Elina HartsHoliday Gift Spending Guide 2026
Christmas 2026 is Friday, December 25, 2026.
That's 104 days from today.
Last Year's Numbers (2025)
We can't tell you what 2026 holiday spending will look like yet — that data doesn't exist until the season happens. Here's what's confirmed for 2025, the most recent year with real numbers, according to the National Retail Federation's annual Winter Holiday survey:
- Average spending per person: $890.49 — the second-highest amount in the survey's 23-year history, just 1.3% below 2024's record of $901.99
- Gifts for family and friends: $627.93 of that average
- Everything else (food/candy, decorations, greeting cards): $262.56
- Total U.S. retail sales: the NRF projected 2025 winter holiday sales would surpass $1 trillion for the first time — we haven't seen a confirmed final total yet
- Participation: 91% of U.S. adults planned to celebrate a winter holiday (Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa)
Gifts alone made up about 70% of the average person's total holiday spending, with the remaining 30% split across food, decorations, and cards.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What day is Christmas 2026?
Christmas 2026 falls on Friday, December 25, 2026.
How much did Americans spend on holiday gifts last year?
In 2025, U.S. shoppers planned to spend an average of $890.49 per person on winter holidays, according to the National Retail Federation's annual survey — the second-highest amount in the survey's 23-year history, just 1.3% below 2024's record of $901.99. We haven't seen a confirmed 2026 figure yet since the season hasn't happened.
How much of holiday spending goes to gifts specifically?
Per the NRF's 2025 survey, $627.93 of the $890.49 average went specifically to gifts for family and friends, with the remaining $262.56 spent on food, candy, decorations, and greeting cards.
How big is total U.S. holiday retail spending?
The NRF projected total 2025 winter holiday retail sales would surpass $1 trillion for the first time. We haven't seen a confirmed final total or a 2026 forecast yet.
Do all stores run holiday sales?
We haven't confirmed that every retailer runs a promotion specifically tied to the holiday season. These are active discount codes already listed on Elina Harts — the timing is simply good for holiday gift shopping, not a claim that every brand created the offer for the season.
Sources
2025 spending figures cited from the National Retail Federation's Winter Holiday spending survey and the NRF's $1 trillion holiday sales forecast. We did not independently verify the underlying survey methodology; figures are reported as published.