U.S. parents surveyed by CouponBirds expected to spend an average of $521 per child on Christmas gifts in 2025, up from $461 in the publisher’s 2024 survey. That is a 13% year-over-year increase in planned spending—not a record verified across a longer historical series, and not a measure of what families ultimately spent.
What the 2025 survey found
CouponBirds says it surveyed 2,500 American parents in November 2025, allocating 50 respondents to each state. The reported $521 is the average amount respondents expected to spend per child on Christmas gifts. The report does not describe this as actual spending, and it does not provide an inflation adjustment.
The publisher’s November 2024 survey also covered 2,500 American parents, with 50 respondents per state. It reported an average expected budget of $461 per child. The comparison is therefore a year-over-year change in CouponBirds’ reported survey estimates:
| Measure | 2024 report | 2025 report |
|---|---|---|
| Average expected Christmas gift spending per child | $461 | $521 |
| Parents expecting to go into debt for gifts | 49% | 58% |
| Parents planning to use buy now, pay later | 21% | 43% |
Source for all figures: CouponBirds’ 2025 Christmas Spending Report and 2024 holiday spending report. These are the figures reported by the publisher, not independently audited estimates.
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Does $521 establish a new all-time high?
No. The available CouponBirds reports establish that its 2025 estimate is higher than its 2024 estimate. They do not provide a longer, comparable historical series that would verify an all-time high. “New high” is best understood here as a year-over-year high in the reports cited, not a proven record across all years.
The report pages also do not give the survey question wording, respondent recruitment method, response rate, weighting, or statistical uncertainty. A sample allocation of 50 respondents per state does not, by itself, show that the results represent all U.S. parents. These limits matter when interpreting both the national estimate and state comparisons.
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How parents planned to spend—and the financial pressure they reported
Gift choices and spending tiers
In the 2025 report, 66% of respondents planned traditional physical gifts, 29% planned experiences, and 5% were undecided. The spending distribution included 30% expecting to spend $500–$749 per child, 15% expecting $750–$999, and 12% expecting at least $1,000.
Debt, buy now, pay later, savings, and tariffs
- 58% said they expected to go into debt to buy Christmas gifts, up from 49% in the 2024 report.
- 43% planned to use buy now, pay later (BNPL), compared with 21% in 2024.
- 54% said they had not saved specifically for Christmas expenses.
- 63% said tariffs had negatively affected their ability to give their children the Christmas they would like.
These are respondents’ reported expectations and views; they do not establish how much debt families ultimately took on or how tariffs changed individual households’ costs.
State estimates are not precise local benchmarks
CouponBirds reported some of the highest state averages in New York ($732 per child), New Jersey ($728), and Texas ($722). Some of the lowest were South Dakota ($266), West Virginia ($269), and Nebraska ($279). The publisher also said Mississippi, Iowa, and Vermont were among the states reporting declines.
These state figures are estimates from the report, not guaranteed budgets for families in those states. The page does not disclose state-level weighting or uncertainty, so small differences between states should not be treated as precise rankings.
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How to use the average when setting your own gift budget
The survey average is context, not a recommended spending target. A useful limit comes from what your household can afford after necessities and obligations—not from matching a national figure or taking on credit to reach it.
- Choose a total holiday limit first. Set an amount that fits your available cash after regular bills, essential expenses, and planned savings.
- Divide it across the people and costs you plan to cover. Gifts are only one possible holiday expense; include any other seasonal costs you intend to pay from the same pool.
- Track purchases against the limit. A free spreadsheet or a simple gift spending tracker can show the amount spent and remaining without requiring a paid planner.
- Do not treat BNPL or a credit limit as extra budget. Borrowing can move a cost into the new year rather than make it affordable. Before using a payment plan, make sure you understand its due dates, fees, and consequences of missed payments.
For people already carrying holiday debt, KTNV quoted Thomas Nitzsche, identified as a Money Management International financial educator, recommending that borrowers list creditors and interest rates after the bills arrive in January. That is a way to see what is owed and prioritize repayment; it is not part of the CouponBirds survey. KTNV’s holiday debt advice.
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