Remember when the day after Thanksgiving meant fighting crowds at 5 a.m. for doorbuster deals that felt like the only way to have a “real” Christmas? Yeah, those days are fading faster than you think.
This year, something feels different in the air—and it’s not just the pumpkin spice cooling off. Younger shoppers, the ones who supposedly keep the consumer economy humming, are quietly rewriting the rules of holiday spending. And honestly? The changes are more dramatic than most retailers are ready to admit.
A Generational Shift No One Saw Coming
Let’s be real: most of us expected Gen Z and millennials to keep spending like the world was ending tomorrow. After all, they grew up with TikTok hauls and “add to cart” culture. Yet fresh data paints a completely different picture—one where intentional spending trumps impulse buying, and creativity often beats the credit card swipe.
Almost one in four younger shoppers now leans heavily on budgeting apps just to navigate the holidays. Compare that to only one in ten boomers doing the same, and you start seeing the gap. This isn’t just about having less money (though wages haven’t exactly kept pace with inflation). It’s about a mindset shift that prioritizes control over chaos.
The Rise of the Handmade Holiday
Here’s something that genuinely surprised me: nearly a quarter of Gen Z plans to give handmade gifts this year. Not because they’re arts-and-crafts prodigies, but because it’s cheaper—and, let’s be honest, often more meaningful.
Think about that for a second. The generation accused of killing paper greeting cards is suddenly crocheting scarves, baking cookie kits, and turning old concert tees into tote bags. There’s a quiet rebellion happening against the idea that love has to come with a price tag from a big-box store.
- Custom photo books made on free design tools
- Hand-painted ornaments with inside jokes
- Homemade spice blends in reused glass jars
- Playlist QR codes that link to Spotify memories
- Framed pressed flowers from meaningful places
These aren’t last-resort gifts. They’re thoughtful flexes that say, “I know you better than any algorithm ever could.”
Black Friday Is Losing Its Magic
Raise your hand if you still set an alarm for Black Friday doorbusters. Exactly.
More than 80% of Americans—including the younger crowd—now say they’ll do most holiday shopping outside the traditional Thanksgiving weekend frenzy. That’s not a small dip; it’s a seismic change in behavior. The retail calendar that brands have worshipped for decades is quietly crumbling.
The days when one weekend decided a retailer’s entire year are over. Shoppers have taken back control of when—and how—they spend.
In my experience covering consumer trends, I’ve never seen a shift happen this fast. Part of it is exhaustion. Part of it is savvy. But mostly? Younger buyers simply refuse to play by rules that no longer make sense in their financial reality.
Small Business Saturday? Many Young Shoppers Don’t Even Know It Exists
Here’s the part that should worry every Main Street owner: when asked why they won’t shop small on Small Business Saturday, the top answer from Gen Z isn’t “too expensive.” It’s “I don’t know where they are.”
Nearly half of Gen Z shoppers admit they’d support local if they could find it. That’s both heartbreaking and actionable. These aren’t grinches—they’re just digitally native humans who discover everything through search and social. If your shop doesn’t pop up when they Google “gifts near me,” you might as well be invisible.
Price came in a distant second as a barrier. That tells you everything. This generation wants to do the right thing. They just need the path cleared for them.
The Tariff Shadow Hanging Over Gift Lists
Then there’s the elephant in the room: tariffs.
Roughly four in ten younger shoppers say new or potential tariffs are forcing them to spend less this season. That’s not fear-mongering—that’s math. When the cost of imported goods climbs, the first thing to go is often the “nice to have” category on the gift list.
Add stagnant wages, record-high rent in many cities, and student loan payments restarting, and you understand why “treat yourself” has quietly become “survive yourself” for many twenty- and thirty-somethings.
What This Means for the Rest of Us
Look, I’m not here to predict retail apocalypse. People still love giving gifts. The tree will still sparkle. But the how and why behind those gifts are changing in ways that will echo for years.
- Retailers ignoring digital discoverability for local search are going to hurt
- Experiences (think concert tickets, cooking classes, subscriptions) may outpace physical goods
- Secondhand and vintage gifts are about to have their mainstream moment
- Brands that tell authentic, value-driven stories will win loyalty
- Handmade doesn’t mean cheap—it means thoughtful
The most interesting part? This pullback isn’t coming from bitterness. It’s coming from clarity. Younger generations watched their parents rack up credit card debt for one day of joy and decided—quietly, firmly—that there has to be a better way.
And maybe, just maybe, they’re onto something we all needed reminding of: the best gifts were never about the price tag anyway.
This holiday season won’t be smaller because people care less. It might actually end up bigger—measured not in dollars, but in thoughtfulness, creativity, and real connection.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some cookies to bake and a playlist to curate. Turns out the kids are alright—and they might just be teaching the rest of us how to celebrate better.
