One category of gifts is surging dramatically ahead of holiday shopping this year, driven largely by middle-income households.
In a survey of 4,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Deloitte in August and September, 50% said they plan to shop for experience-based gifts such as a meal or gift card for a restaurant, tickets to an event, or subscription services. This type of gift has increased steadily in recent years, up from 47% in 2025 and 39% in 2024.
“A lot of times when people think of the holidays, they just think of the physical gift, but consumers are putting their spend toward a broader set of spending categories,” Brian McCarthy, a principal in Deloitte’s strategy and analytics practice, told ADWEEK.
