Holiday Spending Predictions In 2025 Might Surprise You

When the holiday season rolls around, holiday shopping drifts to the front of many minds. But while gift giving may be an annual tradition, the holiday spending predictions for 2025 might surprise you: According to a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey conducted alongside Prosper Insights & Analytics, consumers plan to spend an average of $890.49 per person in 2025 between gifts, food, decorations, and various other holiday-related expenditures. While forking over nearly $900 may seem like a lot, it's apparently not unprecedented for an NRF survey. In fact, this figure is the second-highest spending prediction on record, barely falling short of 2024's $902 average per-person estimate.

The NRF, an organization dedicated to informing and uplifting those in the retail industry, has been collecting and reporting on retail data for decades. Its recent survey indicates 2025 holiday spending will fall short of 2024 by a mere 1.3%. With more than 90% of adults in the United States expected to celebrate winter holidays including Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Hanukkah, the NRF estimates 2025 holiday sales to surpass $1 trillion. Another surprising prediction is that households with children will spend an average of $33 more on gifts for family, friends, and coworkers than households with only adults.

Although the holidays are a great time to show love and appreciation for those close to you, setting and maintaining a budget will help you avoid becoming one of the people still paying off last year's Christmas gifts well into next year. America Saves recommends dividing your holiday spending into categories like gifts, food, and travel, so you don't overspend and create future financial stress. It also suggests not using credit cards to avoid high-interest payments that can continue even after the holidays are over. A Journal of Accountancy survey found that 47% of U.S. adults expect to go into debt with holiday spending, and 52% predict they won't pay off their balance in full when their credit card bill for the season rolls around.

Setting aside money from every paycheck can help your savings grow, giving you plenty to spend by the time the holidays roll around again. Many folks plan to start their holiday shopping early, with 42% of those surveyed by the NRF saying they planned to do at least some holiday shopping before November. Having money set aside allows you to make purchases when you find a bargain, instead of splurging on anything you can find at the last minute. Seeking out retailers offering deals to make your holiday shopping less stressful is also wise, while tracking every dollar you spend on gifts, travel, and food will help you keep an eye on what you're spending.