2026
9
US Gifting Occasions Consumer Report 2026
2026-05-28T08:01:43+00:00
REP663AF164_38B6_42B2_BAF1_6438B612B26E
3695
193689
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Report
en_GB
Gift giving in the US is undergoing an identity shift: consumers are still buying tangible products, but 57% believe in giving moments/experiences, not material items. This signals an industry pivot…
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Retail
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US Gifting Occasions Consumer Report 2026

Gift giving in the US is undergoing an identity shift: consumers are still buying tangible products, but 57% believe in giving moments/experiences, not material items.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for Gifting
    • Opportunities
    • Short term: Reframe gifts as experiences to stay emotionally relevant
    • Memory Lane Candle Keepsake
    • Medium term: Frame self-gifting as emotional maintenance
    • Long term: Create a “Justified Premium” gifting architecture
  2. THE MARKET

    • Adapt gifting to the tough economy
    • Fewer births reshape the gifting market
    • Technology shapes gifting behavior
    • Make “circular” a mainstream gifting choice
    • Market landscape
    • Winter Holiday spending is being reallocated
    • Graph 1: per person anticipated winter holiday expenditures on gifts, in current dollars, 2019-25
    • Father’s Day spending is the fastest growing
    • Graph 2: anticipated total expenditures, in current dollars, 2015-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Gifting is anchored in life milestones, not spontaneity
    • Crack the code of gifting behavior beyond birthdays
    • Graph 3: gifting occasions, by age, 2025
    • Target encourages small tokens of appreciation
    • Gifts are primarily purchased for close social circles
    • Graph 4: gifting recipient, by race or ethnicity, 2025
    • Graph 5: gifting recipient, by age, 2025
    • Gift Lists Go Social
    • Gift discovery is omnichannel
    • Consumers look to various sources for gifting support
    • Graph 6: resources used to find gifts – select responses, by age, 2025
    • Local Gift Algorithm
    • Financial and social concerns impact gifting behavior
    • Budget sensitivity shapes how, not whether, people gift
    • Graph 7: attitudes toward gifting- any agree, 2025
    • Reduce regret and make the budget feel intentional
    • Graph 8: spending per occasion, 2025
    • Bloomingdales takes ownership of the premium ladder
    • Experiences and meaning compete with material gifts
    • Flexible returns and gift cards are paramount to facilitate the gifting experience
    • Graph 9: items gifted – select responses, by age, 2025
    • Consumers want to give more than a box
    • Graph 10: attitudes toward gifting- any agree, 2025
    • From product to experience: The YETI Strategy
  4. INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Pinterest creates holiday gift guides using search and shopping data
    • Walmart taps into last-minute gifting
    • Gifts Under Wraps
    • Etsy highlights the importance of personalization in gifting
  5. APPENDIX

    • The US birth rate is on a decline
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology – US
    • US generation groups
    • Abbreviations
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"The real value of gifting lies in the memories or experiences it unlocks. Brands must innovate by making products more emotionally resonant and offering clear value to cater to evolving consumer priorities."

Marisa Ortega, Analyst - Retail & eCommerce

Marisa Ortega, Analyst - Retail & eCommerce

Gift giving in the US is undergoing an identity shift: consumers are still buying tangible products, but 57% believe in giving moments/experiences, not material items. This signals an industry pivot from selling items to selling stories, shared moments and emotional resonance.

At the same time, economic headwinds have split the market. Affluent households keep spending, while budget-constrained shoppers trade down, leading to “giftflation frustration.” The key industry impact is a widening demand for clear value signposts – from sub $25 confidence lanes to premium ladders that effectively justify price with value adds; thus helping every shopper feel smart, not stretched.

The biggest opportunity is to capture incremental growth by packaging products with experiences and tiered reassurance that lets consumers justify a step up. The biggest threat: distant social interactions and continued decline in US births, which contracts social circles and kids-focused occasions, while intensifying the trend of fewer, but higher stakes, gifting moments.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Economic division drives merchandise by threshold and “justified premium” pricing strategies
  • Declining births altering social circles and gifting preferences
  • AI-enabled discovery and personalization
  • Micro gifting and “little luxuries” expanding frequency beyond major holidays
  • Experiences and meaning compete with material gifts

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