U.S. Gift-Giving Statistics

Gift shopping is not one single season. It is a series of little occasions, big holidays, and very specific moments when someone decides a practical delight would be exactly right.

This page gathers the latest public U.S. data on major gift occasions and online shopping. Every number links to its original source and carries the date it was published. Last updated September 28, 2026.

$38B

Mother’s Day spending

Expected U.S. spending in 2026. National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day Spending Expected to Hit Record $38 Billion, April 21, 2026

$29.1B

Valentine’s Day spending

Expected U.S. spending in 2026. National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day data, January 27, 2026

$27.9B

Father’s Day spending

Expected U.S. spending in 2026. National Retail Federation, Father’s Day Spending to Hit Record $27.9 Billion, June 10, 2026

$340.2B

Quarterly online retail sales

U.S. retail e-commerce sales in Q2 2026. U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, August 18, 2026

Major U.S. gift occasions

These figures describe separate occasions. They should not be added together, because the same shopper can take part in more than one.

Occasion	What the latest data says	Source
Valentine’s Day	Consumers are expected to spend $29.1 billion in 2026, or $199.78 on average.	National Retail Federation, Valentine’s Day data, January 27, 2026
Easter	Consumers are expected to spend $24.9 billion in 2026. Shoppers budgeted $195.59 per person, and 64% planned to buy gifts.	National Retail Federation, Easter Spending Expected to Reach a Record $24.9 Billion, March 24, 2026
Mother’s Day	Consumers are expected to spend $38 billion in 2026, or $284.25 per person. Forty-eight percent said a unique or different gift matters most.	National Retail Federation, Mother’s Day Spending Expected to Hit Record $38 Billion, April 21, 2026
Father’s Day	Consumers are expected to spend $27.9 billion in 2026. Seventy-seven percent planned to celebrate, while 44% said a unique or different gift matters most.	National Retail Federation, Father’s Day Spending to Hit Record $27.9 Billion, June 10, 2026
Halloween	Consumers are expected to spend $13.5 billion in 2026, with $115.14 expected per person.	National Retail Federation, Halloween spending survey, September 22, 2026
Winter holidays	In 2025, 91% of consumers planned to celebrate and budgeted $890.49 on average for gifts, food, decorations, and other seasonal items.	National Retail Federation, Winter Holiday Data and Trends, October 16, 2025

Online shopping context

U.S. retail e-commerce sales reached $340.2 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 12.2% from the same quarter in 2025. Online sales accounted for 17.1% of total retail sales in that quarter, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

For Father’s Day, online was the most popular planned shopping destination in 2026 at 38%, narrowly ahead of department stores at 37%. That does not make every gift an internet purchase, but it does underline how often gift ideas begin on a screen.

Cite this page

Happy Old Man Co. “U.S. Gift-Giving Statistics for 2026.” Updated September 28, 2026. https://happyoldmanco.com/gift-giving-statistics

Sources and notes

Primary sources are linked below. The National Retail Federation’s seasonal surveys are conducted with Prosper Insights & Analytics; each linked release gives its own survey timing and methodology.

Looking for a small, playful gift with an actual job to do? Browse the current collection or start with our guide to funny gifts for adults.