Christmas gift statistics are essential for brands, bloggers, and shoppers who want to understand how people actually buy Christmas presents: how much they spend, where they shop, what they buy, and how often gifts get returned.
Below are the latest, most cited Christmas gift statistics and holiday gift data points from major retail research organizations and consumer surveys.
Top Christmas Gift Statistics (Quick Snapshot)
- $902 = average winter-holiday spend per person in the U.S. (gifts + food + decorations + other seasonal items) in 2024.
- $641 = average spend on gifts per person in the U.S. in 2024.
- $261 = average spend on non-gift seasonal items per person in the U.S. in 2024.
- $890 = average budget for gifts and other seasonal items in the U.S. in 2025 (winter holiday spending highlight).
- $1.01T–$1.02T = NRF forecast for U.S. November–December retail sales in 2025 (first time projected to surpass $1T).
- 47% = share of consumers opting to gift experiences (Deloitte, 2025 reporting).
- 17% higher = retailers’ expected winter-holiday return rate versus their annual return rate (NRF/Happy Returns, 2024).
- 15.8% = expected overall returns rate in 2025 (NRF/Happy Returns, as reported by Digital Commerce 360).
- £461 = expected festive-season spend per head in the UK in 2025 (PwC UK).
Christmas Gift Statistics Table (Copy-Paste Friendly)
This table aggregates the most quoted Christmas gift statistics and related holiday gift metrics (spending, shopping, and returns).
| Category | Metric | Value | Geography | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spending | Avg. total winter-holiday spend per person (gifts + seasonal) | $902 | U.S. | 2024 |
| Spending | Avg. spend on gifts per person | $641 | U.S. | 2024 |
| Spending | Avg. spend on non-gift seasonal items | $261 | U.S. | 2024 |
| Spending | Avg. budget for gifts + seasonal items (winter holidays highlight) | $890 | U.S. | 2025 |
| Forecast | NRF forecast for Nov–Dec holiday retail sales | $1.01T–$1.02T | U.S. | 2025 |
| Shopping days | Thanksgiving–Cyber Monday shoppers (5-day period) | 197 million | U.S. | 2024 |
| Shopping behavior | Consumers choosing experience gifts | 47% | U.S. (survey) | 2025 |
| Returns | Holiday-season return rate vs annual return rate (retailer expectation) | +17% higher | U.S. | 2024 |
| Returns | Estimated overall retail returns rate | 15.8% | U.S. | 2025 |
| Returns | Estimated online sales return rate | 19.3% | U.S. | 2025 |
| UK spending | Expected festive-season spend per head | £461 | UK | 2025 |
Chart: Christmas Gift Spending Breakdown (Gifts vs Other Seasonal Items)
One of the most useful Christmas gift statistics is how total holiday budgets split between actual gifts and the rest of seasonal spending.
U.S. Winter Holiday Spend per Person (2024)
Gifts: $641
Other seasonal items (food, decorations, etc.): $261
Percentages are based on $902 total average winter-holiday spending per person.
Christmas Gift Spending Statistics
Here are the most actionable Christmas gift statistics on what people budget and spend during the holiday season:
- U.S. holiday spending per person hit $902 on average in 2024 across gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items (NRF/Prosper survey).
- Of the $902 average, $641 went to gifts, while the remainder went to non-gift seasonal categories (NRF/Prosper, as summarized by multiple outlets).
- NRF highlighted an average $890 budget for gifts and seasonal items in 2025, showing continued high budgets even as shoppers hunt for deals.
- UK shoppers were expected to spend £461 per head in the festive season in 2025, with top priorities including food & drink and health & beauty (PwC UK).
Christmas Gift Shopping Statistics (When and How People Buy Gifts)
Christmas gift statistics aren’t just about money; they also capture when people shop and what shopping events matter most.
- 197 million shoppers participated in the Thanksgiving-through-Cyber-Monday shopping period in 2024 (retail body reporting via Reuters).
- NRF winter holiday trend reporting continues to position Black Friday and Cyber Monday as top shopping days for in-store and online shoppers.
Christmas Gift Trends Statistics: Experiences vs Physical Gifts
A growing slice of Christmas gift statistics now tracks experience gifting (tickets, travel, dining, memberships) alongside physical presents.
- 47% of consumers reported opting to gift experiences (Deloitte Holiday Retail Survey reporting for 2025 coverage).
- Deloitte’s 2024 holiday retail survey also reported shoppers planned to increase spending (survey-based), reflecting how sentiment can shift year to year.
Christmas Gift Returns Statistics (The Hidden Cost of Holiday Gifting)
Returns are one of the most important (and often overlooked) Christmas gift statistics. After Christmas, return counters spike—especially for apparel sizing, duplicate gifts, and “not my style” presents.
- Retailers expected winter-holiday return rates to be 17% higher than their annual return rate (NRF/Happy Returns, 2024).
