expected Valentine's Day spending
U.S. shoppers planned a record total for Valentine's Day in 2026.
National Retail Federation, January 27, 2026A reference for thoughtful giving
U.S. Gift-Giving Statistics
Current spending and celebration figures for the occasions people use to show up for one another. Updated October 12, 2026.
At a glance
Gift giving remains part of how people mark the moments that matter.
From Valentine's Day to graduation, major gifting occasions continue to draw substantial planned spending. The figures below use the latest available U.S. consumer survey data from the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.
These numbers are planned spending, not final retail sales. They show what shoppers said they expected to spend before each occasion.
2025 and 2026 data
13 gift-giving statistics to know
average Valentine's Day spend
Average planned spending per person for Valentine's Day in 2026.
National Retail Federation, January 27, 2026planning to celebrate Valentine's Day
Share of consumers who said they planned to celebrate in 2026.
National Retail Federation, January 27, 2026expected Mother's Day spending
U.S. consumers planned a record total for Mother's Day in 2026.
National Retail Federation, April 21, 2026planning to celebrate Mother's Day
Share of U.S. adults who said they planned to celebrate in 2026.
National Retail Federation, April 21, 2026average Mother's Day spend
Average planned spending per person for Mother's Day in 2026.
National Retail Federation, April 21, 2026expected Father's Day spending
U.S. consumers planned a record total for Father's Day in 2026.
National Retail Federation, June 10, 2026average Father's Day spend
Average planned spending per person for Father's Day in 2026.
National Retail Federation, June 10, 2026expected graduation gift spending
Total planned U.S. spending on high school and college graduation gifts in 2026.
National Retail Federation, 2026 graduation survey dataexpected Halloween spending
U.S. consumers planned to spend this much on Halloween in 2026.
National Retail Federation, September 22, 2026average Halloween spend
Average planned spending per person for Halloween in 2026.
National Retail Federation, September 22, 2026planning to celebrate Halloween
Share of consumers who said they planned to celebrate Halloween in 2026.
National Retail Federation, September 22, 2026average winter holiday budget
Average planned per-person spending on 2025 holiday gifts, food, decorations, and seasonal items.
National Retail Federation, October 16, 2025Four major occasions
Planned spending across the year's biggest gift moments.
Mother's Day led the four 2026 occasions below in both total expected spending and average planned spend per person.
Valentine's Day
Expected total spending and average planned spend per person in 2026.
- Total planned spending
- $29.1B
- Per-person average
- $199.78
Mother's Day
Expected total spending and average planned spend per person in 2026.
- Total planned spending
- $38B
- Per-person average
- $284.25
Father's Day
Expected total spending and average planned spend per person in 2026.
- Total planned spending
- $27.9B
- Per-person average
- $226.58
Halloween
Expected total spending and average planned spend per person in 2026.
- Total planned spending
- $13.5B
- Per-person average
- $115.14
What the numbers suggest
Personal milestones create room for a gift that feels chosen.
Spending is not limited to the winter holidays. Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and graduation all draw distinct budgets and distinct reasons to celebrate. The occasion sets the tone, but the personal details are what make a gift memorable.
For a handmade surprise shaped around the person receiving it, explore custom gift boxes or browse the current shop collection.
Methodology and sources
How to read this page
This page compiles published consumer survey figures for major U.S. gift-giving occasions. Every statistic links to its original source, and each source names its publication date or survey year. The page is reviewed regularly so dated figures can be replaced while links to each statistic stay stable.
- National Retail Federation, January 27, 2026
- National Retail Federation, April 21, 2026
- National Retail Federation, June 10, 2026
- National Retail Federation, 2026 graduation survey data
- National Retail Federation, September 22, 2026
- National Retail Federation, October 16, 2025
Cite this page
Moonlight Spur and Mercy. "U.S. Gift-Giving Statistics." Updated October 12, 2026. https://moonlightspurandmercy.com/gift-giving-statistics