Americans Plan To Spend An Average Of $1,011 On Holiday Gifts, But 24% Say They Will Spend Less Than Last Year While 18% Plan To Spend More

Susan Parker

57 minutes ago

Here is a number to hold up against your own holiday list. Gallup says Americans plan to spend an average of $1,011 on Christmas and other holiday gifts this year.

That figure comes from a telephone poll of 1,200 U.S. adults taken October 1 to 19, 2026, and published November 6 by Gallup writer Lydia Saad. Before you picture a thousand dollars under every tree, read on, because the average hides a wide spread.

The Average Barely Budged, But Prices Did

The $1,011 is almost exactly where it was a year ago. In October 2025, Gallup measured $1,007, and in October 2024 it was $1,014.

So on paper, gift budgets are flat. The catch is inflation, which Gallup puts at about 3.5%, meaning the same dollars buy a little less than they did last Christmas.

In plain terms, a family that holds its budget steady is quietly giving up a bit of gift for the money. That may be why so many people tell pollsters they are watching their spending.

Only 36% Plan To Spend $1,000 Or More

The average is pulled up by the big spenders. Gallup found 36% of adults expect to spend $1,000 or more on gifts.

Another 18% plan to spend between $500 and $999, and 27% expect to spend under $500. The remaining 19% are unsure, plan to spend nothing, or do not celebrate the holiday.

Put those together and you will see that a lot more households sit below $500 than above $1,000 if you count the people who are spending little or nothing. The headline number is a blend of very different Christmases.

24% Say They Will Spend Less Than Last Year While 18% Plan To Spend More

Gallup also asked people to compare this year with last. A solid majority, 54%, said they will spend about the same.

Twenty-four percent said they will spend less, and 18% said they will spend more. That six-point gap in favor of spending less is close to the four- and five-point gaps Gallup has recorded every year since 2023.

For perspective, during the Great Recession in 2008, 35% of people said they planned to spend less and just 9% planned to spend more. Today’s mood is cautious, but it is nowhere near that gloom.

Will The Stores Still Have A Good Season?

Gallup does not stop at what people say. It also compares past intentions with what stores actually rang up.

Holiday retail sales grew 3.6% in 2024 and 3.2% in 2025. Using that history, Gallup projects growth of about 3.1% for this year’s November and December sales, and it notes that forecasts like this can be off by two to three percentage points.

Gallup also points out that its poll was taken before the November 3 midterm elections, which could shift plans. It adds that its follow-up poll in November usually shows people planning to spend less than they said in October.

Gallup has asked about Christmas spending plans since October 1989, and you can read the full poll results at Gallup.

How To Use These Numbers Without Letting Them Pressure You

Polls like this are fun to read, but a neighbor’s budget is not your budget. If you feel a twinge when you see $1,011, remember that nearly three in ten people plan to spend under $500 and many more are spending nothing.

Start with what you can afford, not with what the average says. Write down the people you buy for, put a dollar figure next to each name, and add it up before you shop.

If the total is higher than you like, you have options that do not involve guilt. Draw names within the family, set a per-person limit, or agree on one group gift for the grandkids.

Handmade gifts, a favorite recipe in a nice jar, or a promise of an afternoon together often mean more than something from a big box. Many of us can remember the gift that mattered most, and it was rarely the priciest one.

A Few Smart Moves When Prices Run Higher

With inflation near 3.5%, a little planning goes a long way. Shop early so you can spread purchases across several paychecks instead of putting everything on a card in December.

Keep a running list in your phone or on a sheet of paper, and cross things off as you buy them. That keeps you from buying duplicates or grabbing last-minute extras you do not need.

Compare prices before you buy, and check the return policy so a gift that does not fit can be swapped without a hassle. Hold a little back for the holiday meal and travel too, because those costs sneak up on people who budget only for presents.

Finally, pay with money you already have where you can. A gift that you are still paying for in March is not much of a gift to yourself.

The most useful takeaway from Gallup is that you are in good company whether you spend a lot, a little, or about the same as last year. Set your number, stick to it, and enjoy the people more than the packages.