While the holidays are the perfect opportunity to shower loved ones with gifts, many college students also splurge on presents for themselves this time of year.
A new survey of 2,000 undergraduates finds that 42% buy holiday gifts for themselves, while 58% do not. Female students are more likely than male students to treat themselves, however (46% vs. 35%). And college Democrats are more likely than college Republicans to buy gifts for themselves over the holidays (44% vs. 35%).
Among students who buy gifts for themselves, about 6 in 10 (59%) spend $50 or less, while 42% spend more than $50. Male students who buy themselves presents are twice as likely as their female classmates to splurge and spend more than $100 (28% vs. 14%).
Male Students are Twice as Likely to Spend More Than $100 on Gifts for Themselves
How much do you plan to spend on holiday presents for yourself this year?
Not everyone gives presents around the holidays, though. While a majority (57%) of students overall plan to buy presents for fewer than six people, 13% say they do not plan on buying any gifts this year. Male students are twice as likely as female students to say they will not buy gifts for anyone (18% vs. 9%).
An overwhelming majority (88%) of students buy presents for family members, compared to 58% who buy presents for friends and 46% who buy gifts for significant others. Just 7% get gifts for coworkers.
But female students are significantly more likely than male students to buy gifts for their friends (65% vs. 46%). Democratic students are also more likely than Republican students to buy gifts for friends (63% vs. 53%).
Store-bought gifts are the most popular among students of all genders and political leanings. About 6 in 10 say they would prefer to give (60%) and receive (57%) store-bought presents. Meanwhile, almost a quarter (23%) of students prefer to be gifted experiences rather than inanimate objects.
A Majority of College Students Want Store-Bought Gifts
What kind of gifts do you prefer to receive?
And for those buying presents for multiple people, holiday expenses start to add up. A majority (59%) of students plan to spend more than $50 overall on gifts for other people. But female students are more likely than their male classmates to spend more than $50 (64% vs. 53%), likely because they are more likely to buy presents for more people.
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 2,000 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.
