Holiday spending might look a little different this year

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1. 49m ago

   Holiday shoppers spend more on gifts while trimming travel and basics

   US holiday spending is taking a more selective shape this year, with consumers buying physical gifts while delaying or canceling some travel and cutting spending on necessities. Visa expects holiday retail sales to grow 4.5%, the fastest pace since 2021, even as shoppers wait for deals and show caution about costs. Travel remains the top item on wish lists, but higher prices are pushing some households to postpone trips. The split suggests a holiday season defined by selective splurges paired with tighter budgets elsewhere.

   Why it matters

   Visa's forecast points to stronger retail sales at the same time that surveys describe pressure on household budgets. The tension matters because headline spending growth can hide a shift in what shoppers buy, from travel and everyday necessities toward gifts and discounted purchases. The Washington Post frames the season as different from previous years, while The Harris Poll and other surveys identify which purchases shoppers are protecting or reducing.

   What is confirmed

   • Visa expects US holiday retail sales to grow 4.5%, the fastest pace since 2021.
   • More than one-third of shoppers are canceling or delaying holiday travel because of higher costs during the busiest travel days of the year.
   • Consumers are spending on physical gifts even as travel tops wish lists, according to a Visa survey.
   • Many Americans plan to reduce spending on necessities this holiday season, according to a survey reported by Yahoo.
   • Holiday shoppers are waiting for deals and shopping cautiously this season as financial worries weigh on them.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The Washington Post reports that holiday spending might look a little different this year, without specifying how spending patterns will change.
   • The Harris Poll's Holiday Edit identifies what shoppers will not cut, but the supplied material does not list the specific items.
   • Tinuiti's 2026 holiday shopping statistics are based on 1,000 US gift buyers, but the supplied excerpt does not provide the survey's detailed results.

   What to watch next

   • Additional holiday sales data showing whether Visa's 4.5% forecast holds through the end of the season.
   • Evidence of whether travel cancellations and delays translate into measurable cuts in holiday travel spending.
   • Retailers' holiday sales results and discounting levels, which would show whether shoppers waiting for deals are buying more or simply spending less.
   Sources used for this update (16)

   1. www.click2houston.com — Click2Houston | Houston News, Texas News, Weather, Sports | KPRC ...
   2. shopping.yahoo.com — Prime Day deals are still available today: Here's what to buy and what to skip
   3. www.news5cleveland.com — Protesters fill the streets in France over cost of living and school funding
   4. www.consumeraffairs.com — DoorDash is buying Instacart for $17 billion — will grocery delivery get cheaper?
   5. CNBC — Consumers are spending on physical gifts even as travel tops wish lists, Visa survey finds
   6. Yahoo Finance — Visa sees US holiday retail sales growing 4.5%, fastest pace since 2021
   7. The Washington Post — Holiday spending might look a little different this year
   8. nationaljeweler.com — What Retailers Should Know About Holiday Shoppers This Year
   9. Fast Company — What holiday shopping might look like this season
   10. Yahoo — Many Americans plan to reduce spending on necessities this holiday season, survey finds
   11. The Harris Poll — The Holiday Edit: What Shoppers Won’t Cut
   12. hermoney.com — Here’s How Much of Your Income You Should Really Be Spending on the Holidays
   confidence 78%