The Surprising Amount Of Money Americans Spend On Holiday Decorations Each Year

Can you really put a price on holiday cheer? Whether or not you truly can, there's at least some part of the holiday spirit that comes down to dollars and cents, and plenty of both get spent on holiday decorations each year. Whether you're aiming to light up your entire house in old-fashioned family Christmas style a la Clark Griswold, or you just want to spruce up your vaguely festive, non-religious hall table of general wintertime cuteness, those holiday decor costs tend to add up.  

Holiday decor shopping season is a year-round sport for some, and for the rest of us comes when we've picked the last of the Halloween candy (or even Thanksgiving turkey, for the Johnny-shop-latelys) from our teeth. Some scowl at the idea of "the Christmas creep" freezing earlier into the edges of summer every year. Regardless of when the holiday decor shopping season truly starts, generally, once the scent of pine is in the air, it's also in a seasonally-themed candle from Trader Joe's — and practically every other retailer in the country.

Seasonal decor makes a big business from the smallest of elves on the shelves to the most majestic of menorahs. Holiday shopping options are offered up every year by Target and Walmart, Costco and Sam's Club, and every other shingle willing to get in on the jingle horse game. If Americans spend billions on Halloween decor every year, could the amount spent on winter holiday shinies be similar — or even spookier?

In 2023, The National Retail Federation (or NRF, a major retail trade association) reported that the average American spends around $875 celebrating winter holidays, with about $255 budgeted for decor, candy, and food. The data, taken from a consumer survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, speaks to a five-year hold-steady pattern of such spending, with NRF's 2024 projection for per-person holiday spending climbing to $902 per person, and $261 as the new ceiling for decor spending.

Dataset portal Statista also conducted a controlled survey of a smaller set of holiday shoppers, and found that 42% of survey respondents planned to spend more than $150 on Christmas decorations alone in 2024. In a 2023 survey report and analysis, real estate company Rocket Homes found that the average American spends $269 on holiday decor each year, with 43% of respondents spending just around $100 per year, and 15% spending more than $500. Rocket Homes also found a correlation between income levels and holiday decor spending. Those with more cash coming in tend to spend around $384 each year on decor. Meanwhile, those within lower income ranges tend to keep a slightly tighter budget on visions of sugar plums, spending around $216 on yearly holiday decor.

While holiday decor spend per person may vary, taken in the aggregate, the number is more dazzling than Clark Griswold's mansion covered in white string lights. NRF projects total American holiday spending to grow $989 billion overall in 2024.

There are almost endless ceramic houses to add to Christmas villages each year (even featuring The Grinch), brighter lights to install, more beautiful fabrics, more ceremonial candleholders (or cutesy ones), or fresher sets of dinnerware to spruce up the holiday table. While the desire to create a lovely home at the holidays is pure, the compulsion to keep spending to do so may have you in debt after the holidays if you're not careful about budgeting before.

Holidays pack a complicated emotional punch, and can lead to some highly emotional shopping. Keep this in mind to keep your holiday budget reality in check. Also, make your holiday decorating urge into an activity. Carve out a little time for yourself to get the tiniest bit creative, or to get together with a loved one (or even a coworker) to create a decoration together.

Making a winter cabin from pretzel rods and cake frosting is a fun and frugal way to make a tasty holiday centerpiece. Ten foot LED reindeer may be in the holiday decor budget for next year, but this year, why not try a great day for hitting the thrift store to find old forest and deer scenes you can spruce up with some real holiday magic: glitter. Making decorating into an activity rather than a shopping spree might help you feel more festive, and help save you a little cash while chasing that elusive holiday high.