Historical highlights show the change in consumer behavior and holiday shopping sales from year over year. Data may have changed due to ongoing U.S. Census Bureau revisions. The following resources contain data that was current at the time of reporting.
2023 Historical highlights
Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Sees Record Number of Shoppers
Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend Sees Record Number of Shoppers
Read more
Latest NRF Survey Shows Top Picks for Toys and Gifts for the Winter Holidays
NRF survey shows the top items consumers are shopping for throughout the season.
Read more
More People Than Ever Expected to Shop During Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
An estimated 182 million people are planning to shop Thanksgiving weekend.
Read more
2023 Holiday to Reach Record Spending Levels
Winter holidays 2023 are expected to reach record spending levels.
Read more
Consumers to Spend Nearly $900 to Celebrate the Winter Holidays
NRF survey shows those celebrating the winter holidays expect to spend $875 on average.
Read more
NRF's 2023 Holiday Retail Sales Outlook Webinar
NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz and VP, Industry and Consumer Insights Katherine Cullen discuss the Holiday forecast.
Read more
2023 holiday shopping outlook
How consumers will be spending and shopping this holiday season.
Read more
Holiday 2023 by the Numbers
Click through the interactive slideshow for data on spending and shopping plans for the 2023 holiday season.
2022 Historical highlights
Record 166.3 Million Shoppers Expected During Thanksgiving Weekend
Nearly 8 million more people than last year are expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year.
Read more
Record 196.7 Million Consumers Shop Over Thanksgiving Weekend
The total number of shoppers grew by nearly 17 million from 2021.
Read more
Record 158 Million Shoppers Expected During Super Saturday
More than 158 million plan to shop on the last Saturday before Christmas this year.
Read more
First Half of Holiday Season Shows Strong Year-Over-Year Results
November dipped from early holiday shopping in October but still saw year-over-year growth.
Read more
What to expect from consumer spending this holiday season
A look at NRF’s holiday sales forecast and how inflation is impacting consumer behavior.
Read more
2022 Holiday Sales Grew 5.3% to $936.3 Billion
2022 holiday sales grew 5.3% over 2021 to $936.3 billion, falling short of NRF's forecast, but annual sales grew 7%.
Read more
2021 Historical highlights
Thanksgiving Weekend to See More Holiday Shoppers
Nearly 2 million more people than last year are expected to shop from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday this year.
Read more
Holiday Spending Reflects Consumer Demand
Consumers plan to spend $997.73 on gifts, holiday items and other non-gift purchases this year.
Read more
3 key factors that led to a record-setting holiday season
Consumers turned out to shop despite concerns around supply chain, inflation and omicron.
Read more
Holiday Sales Grew 14.1 Percent to $886.7 Billion
Retail sales grew 14.1 percent to a record $886.7 billion, beating NRF's forecast despite inflation and the pandemic.
Read more
November Retail Sales Put Holiday Season on Track to Set New Records
Retail sales continued to grow in November, putting the 2021 holiday season on the home stretch for record spending.
Read more
148 Million Americans Plan to Shop Super Saturday
More than 148 million consumers plan to shop in-store and online on the last Saturday before Christmas this year.
Read more
Monthly Economic Review: December 2021
Now that we’re in December, the holiday shopping season is nearing the finish line.
Read more
180 Million Shop Over Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend
Nearly 180 million Americans shopped during the Thanksgiving weekend five-day holiday shopping period.
Read more
Holiday Shoppers 'Spending Because They Can'
The pandemic will be a key factor in 2021 holiday sales but NRF is confident in its forecast for record growth.
Read more
2020 Historical highlights
NRF Launches “New Holiday Traditions” Campaign
NRF is launching a nationwide consumer education campaign to encourage consumers to shop safe and shop early.
Read more
Consumers Prioritize Spending on Family, Friends Ahead of Holiday Season
As the coronavirus pandemic extends into the winter holiday season, consumers are looking to purchase gifts that bring j
Read more
Earlier Start to Holiday Shopping Season Embraced by Consumers
Earlier Start to Holiday Shopping Season Embraced by Consumers
Read more
October retail sales grew as consumers started holiday shopping early
Retail sales grew for the sixth month in a row in October, with sales significantly better than a year ago.
