People start Christmas shopping at various times, with many beginning in October and November to get ahead of the crowds and take advantage of sales. Some begin even earlier, in August or September, while others wait for major sales events like Black Friday or shop in the weeks right before Christmas.
- Nearly half of Americans: are planning to shop for gifts early this year, with recent polls showing this number around 48% to 54%.
- To spread out their budget and avoid stress: are the top reasons for shopping early.
- Some shoppers start as early as September.
- Even with early starts, the majority of shoppers still expect to finish their shopping in December.
Early and mid-season shopping
- September to October: Some shoppers start early to spread out costs and get ahead of the rush. They may begin by creating lists, setting up gift funds, or buying gifts for close friends and family.
- November: This is a very popular time to start, with many beginning shopping before or just after Thanksgiving. A significant portion of shoppers will have started by the end of November.
- Black Friday and Cyber Monday: Many people use these major sales events in late November to do a large part of their shopping.
Last-minute shopping
- December: Some shoppers wait until December to begin, or to finish up their purchases.
- Christmas Eve: A small percentage of people leave their shopping until the very last minute, on Christmas Eve.