- Returns totaled $890 billion in 2024 and were projected at roughly 17% of total merchandise sales (NRF/Happy Returns reporting, widely syndicated).
- For 2025, NRF/Happy Returns data indicated an overall returns rate of 15.8%, while online returns were estimated at 19.3% (NRF and coverage reporting).
Chart: Why Returns Policies Matter for Christmas Gifts
Returns friction can stop gift buyers from checking out, especially for higher-risk gifts (apparel, shoes, accessories). These Christmas gift statistics help quantify the impact of return policies:
Returns Policy Statistics (UPS reporting)
Consumers who read return policies before buying: 81%
Consumers less likely to shop again after a poor returns experience: 71%
Shoppers more likely to buy with box-free/label-free returns & immediate refunds: 84%
Key Takeaways: Christmas Gift Statistics You Can Use
- If you need one headline metric: Christmas gift spending is a majority share of total holiday budgets (about 71% in the $902 U.S. per-person figure for 2024).
- Returns are structurally high—and holiday returns run above normal return rates—so flexible policies can be a conversion lever.
- Experience gifting is mainstream (near half in Deloitte reporting), which changes how people search for “best Christmas gifts” content.
FAQ: Christmas Gift Statistics
How much do people spend on Christmas gifts?
One widely cited U.S. benchmark from NRF/Prosper research shows $641 average spend on gifts per person in 2024 (out of $902 total winter-holiday spending that also includes food, decorations, and other seasonal purchases).
What percentage of holiday spending goes to gifts?
Using NRF/Prosper’s 2024 per-person totals, gifts account for roughly 71% of total winter-holiday spend (gifts $641 out of $902 total).
How big are Christmas gift returns?
NRF/Happy Returns reporting indicates holiday returns rise above baseline return behavior. In 2024, retailers expected winter-holiday return rates to be 17% higher than their annual return rate, and NRF/Happy Returns reporting placed 2024 total returns at $890B.
Do people prefer experience gifts?
Deloitte reporting for the 2025 holiday season showed 47% of consumers opting to gift experiences, indicating a major shift in gifting mix alongside physical products.
Exact URL Sources (Christmas Gift Statistics References)
- NRF (2024): Holiday spending expected to reach new record ($902 per person) — https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/2024-holiday-spending-expected-reach-new-record
- Digital Commerce 360 (2024): NRF gift + toy survey summary ($902 total; $641 gifts) — https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2024/11/26/nrf-gift-and-toy-survey-previews-2024-holiday-shopping-priorities/
- Axios (2024): Summary chart citing NRF/Prosper ($641 gifts; $261 other) — https://www.axios.com/2024/12/23/holiday-spending-2024-gifts
- NRF (2025): Winter Holiday Data & Trends (2025 highlights incl. $890 budget) — https://nrf.com/research-insights/holiday-data-and-trends/winter-holidays
- NRF (2025 forecast): NRF expects holiday sales to surpass $1T for first time in 2025 — https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-expects-holiday-sales-to-surpass-1-trillion-for-the-first-time-in-2025
- Reuters (2024): U.S. Thanksgiving weekend records 197 million shoppers — https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/us-thanksgiving-weekend-records-197-million-shoppers-retail-body-says-2024-12-03/
- Deloitte (2024): 2024 Deloitte holiday retail survey (consumer survey insights) — https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/holiday-retail-sales-consumer-survey-2024.html
- Retail Brew (2025): Deloitte coverage citing 47% gifting experiences — https://www.retailbrew.com/stories/2025/10/16/deloitte-consumers-say-they-ll-spend-10-less-this-holiday-season
- NRF + Happy Returns (2024): Retail returns total $890B; holiday return rate +17% vs annual — https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-and-happy-returns-report-2024-retail-returns-total-890-billion
- NRF (2025): Consumers expected to return nearly $850B in merchandise in 2025; online return rate reference — https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/consumers-expected-to-return-nearly-850-billion-in-merchandise-in-2025
- Digital Commerce 360 (2025): NRF returns rate coverage (15.8% overall; 2024 vs 2025 context) — https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2025/10/24/nrf-consumers-return-850-billion-merchandise-in-2025/
- UPS (2025): Return-policy behavior stats (81% read policies; 71% deterred by poor experience) — https://about.ups.com/us/en/our-stories/customer-first/5-things-every-business-should-know-about-returns-in-2025-and-be.html
- UPS (2024): Box-free/label-free returns preference (84%) — https://about.ups.com/mx/en/our-stories/customer-first/3-consumer-returns-trends-every-retailer-should-know.html
- PwC UK (2025): Festive spending forecast £461 per head — https://www.pwc.co.uk/press-room/press-releases/research-commentary/festive-spending-forecast-to-reach-p24-6bn-this-year–pwc-uk—.html