Holiday Spending Statistics 2026: 55+ Facts, Trends & Industry Data

Holiday spending is the single largest driver of U.S. retail activity each year, accounting for roughly 20% of all annual retail sales. This page compiles 55+ verified statistics on holiday spending in 2025–2026, from total retail figures to Black Friday records and generational spending patterns.

All data is sourced from the National Retail Federation, Adobe Analytics, Deloitte, PwC, Gallup, Visa, Mastercard, and other authoritative sources.

Total U.S. Holiday Retail Sales

Holiday sales have climbed 3.9% on average year-over-year over the long term. In 2025, Mastercard SpendingPulse reported that actual holiday sales grew 3.9% compared to the prior year, tracking both online and in-store payments from November through Christmas Eve.

Holiday Retail Sales Trend (2020–2025)

Source: NRF, Capital One Shopping Research

Average Spending Per Person

The average consumer also spends approximately $263 on seasonal non-gift items like decorations, greeting cards, candy, and food. From 2015 to 2025, the 10-year average total holiday spending was $858 per person.

Online Holiday Shopping

Online spending grew three times faster than in-store spending during the 2025 holiday season. Adobe projects the online share of total retail will continue rising, reaching approximately 24.9% of all holiday sales.

Online Holiday Sales Growth (2020–2025)

Source: Adobe Analytics

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Records

Cyber Week 2025: Day-by-Day Breakdown

Source: Adobe Analytics, Digital Commerce 360

Shopify merchants hit a record $14.6 billion in global sales over the Black Friday–Cyber Monday weekend, a 27% year-over-year jump, with sales peaking at $5.1 million per minute at 12:01 PM EST on Black Friday.

Holiday Spending by Generation

Source: PwC, Visa

High-income households drove nearly all spending growth in 2025, with their share of total holiday spend jumping nearly seven percentage points from 31.7% in 2024 to 38.5% in 2025. PwC economist Alexis Crow described this as a "Pac-Man-shaped economy" where lower-income spending has flatlined rather than crashed.

Spending by Category

Consumers allocated roughly 71% of total holiday spending to gifts in 2024, with the rest going to seasonal items, travel, entertainment, and food. In 2025, 95% of shoppers purchased gifts for family, 68% for friends, and 34% for coworkers.

Key Category Stats

Thrift shops and off-price retailers topped the apparel market during the 2025 holiday season, with foot traffic up 11.7% and 6.6% respectively, while luxury chains and department stores posted gains of just 1.8%. Value-seeking behavior was the dominant trend across all income groups.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

Mobile devices drove the vast majority of BNPL purchases (82.2%). Consumers reported using BNPL most frequently for electronics, apparel, toys, and furniture purchases. PayPal reported that as of October 2025, roughly half of holiday shoppers planned to use a buy-now-pay-later plan.

AI & Holiday Shopping

AI shopping assistants are rapidly becoming mainstream. Salesforce reported that 20% of all online orders during Cyber Week were associated with AI tools and agents, worth $67 billion in global sales. In the U.S., AI influenced 17% of orders totaling roughly $13.5 billion.

Consumer Sentiment & Outlook

Despite the negative sentiment, actual spending held up remarkably well — a pattern economists call the "say vs. do" gap. Consumers reported pessimism but continued purchasing, often driven by high-income households, deal-seeking behavior, and BNPL adoption.

Tariffs became a new factor in 2025: 85% of consumers expected higher prices due to tariffs, and 53% said general price increases would affect their holiday decisions. Among those spending less, 46% blamed the high cost of goods directly — a 10-point increase from 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Americans spend on holidays each year?

U.S. holiday retail sales reached $976.1 billion in 2024 and were projected to surpass $1 trillion for the first time in 2025 (between $1.01 and $1.02 trillion), according to NRF. Including travel and entertainment, the average consumer spends approximately $1,552 to $1,595 per person.

How much was spent online on Black Friday 2025?

U.S. consumers spent a record $11.8 billion online on Black Friday 2025, up 9.1% year-over-year, according to Adobe Analytics. During peak hours (10 AM–2 PM), shoppers were spending $12.5 million every minute.

How much was spent on Cyber Monday 2025?

Cyber Monday 2025 set a new all-time U.S. e-commerce record with $14.25 billion in online sales, up 7.1% YoY, according to Adobe Analytics. During peak hours (8–10 PM), consumers spent $16 million every minute.

What was the total online holiday spending in 2025?

U.S. consumers spent a record $257.8 billion online during the 2025 holiday season (Nov 1–Dec 31), up 6.8% YoY, according to Adobe Analytics. Mobile shopping accounted for 56.4% of all online transactions — a new milestone.

Which generation spends the most on holiday shopping?

Gen X holds the largest share of total holiday spending at 34.4%, followed closely by Baby Boomers at 33.7%, Millennials at 26.3%, and Gen Z at just 5.6%. However, Boomers planned the largest per-person budget increase at 21% in 2025.

How much did Buy Now, Pay Later drive in holiday sales?

BNPL drove $20 billion in holiday online spending in 2025, up 9.8% YoY. Cyber Monday 2025 was the first day to cross $1 billion in BNPL spending alone.