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With Thanksgiving now in the rearview, the winter holidays are quickly taking center stage. CivicScience’s ongoing holiday tracking shows that as of the end of last week, 35% of holiday shoppers have completed at least half of their gift buying – a three-point increase from the previous week, likely boosted by Black Friday sales.
As more shoppers finalize their holiday purchases, brands and advertisers still have an opportunity to reach those who remain in the decision-making process. Here are three key insights to know this week about the holiday season and how to effectively engage shoppers as they decide which gifts to buy:
1. Roughly 1 in 5 Holiday Shoppers Begin Gift Buying in December
Although many shoppers have already made a dent in their holiday lists, about 20% of holiday shoppers report that they typically wait until December to start buying gifts. This group represents a distinct segment of consumers with notable differences in behavior and sentiment from those who began before December:
- Demographics: Men, consumers aged 65+, and non-parents skew more toward starting their gift-buying in December
- Shopping Preferences: 7 points more likely to shop in-store only, and they tend to compare prices less frequently than those who start shopping before December
- Gift Choices: Nearly 10 points more likely to report buying clothing/apparel as holiday gifts
- Holiday Outlook: 1 in 3 are looking forward to holidays ‘less’ than usual
- Intended Gift Spending: Nine points more likely to plan on spending ‘less’ on gifts than last year (though the majority are spending the same amount or more)
- Purchasing Influences: More influenced by recommendations/reviews, least swayed by social media ads
- Ad Relevance: Over 2X as likely to say they find the most relevant ads on entertainment/streaming sites
2. Giving Tuesday Intent Reaches a New High
With 2025 being a year of uncertainty – and the recent government shutdown affecting many families’ grocery budgets, including Thanksgiving – new CivicScience data reveals rising intent to donate to charities ahead of Giving Tuesday (December 2). Fifty-seven percent of U.S. adults say they are either ‘very’ (20%) or ‘somewhat’ (37%) likely to donate to a charity on Giving Tuesday, excluding those who responded ‘I’m not sure.’ This marks a seven-point increase from 2024 and the highest intent YTD.
Gen Z adults (18-29) and middle-income households (earning $50K–$100K) show the strongest intent to participate. Additional data reveal that those planning to spend more on holiday gifts this year are the most likely to donate on Giving Tuesday; however, even among those cutting back on gift spending, more than half still say they plan to partake this year.
3. Mall Promotional Events May Bring a Wide Range of Holiday Shoppers In-Store This Year
Even as tools like ChatGPT and social media continue to drive more shopping online, interest in in-person mall promotional events is on the rise. Thirty-five percent of U.S. adults say they are at least ‘somewhat’ interested in attending a holiday mall event this year, such as pop-up shops, holiday markets, or sales events – a four-point increase from 2024.
While these events typically take place at department stores and chain retailers, CivicScience data show that consumers who plan to do most of their holiday gift spending at discount stores express the strongest interest in mall promotions. This suggests that value-oriented shoppers remain particularly open to in-person mall experiences, likely those tied to compelling deals or offers. Conversely, small business holiday shoppers are the least likely to say they’re interested in attending these types of events.
With the December holidays quickly approaching, CivicScience will continue to highlight three key trends each week that brands, media companies, and advertisers should watch as we head into 2026. Stay tuned for next week’s update.