Read more
NRF expects holiday sales will grow between 3.6 and 5.2 percent
NRF expects holiday sales will increase to between $755.3 billion and $766.7 billion.
Read more
Holiday Shoppers Take Advantage of Early, Thanksgiving Weekend Deals
Holiday Shoppers Take Advantage of Early, Thanksgiving Weekend Deals Primary tabs
Read more
November retail sales give holiday season solid start
November retail sales dipped from the month before but still showed the sixth consecutive monthly year-over-year gain.
Read more
More than 150 Million Plan to Shop on Super Saturday
Consumers have embraced an earlier start to the holiday season.
Read more
NRF says 2020 holiday sales grew 8.3 percent despite pandemic
Retail sales during 2020’s November-December holiday season grew an unexpectedly high 8.3 percent over 2019.
Read more
2019 Historical highlights
Nearly 148 million Americans plan to shop Super Saturday
Super Saturday is the biggest shopping day of the year with an estimated 147.8 million consumers expected to partcipate.
Read more
Half of holiday shoppers have already started
Over half of consumers have already started their holiday shopping according to survey from NRF
Read more
More than 165 million people expected to shop over five-day Thanksgiving weekend
NRF expects more than 165 million people to shop Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday
Read more
Thanksgiving weekend draws nearly 190 million shoppers, spending up 16 percent
Thanksgiving weekend drew nearly 190 million shoppers according to NRF and Prosper Insights
Read more
Holiday shoppers plan to spend 4 percent more this year
Consumers plan to spend 4 percent more this year on holiday shopping
Read more
NRF forecasts holiday sales will grow between 3.8 and 4.2 percent
NRF forecasts holiday retail sales to grow between 3.8 and 4.2 percent, citing uncertainty over trade
Read more
2018 Historical highlights
Procrastinators rush to meet holiday deadline
Procrastinating shoppers rush to meet holiday deadline
Read more
Thanksgiving weekend multichannel shopping up almost 40 percent over last year
Multichanell shopping during Thanksgiving weekend was up 40 percent over last year.
Read more
Holiday Special: Thanksgiving weekend and beyond
Episode 89 of Retail Gets Real: Retail saw a strong start to the holiday season.
Read more
5 things to know about discounts this holiday season
5 retail sales and promotions trends leading up to Thanksgiving weekend.
Read more
Young adults most likely to spend more this holiday season
Most consumers plan to spend the same as last year according to a survey from NRF.
Read more
More than 164 million consumers plan to shop over Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday
Black Friday will remain busiest shopping day of the weekend.
Read more
Consumers will spend 4.1 percent more than last year during winter holidays
Consumers will spend $1,007.24 during the 2018 holiday season.
Read more
2017 Historical highlights
Procrastination nation: holiday shoppers rushing to meet deadline
126 million consumers to shop on Super Saturday
Read more
Consumers and retailers win big over Thanksgiving holiday
Thanksgiving weekend, including Cyber Monday, attracted more than 174 million shopping both online and in-store.
Read more
Almost half of younger consumers plan to spend more during the holidays
In a new question this year, the survey found that 38 percent of consumers plan to donate money to a charity or cause.
Read more
More than 164 million consumers plan to shop over Thanksgiving weekend and Cyber Monday
Black Friday will remain busiest shopping day of the weekend.
Read more
NRF forecasts holiday sales to increase between 3.6 and 4 percent
Holiday sales to reach between $678 - $682 billion
Read more
2016 Historical highlights
156 million Americans plan to shop on Super Saturday
156 Million Americans are Shopping on Super Saturday
Read more
Retailers made Black Friday irresistible for consumers with great deals, online and in-store
More than 154 million consumers shopped over Thanksgiving weekend.
Read more
More than 122M consumers plan to shop online on Cyber Monday
Cyber Monday shoppers ready for deals
Read more
More than half of consumers have already started holiday shopping
Shoppers eager to take advantage of early promotions from retailers.
Read more
137.4M consumers plan to shop Thanksgiving weekend
Black Friday will remain busiest shopping day of the weekend.
Read more
Retailers to prepare for post-election holiday shopping
Consumers put themselves at the top of shopping lists.
Read more
NRF forecasts holiday sales to increase 3.6 percent
Holiday sales to reach $655.8 billion.
Read more