Holiday shopping can sneak up on us, turning a season of joy into one of unexpected expenses. But just how much of your paycheck is really going to cover Christmas gifts? And how long does it take the typical American to save up for gifts?
To get a clearer picture, we surveyed over 2,300 Christmas shoppers from around the country to find out how much they’re shelling out on gifts, how long it takes them to save up, and how that all stacks up against their income. From the states where folks splurge the most to the real financial stress of holiday spending, consider this your go-to guide on the true cost of Christmas gifts in America.
The State-by-State Timeline for Saving Up for Christmas Gifts
To understand how much of an impact Christmas gift shopping has on residents’ wallets across the U.S., we asked respondents about their annual income and estimated total holiday gift spending each year. Using these figures, we calculated each participant’s daily income and identified how many days’ earnings it would take to cover their Christmas gift expenses.
On average, Americans drop about 7.8 days’ worth of their income on holiday gifts each year, making a real dent in personal budgets. However, there’s considerable variation across states.
For example, Georgia tops the list, with residents needing nearly 15 days’ income to cover their Christmas gift budget. That’s more than two weeks of pay—or about a whole paycheck—going solely toward gift-giving.
Other states also show a significant holiday financial strain. In Missouri and Alabama, residents spend about 13.6 and 12.1 days’ worth of income respectively on holiday gifts,
which is close to half a month’s earnings for many.
At the other end of the spectrum, states like Arizona, South Dakota, and Minnesota require the least amount of time to save up (around 4-5 days of income), making holiday shopping a bit less of a financial hurdle in these areas.
What Percentage of Each State's Annual Salary Goes Toward Christmas Gift Spending?
Across the U.S., Christmas spending isn’t just a line item on a budget—it’s a significant financial commitment. On average, Americans allocate over $1,000 each year to holiday gifts, which accounts for 2.14% of their annual income. However, that percentage varies big time depending on your state.
Georgia shoppers go all out on Christmas gifts, spending more than any other state. Not only does it take them the longest to save up, but they’re also setting aside the biggest chunk of their annual income just for holiday presents. On average, Georgia residents shell out $1,711 on Christmas gifts each year—that’s a hefty 4.1% of their annual income just for holiday cheer.
Other Southern states, such as Missouri and Alabama, follow closely. In Missouri, residents spend roughly 3.7% of their annual income (about $1,515) on Christmas gifts, while Alabamans dedicate 3.3% of their income, averaging $1,346 in holiday gift spending.
Turns out, Southerners are seriously committed to holiday gifting—four of the top five states putting the largest slice of their income toward Christmas presents are in the South. Maybe it’s a mix of tradition, close-knit communities, and a culture that values generosity, but whatever the reason, the South goes all in when it comes to making the holidays special.
Closing Thoughts
This study dives into just how much Americans are willing to spend to make the holidays unforgettable, offering a state-by-state look at everything from the days it takes to save up for gifts to the percentage of income going straight into holiday cheer.
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Methodology
To collect these survey insights, we surveyed 2,343 Americans across 46 states from October 21 to 25, 2024. Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming were excluded due to a low pool of survey respondents.
We asked each respondent about their annual individual income and their estimated spending on Christmas gifts each season. Then, we calculated the percentage of annual income spent on gifts in each state by dividing the average spending by the average income. Finally, we calculated respondents’ daily income from their annual income and determined the number of days needed to save for Christmas gifts in each state, based on their total Christmas gift spending.
