of shoppers planned to spend more.
- 45% of Americans began their 2024 holiday shopping in October, up 4.65% year-over-year (YoY).
- 57% of holiday shoppers plan to make holiday purchases online, down 1.72% YoY.
- Shoppers are expected to spend $18.5 billion this holiday season through Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services.
Holiday Spending Statistics
The retail and supply chain disruptions that influenced holiday shopping and spending patterns from 2020 to 2022 have since stabilized.
- Retail sales over the 2023 winter holiday shopping season totaled $955.6 billion.
- Online sales totaled $273.3 billion, or 28.6% of winter holiday retail sales.
- Holiday season retail sales increased 3.87% YoY in 2023.
- In 2022, U.S. holiday spending totaled $920.0 billion, up 4.74% YoY.
- From 2014 to 2024, $850 was the 10-year average amount shoppers spent over the holiday season.
- Consumers spend an average of $261 during the holidays on seasonal items such as decorations, cards, candy, and food.
- From October 1 into the first week of November 2023, Americans spent an estimated $95 billion on online holiday shopping.
- $7.8 billion (8.21%) of holiday purchases from October 1 to November 6, 2023, were through BNPL services.
| Year | Sales Dollars (in billions) |
%Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $955.6 | 3.87% |
| 2022 | $920.0 | 4.74% |
| 2021 | $878.4 | 12.4% |
| 2020 | $781.2 | 9.00% |
| 2019 | $716.7 | 3.70% |
| 2018 | $691.1 | 1.80% |
| 2017 | $678.9 | 5.01% |
| 2016 | $646.5 | 3.01% |
| 2015 | $627.6 | 2.73% |
| 2014 | $610.9 | 4.77% |
| 2013 | $583.1 | 2.73% |
| 2012 | $567.6 | 2.58% |
| 2011 | $553.3 | 4.63% |
| 2010 | $528.8 | 5.19% |
| 2009 | $502.7 | 0.24% |
| 2008 | $501.5 | -4.66% |
| 2007 | $526.0 | 2.71% |
| 2006 | $512.1 | 3.25% |
Holiday Gift Shopping Statistics
The largest holiday expense for the average consumer is gift purchases.
- The average consumer budgeted $620 for holiday gifts in 2023.
- Holiday gift sales are projected to total $699.4 billion in 2024, up 3.29% YoY.
- In 2024, gift sales are expected to account for 71.1% of total holiday spending.
- Gift sales totaled an estimated $677.1 billion in 2023, or 70.9% of holiday spending.
- The average parents’ holiday gift budget includes at least $113 per child and up to $276 per child under the age of 18.
- 32% of holiday shoppers plan to purchase gifts for themselves in 2024, with an average self-gift budget of $250.
- Shoppers with romantic partners planned to spend $251 on gifts for their partner in 2021.
- Most online shoppers (65%) order items to be delivered versus picked up in-store.
Holiday Gift Shopping by Category
Holiday shoppers spend more on electronics than any other gift category.
- In 2024, holiday shoppers are expected to spend a total of $55.1 billion on electronics, up 8.46% from 2023 ($50.8 billion).
- 22% of gift recipients have electronics on their holiday wish list.
- Holiday shoppers in 2024 are expected to spend a total of $43.9 billion on apparel, up 5.78% from 2023 ($41.5 billion).
- Apparel is the second-most in-demand gift category, with 49% of consumers wanting to receive clothing and accessories during the 2024 holiday season.
- Furniture and home goods are the third-largest gift category, with a projected total spend of $28.4 billion in 2024, up 4.03% YoY.
Holiday Gift Card Statistics
71% of holiday shoppers plan to purchase gift cards in 2024.
- 53% of gift recipients want to receive gift cards in the 2024 holiday season, down 3.64% YoY.
- In 2023, consumers each budgeted an average of $166.69 for gift cards, spending a nationwide total of $29.3 billion.
- Holiday shoppers purchased an average of 3 to 4 gift cards during the 2023 holiday season, with an average value of $49.43 per card.
- 30% of holiday gift cards in 2023 were for restaurants, making this the most popular gift card type.
- 26% of holiday gift cards were bank-issued, and 26% were for department stores in 2023.
Holiday Shopping Budget Statistics
In 2023, shoppers were more likely to increase spending on food and beverages (24%) than any other holiday spending category.
- 41% of shoppers planned to spend less on travel in 2023, while 16% planned to spend more.
- In 2022, adults thought they were 40% less likely to go into debt to complete their holiday shopping.
- 15% of adults said they would go into debt to finance their 2022 winter holiday shopping.
- 25% of adults said they would go into debt to finance their holidays in 2021.
- Adults were 27.3% more likely to use extra income or a bonus to finance their 2022 holidays.
