Christmas Shopping Could Cost Illinois Families More Than Expected

Christmas is still weeks away, but plenty of families are already dreading holiday shopping.

Between gifts, decorations, travel and hosting family, the season of giving can get expensive pretty quickly.

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And it looks like shoppers may be rethinking how much they're willing to shell out on Christmas spending this year.

Illinois Residents Preparing to Spend This Much on Christmas

According to a recent holiday spending report, Americans around the country are planning to spend an average of $880 on holiday gifts in 2026 alone. That's down 21% from last year, when the average gift budget was a little over $1,100.

Why aren't people spending as much this year?

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Rising prices and financial stress are among the top reasons people are pulling back. I don't blame them! It's not just gifts, either. Some shoppers are cutting back on holiday travel and making plans to celebrate closer to home.

Illinois residents have their own holiday spending numbers to consider. Another study estimates the average Illinois resident will spend $1,538 on total holiday expenses (not me!). That includes gifts, travel and hosting. The study also estimates that amount would use up about 98% of the average budget.

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If you're trying to keep your Christmas spending under control this year, financial experts recommend making a gift list early, watching for sale and keeping track of purchases. Buy-now, pay-later options might seem helpful, but those payments can add up and follow you for a long time if you don't plan accordingly.

With Christmas shopping season underway, it looks like more people are paying attention to what they're spending before the holiday bills arrive.