Updated 13 November 2025
Key takeaways:
- For Gen Z, Black Friday is a big occasion, with 13% spending months preparing and 26% spending at least half their monthly salary during the annual sales.
- Likewise, 31% will spend over $300 on gifts this holiday season, with 33% dipping into their savings, 35% skipping social gatherings, and 36% missing bill payments to cover the costs.
- But Gen Zers expect something in return, and the price tag matters, with 57% checking the value of the gifts they receive, and 46% admitting they keep track of gift balance at least sometimes.
- What do young people want most this festive season? Gen Z’s trending gifts include having their bills paid (49%), a trip away (24%), or a cash bonus (78%).
Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Hanukkah, Christmas… There’s no shortage of holidays coming up. It’s the season of giving, and therefore the season of spending.
But with costs rising and budgets stretched, will Gen Z still be reaching into their pockets this year?
EduBirdie surveyed 2,000 Gen Zers on their Black Friday plans, festive budgets, and holiday shopping trends.
Many Gen Zers have been counting down the days… but not to Thanksgiving or Christmas. Instead, 13% admit they’ve spent months preparing their spreadsheets and setting up price alerts in preparation for Black Friday.
While most manage to keep their spending in check, only buying necessities (47%) or shopping as normal (28%), 12% confess that FOMO gets the best of them, enticing them to snap up deals whether they need them or not.
While 57% are limiting themselves to a few small Black Friday gifts, not all are holding back. Some 18% say they will spend half their monthly salary, while 8% have set aside a month’s worth of income or more.
Some 46% insist they’ve set a spending limit. But setting a budget is one thing; sticking to it is another. Each year, holiday shopping data shows that we tend to go overboard when prices start to drop.
To keep temptation in check, 16% say they empty their bank accounts, 7% delete shopping apps, and 6% surrender their smartphones. And for good reason. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are only the beginning of the spending season.
The cost of living may be making many rethink their non-essential spending, but gifts are one expense Gen Z isn’t willing to cut back on.
When it comes to giving gifts, over $100 is the norm for Gen Z, while 31% intend to spend over $300, and 12% have set aside more than $500 for Christmas gifts in 2025.
What drives Gen Z to overspend during the holiday season? Unwilling to play Scrooge, 34% admit they’ve overspent on gifts to make a good impression.
That isn’t Santa’s sleigh bells you can hear. It’s the jingling of loose change in Gen Z’s pockets as they head to the stores. Determined to treat their loved ones this festive season, 33% admit they’ll dip into their savings, 18% plan to charge it to a credit card, and 5% intend to borrow to make ends meet.
The holidays are for spending time with loved ones, but the pressure to gift can get in the way. This year, 35% of Gen Zers admit they’ll skip social gatherings, with the financial strain having sapped their Christmas spirit.
However, some will go to extreme lengths to join in the festivities, with 36% admitting they’ve missed bill payments to splurge during the holidays.
But debt isn’t just for Christmas, and your creditors are unlikely to share your festive spirit.
If funds are tight, there’s always regifting – something 52% of Gen Zers admit to. Let’s be real: we all have a collection of ugly sweaters, questionable fragrances, and random gadgets we haven’t looked at since unwrapping them.
Santa doesn’t always slay. Some 65% of Gen Zers have received a gift that didn’t match their vibe.
If you’re looking for holiday gift ideas for Gen Z, you should definitely avoid socks (33%), books (21%), and subscriptions (13%).
If you really want to stamp a hallmark on their holidays, here are the most popular gifts among Gen Z: 49% say having their bills covered for a month would make them happiest and 24% want to take a trip. But if that’s out of your budget, 12% would appreciate a gadget, jewelry, or designer gift.
And if you get it wrong? You might find yourself standing alone under the mistletoe, with 16% of Gen Zers admitting they would break up with a partner if they received a cheap or bad gift.
With 64% of Gen Zers exchanging gifts at work, Secret Santa is alive and well – but 8% admit they hate the tradition, and 30% are only willing to spend on colleagues they actually like.
Giving workplace gifts? Ehh. Getting them? Yes, please. Some 70% of Gen Zers insist they appreciate holiday gifts from their employer, but 16% would much prefer cash – and skip the wrapping.
Bosses, if you’re busy searching online for popular Christmas gifts this year, we’ve got you. What Gen Z really wants under the office tree is a cash bonus (78%) and a few extra days of paid vacation (56%).
It’s the thought that counts, but Gen Z can’t hide its curiosity: 57% admit they look up the value of the gifts they receive, with 18% always checking just how much Santa splurged.
Gift-giving is about treating others and showing we care… but it’s also nice to break even. Some 46% of Gen Zers admit they keep score on the monetary value of gifts, ensuring their kindness isn’t leaving them too far in the red.
Who can Gen Z rely on for a high-value gift? Some 38% say it’s their partner and 37% from family, while 18% avoid disappointment by treating themselves.
All in all, Gen Z is a generous bunch. They like to give, treating themselves and their loved ones, even when their bank balance is running low. But they also like to get, and they know exactly what they want: cash to live, time to enjoy, and experiences to remember.
