Christmas may look a little different this year, but college students are still buying gifts for the people they care about — highlighting that Gen Z’s spending power shouldn’t be overlooked.
A new college survey of 950 undergraduates finds that a majority (56%) of those who will buy Christmas presents this year expect to spend more than $100, while almost one-quarter (23%) expect to spend more than $200.
Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) college students say they either aren’t celebrating Christmas or aren’t buying any presents this year. But among those who are Christmas shopping, a majority will buy gifts for a parent (67%) and/or sibling (59%). Almost half (46%) will buy gifts for a friend, while nearly one-quarter (23%) plan to shop for themselves. Fewer students will shop for a grandparent (15%), and 3% will buy presents for their own children.
However, male and female students approach Christmas shopping differently. Male students are twice as likely as female students to say they aren’t buying any presents (18% vs. 9%) and less likely to buy presents for a parent (62% vs. 72%).
Male Students are More Likely to Skip Christmas Shopping
If you celebrate Christmas, who are you buying presents for this year?
Despite the coronavirus, many students who are buying presents are still visiting shops this holiday season. One-third (33%) say they’re doing their Christmas shopping both online and in person, compared to 11% who are doing it all in person. More than half (56%) of students will shop exclusively online. Male students are more likely than female students to do all their shopping online (60% vs. 52%).
There’s a geographic divide, too. Students from New England (72%) are the most likely to say they’re only shopping online, while students from the Midwest (44%) are the least likely to say so. Students from the Mid-Atlantic (66%), the West (65%), and the South (53%) fall in the middle.
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted from December 11 – 17 among a sample of 950 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