- In 2022, consumers were 26.9% more likely to save throughout the year in order to finance the holiday season than they were in 2021.
Holiday Sales Event Statistics
Most holiday shopping is for gifts for family, friends, and co-workers.
- Holiday shoppers who made purchases over the 5-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend, (also known as Cyber Week or Cyber Weekend) spent an average of $321.41 each in 2023.
- Up to 53% of shoppers who buy holiday presents make purchases on Black Friday.
- 10% of holiday shoppers do not plan on shopping at all during Cyber Week.
- The Saturday before Christmas, also known as Super Saturday, is traditionally a large shopping day on which 11% of shoppers plan to make their final gift purchases.
- 42% of shoppers purchase their last holiday gift before Super Saturday.
- 5% of holiday shoppers purchase gifts after Christmas.
- Four (4) of the 10 largest nationwide retailers begin holiday sales in October and early November.
- Among the 25 largest retailers, at least 20% begin holiday shopping events prior to Thanksgiving.
| Item Category | Projected Discount 2024* | Average Discounts 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Electronics | 30% | 31% |
| Toys | 27% | 28% |
| Televisions | 24% | 23% |
| Apparel | 23% | 24% |
| Computers | 23% | 24% |
| Sporting Goods | 20% | 18% |
| Furniture | 19% | 21% |
| Appliances | 18% | 18% |
*Compared to average prices on October 1.
Holiday Sales Statistics
Traditionally, the holiday shopping season begins November 1 and ends December 31.
- 28.6% of total holiday sales revenue was from online and non-store sales in 2023.
- Holiday shopping accounts for 11.5% of annual retail sales revenue.
- Most consumers (57%) shop online for the holiday season.
- 53.2% of online holiday sales revenue comes from shoppers using mobile devices.
- Retailers lost $148 billion to customer returns from the 2023 holiday season.
- $24.5 billion or 16.5% of customer return dollars were from fraudulent returns.
- 24.3% of annual revenue lost to return fraud is from the holiday season.
- On 62.3% of 2021 holiday shopping days, daily retail sales returns surpassed $3 billion.
- 56% of New Year’s Eve shoppers purchase from grocery stores; 45% shop at big box stores.
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.
- 45% of consumers begin holiday shopping before the first week of November.
- 55% of holiday shoppers make purchases during early holiday sales before Thanksgiving.
- By the Thanksgiving weekend, 85% of consumers have started their holiday shopping.
- Holiday shoppers in 2024 are 15.4% more likely to begin shopping by early November than shoppers in 2019 (pre-pandemic).
- 43.2% of holiday shoppers finish at least half of their shopping before Thanksgiving.
- 94% of holiday shoppers purchase their last gift by Christmas Day.
- Consumers are 55.6% more likely to do their holiday shopping online than in any other store or shopping venue.
- As many as 34% of holiday shoppers don’t participate in large shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Super Saturday.
- 65% of consumers make plans to shop during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.
| Year | Estimated Seasonal Employees | Change YoY |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 418,400 | 12.2% |
| 2022 | 373,000 | -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 | -1.64% |
| 2016 | 493,600 | -5.80% |
| 2015 | 524,000 | -7.24% |
| 2014 | 564,900 | -9.86% |
| 2013 | 626,700 | 7.26% |
| 2012 | 584,300 | 7.29% |
Holiday Season Employment Statistics
Retailers and logistics companies hire more employees in anticipation of the holiday season.
- Retailers are expected to hire an additional 400,000 to 500,000 employees for the 2024 holiday shopping season.
- Employers added an estimated 418,400 seasonal retail positions in 2023.
- 10.7% of JC Penney’s 28,000 seasonal employees worked exclusively in supply-chain and distribution centers in 2021.
- Macy’s hired 71,000 seasonal workers in 2021, with an estimated 32% employed in distribution centers.
- 56.1% of retailers advertise more staff positions to handle merchandise returns alone.
- Among these retailers, 26.1% aim to hire “significantly more” staff to handle returns.
- 20% of all holiday season retail hires in 2021 were 15- to 19-year-olds.
- Holiday employment among teenagers increased 122.2% from 2019.
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
- Numerator, Cyber Weekend Recap
- AARP, 10 Great Reasons to Avoid Stores on Black Friday 2021
- USA Today, Stores Struggling to Hire Adults
- Reuters, ‘Black Friday’ Drags Through November Amid Tight Inventories
- Deloitte Insights, Holiday Retail Survey
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, One-Screen Data Search: Employment Hours and Earnings from the Current Employment Statistics Survey
- Credit Cards, Poll: Many Americans Say They’ll Decrease Their Holiday Spending in 2021
- Morning Consult
- PwC, Holiday Outlook 2023