The holiday season is in full swing and that means it’s shopping season, too. According to a new survey from the National Retail Federation, a record 183.4-million people in the U.S. are expected to shop during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. With all that shopping, spending in November and December is predicted to total more than $979.5-billion.
- The survey finds that the most popular gift categories include clothing (54%), gift cards (44%), toys (36%), books, video games and other media (31%) and candy/food (30%).
- For gift ideas, shoppers turn to the Internet most often (44%), as well as friends and family (36%) and wish lists (26%).
- While buying presents for loved ones, many people will also embrace the spirit of giving back, as 66% plan to do at least one charitable thing this season, like donating money or items.
- Gift cards continue to be one of the most popular holiday presents, with spending on them expected to reach $28.6-billion this year.
- Restaurants are the top gift card category (30%), followed by department stores (25%), bank-issued cards, like Visa (25%) and coffee shops (22%).
The Top Toys for the 2024 Holidays
For Boys:
- Legos
- Hot Wheels
- Cars
- Video Games
- PlayStation
- Remote Controlled cars
- Video Game Consoles
- Nerf
- Spider-Man
- Trucks
For Girls:
- Barbie
- Dolls
- Legos
- Makeup/beauty
- Disney items
- Baby dolls
- Barbie Dreamhouse
- Clothes
- Electronics
- Squishmallows
Source: National Retail Federation
photo: GETTY
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