Average Christmas Spending in 2026

How much Americans spend on Christmas

Three big surveys measure holiday spending, and each counts something a little different. Here is the newest number from each.

Source: Deloitte, Oct 2026; Gallup, Oct 2025; NRF, Oct 2025.

Deloitte’s figure is the only one that covers the 2026 season so far. Its average household plans to spend $1,654, up 4% from $1,595 in 2025. That splits into $988 for retail goods (up 10%) and $666 for holiday activities like travel, entertainment and hosting (down 4%). Deloitte surveyed 4,000 consumers from August 26 to September 10, 2026.

NRF, which has run its consumer survey for more than two decades, did not publish a per-person dollar figure for 2026. Its FAQ says this year’s survey focuses on shopping habits instead. Its newest per-person number is from 2025: $890.49, the second-highest on record and 1.3% below the 2024 record of $901.99.

So whichever survey you trust, a typical household’s holidays run from roughly $900 to $1,650, and that is before any debt interest.

Where the money goes

NRF’s 2025 breakdown shows how holiday budgets split:

Source: NRF 2025 Holiday Survey, Oct 2025. Shares are our calculation.

Non-gift costs are easy to forget. Nearly $3 of every $10 in NRF’s figure goes to things like the holiday meal, decorations and cards (our calculation). If you host, the extra food lands on top of your usual grocery bill.

Experiences are a growing part of gift lists. In Deloitte’s 2026 survey, 50% of shoppers plan to give an experience, up from 39% in 2024.

Christmas spending by income

Spending rises steeply with income. These are the groups each survey reports:

Source: Deloitte, Oct 2026; Gallup, Oct 2025.

In Gallup’s data, the under-$50,000 group cut its plans from $776 in 2024 to $651 in 2025, while the $100,000-plus group raised them from $1,403 to $1,479. Deloitte says Gen Z and millennials are expected to account for 50% of 2026 holiday spending.

The 2026 holiday forecast

NRF forecasts that retail sales in November and December 2026 will grow 4.2% to $1.013 trillion, after rising 3.1% to $972 billion in 2025. Retail sales here include stores and online but not cars, gas or restaurants. NRF also expects retailers to hire 325,000 to 375,000 seasonal workers.

Prices are on shoppers’ minds: NRF says 84% of consumers expect higher prices this year because of tariffs. Gallup’s long history shows how much plans can swing. Expected gift spending fell from $942 in 2019 to $805 in 2020, then climbed to a record $1,014 in 2024.

What people actually report

• Holiday debt is common. About 37% of consumers took on holiday debt in the 2025 season, averaging $1,223, according to LendingTree, as reported by Home Page News. A year earlier the average was $1,181.
• Paying it off takes time. Of those holiday debtors, 63% said it would take three months or longer to pay off.
• Most people keep spending steady. In Gallup’s 2025 poll, 56% planned to spend about the same as the year before, 19% more and 23% less.
• Many start early. NRF’s 2025 survey found 42% planned to start shopping before November.
• Returns are a big part of the season. NRF and Happy Returns found 17% of holiday sales were expected to be returned in 2025, and 82% of shoppers return unwanted gifts within a month.

Example: building a holiday budget around the average

Say your household wants to land near Deloitte’s 2026 average of $1,654.

Source: Deloitte 2026 Holiday Retail Survey. Math is our calculation.

1. Pick your total first. Start with what you can pay in cash. The average is a reference point, not a target.
2. Split gifts and everything else. Deloitte’s numbers put about 60% in retail goods and 40% in activities (our calculation). NRF’s numbers put about 71% of per-person spending in gifts.
3. Divide gifts by person. A $988 goods budget across 10 people is about $99 each (our calculation).
4. Decide how you will pay. If you cannot save the full amount, remember that LendingTree’s 2025 holiday borrowers carried $1,223 on average, and most needed three months or more to clear it.

How to spend less this Christmas

1. Save monthly, starting in January. A holiday line in your sinking funds turns a $1,654 December into about $138 a month.
2. Fit it into your budget. Our 50/30/20 budget calculator shows how much of your “wants” money the holidays can use.
3. Set per-person limits. Agree on a spending cap or a gift exchange with family.
4. Count the non-gift costs. Food, decorations, cards and travel are almost a third of NRF’s per-person figure.
5. Avoid new debt. Keep a cushion in an emergency fund so a holiday surprise does not go on a card.
6. Use our free planners. Our free printable planners include budget sheets you can use for gift lists.

See how we research every number on our method page, or browse more budgeting guides.