5 min read · updated October 20, 2026
How much should you spend on Christmas gifts per person?
What Americans plan to spend on gifts in 2026, and a simple way to set your own budget per person, with a worked example for 13 people.
There is no right number. A good budget per person is the one you can pay in full by January, with no new debt. But it helps to know what other people spend, so let's start there.
What other people spend
Three big surveys give a sense of the "normal" range:
- PwC, September 2026: people expect to spend about $708 on gifts this season. Homes with kids plan $875. Homes without kids plan $635 (PwC Holiday Outlook 2026).
- Deloitte, October 2026: households plan about $988 on gifts and other goods, out of $1,654 for the whole season (HomePage News on the Deloitte survey).
- NRF, October 2025: $890 per person last season. About $628 went to gifts and $263 to food, decorations and cards (NRF forecast via CPA Practice Advisor).
So the typical gift total sits between about $600 and $1,000. None of these numbers is a goal. They are a check. If your plan is far above them, ask why. If it is below, that is fine.
Step 1: Pick one total you can pay by January
Start with your money, not your list. Two quick questions:
- How much is already set aside for Christmas?
- How much can you add each week until December 24, without missing a bill?
Already saved: $150. You can add $50 a week. From October 20 to December 24 is 9 weeks.
$150 + (9 × $50) = $600 for the whole of Christmas.
That $600 is the line. Everything below has to fit inside it.
Step 2: Take out the rest of Christmas first
Gifts are not the only cost. Food, decorations, cards, wrapping paper and shipping add up. In the NRF numbers, they were about 30% of the total. Take them out first, so they don't eat the gift money in December.
Food and dinner: $120. Decorations: $25. Cards and stamps: $15. Wrapping and tape: $10. Shipping: $10.
$600 − $180 = $420 left for gifts.
Step 3: Put your people in three groups
Most people don't spend the same on everyone, and that's normal. A simple way is to give each group a weight:
| Group | Who | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Closest | Partner, your kids | 3 |
| Family and close friends | Parents, siblings, best friends | 2 |
| Everyone else | Coworkers, teachers, neighbors | 1 |
Count the "shares": each person in the closest group is 3 shares, family is 2, everyone else is 1. Then divide the gift money by the shares.
2 closest (2 × 3 = 6 shares), 5 family (5 × 2 = 10 shares), 6 others (6 × 1 = 6 shares). Total: 22 shares.
$420 ÷ 22 = $19.09 per share.
| Group | People | Per person | Group total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closest | 2 | $57 | $114 |
| Family and close friends | 5 | $38 | $190 |
| Everyone else | 6 | $19 | $114 |
| Total | 13 | $418 |
There is $2 left over. Keep it for the gift you forgot.
Why shares, and not a price for each person
A fixed list like "$50 for parents, $20 for coworkers" looks simple, but it breaks in December. Add three coworkers at $20 and the total grows by $60 without you noticing. With shares, the total never moves. Add a person, count the shares again, and every budget gets a little smaller on its own. The money decides the gifts, not the other way around.
Step 4: Write the number next to each name, then track
A budget works when you see it while you shop. Next to each name, write the budget, the gift and what you paid. When a gift costs more than planned, take it from someone in the same group, not from the food money.
Three habits keep it on track:
- Write down the gift before you buy it. Ideas are free. Buying twice is not.
- Count shipping and wrapping. They are small on each gift and big in total.
- Check the total once a week. In December, weeks go fast.
Ways to spend less without looking cheap
- Secret Santa for big groups. One $25 gift each instead of eight $10 gifts.
- One family gift for a couple or a household, instead of one per person.
- Start early. Shopping in October and November leaves time to wait for a sale.
- A note with the gift. People remember what you wrote longer than what it cost.
Common questions
Is $50 per person a lot? It depends on how many people are on your list. For 13 people, $50 each is $650 in gifts alone, more than the PwC average. For 5 people, it is $250.
Should I spend the same on all my kids? Many parents keep the totals equal, not the number of gifts. Give each child the same budget and let the gifts vary.
What if I am already over? Move people between groups, set a Secret Santa, or swap a gift for something you make or do. Don't fix it with a card you can't pay off in January.
Do it in a sheet
Our free budget calculator shows how much of your monthly pay can go to wants like Christmas. The Christmas Budget & Gift Tracker does this whole guide for you: a budget for each person, food and the rest of Christmas, what you spent, what is left and the days to go. Each person turns red when you go over.
Example numbers. This guide is not tax, legal, accounting or financial advice.