This is just a sneak peek at the thousands of consumer insights available to CivicScience clients. Discover more data.
Although the 2024 holiday season has officially ended, its influence carries into 2025 as consumers turn their attention to redeeming gift cards. These practical gifts go beyond convenience, offering a unique glimpse into post-holiday shopping patterns. From splurging on wish-list items to stretching their value on daily essentials, gift card usage sheds light on spending habits as the new year begins.
New CivicScience data show that 55% of U.S. adults who celebrated the 2024 holidays received a gift card, with 25% receiving multiple gift cards and 30% receiving only one. This is down slightly from the 2023 holiday season, when 58% received at least one gift card.
Gen Z and Millennials led among card recipients, with these demographics more likely to have received gift cards in 2024 than in 2023. Whereas fewer Gen X and Baby Boomers received a gift card during the recent holiday season compared to the previous year. That said, the percentage who received ‘multiple’ gift cards has fallen across all age groups, as most respondents were more likely to receive just ‘one’ gift card in 2024.
Answer our Poll: Do you like getting gift cards as a gift?
Top Spending Categories: Essentials and Clothing
Among the many outlets for spending holiday gift cards, essentials, such as gas and groceries, once again take the top spot. Thirty-eight percent plan to spend their gift cards on essentials, up from 36% last year. Clothing/apparel/jewelry is also a popular spending category at 33%, up four percentage points from the 2023 holidays.
Conversely, gift card recipients have grown less inclined to use their cards on experiences, which saw an eight-point decrease from 2023. This could be the result of people already receiving experience-related gifts this holiday season. Beauty and toy categories also took slight hits from last year.
Fewer Americans Are Sitting on Gift Cards
While many quickly spend their gift cards, a notable portion let them go unused or even forget about them entirely. Recent CivicScience data reveal that 40% of respondents have at least a few unspent gift cards sitting around (among those who typically buy/receive gift cards). Another 21% say they haven’t used their gift cards yet but have imminent plans to use them. However, the percentage of those who aren’t sitting on gift cards at all has gone up since 2023 – 39% aren’t sitting on any compared to 35% who said the same in 2023.
Join the Conversation: When you get a gift card, do you usually spend it right away or wait awhile?
Gift cards continue to play a significant role in shaping consumer spending trends well beyond the holiday season. Whether they’re being used to cover essentials, splurge on apparel, or save for a future purchase, they offer a valuable lens into how shoppers prioritize their needs and wants. The rising focus on essentials reflects ongoing economic pressures, while the steady interest in categories like clothing highlights the enduring appeal of treating oneself. At the same time, the decline in unused gift cards suggests consumers are becoming more mindful of maximizing these practical presents. As we move further into 2025, gift card redemption will be a key metric to monitor for retailers and brands.
