What Americans really think about gift-giving
With the holidays fast approaching, it’s time to scramble to find the right gifts for those close to us. For some people, finding the right gift is easy. For others, it’s hard to know what to get. Not sure what to get your loved ones for Christmas? Maybe the team at Frontier Bundles can help.
We surveyed 1,000 Americans aged 18 and older, asking them their gift preferences, including what kinds of gifts they like to receive, what kinds they don’t, and the most important factor when choosing a gift for someone else. Do people like receiving homemade gifts? Or do they prefer something they asked for explicitly? See the results below to learn more.
5 gift-giving insights from our survey
So, what did we learn? One: folks have a lot of opinions about gifts, some stronger than others. Here’s a sampling of the most important things we learned from our survey.
More than two-thirds of those surveyed always or sometimes prefer being asked what they want as a gift rather than being surprised.
More than half of those surveyed love the personal nature of homemade gifts.
Around a third of those surveyed are most put off by impersonal, seemingly thoughtless gifts.
Almost 60% of those surveyed say the best gift givers are those who covertly pay attention and surprise with unexpected, personal gifts.
More than a third of those surveyed think emotional meaning is the most important factor when choosing a gift.
What our data tells us about gift-giving
Now that we know how people feel about giving and receiving gifts, let’s put that knowledge into action.
70% of those surveyed sometimes or always prefer to be asked what they want rather than being surprised.
If you’re unsure what to get someone, ask for a wishlist from one of their favorite sites. Gifts people put on wishlists tend to be practical and can help out the giftee financially. A new vacuum cleaner might not be the most romantic or exciting gift, but it sure helps when cleaning up all that leftover holiday glitter.
56% of those surveyed love receiving homemade gifts because of the personal touch.
For those close to you, consider something DIY. Think about homemade gifts for Grandpa, Grandma, Mom, Dad, and Siblings. Get the kids involved too—Grandpa will love the wooden tie rack shaped like a wiener dog a whole lot more when he knows Junior made it with his two little hands.
36% of those surveyed are put off by impersonal gifts.
If you don’t know what to get someone, ask their friends and family what they like to do. If you’re friends somewhere on social media, check out their profile to gauge their interests and pick out something that fits.
59% of those surveyed consider those who covertly pay attention and surprise with a personal gift the best givers.
The most personal gifts come from a deep connection to someone close. Listen to what people love to do, figure out their interests, and add a personal touch. For example, if the person you’re buying a gift for is a reader, share your own favorite book with them to make a deeper connection.
37% of those surveyed want the gifts they give to mean something on an emotional level.
Practical gifts are helpful, but not as fun to give—and often not as fun to receive. Something heartfelt, homemade, surprising, or all three brings satisfaction to the gifter and the giftee.
Make this holiday season memorable
As you get online do your last-minute shopping and gift-making, check out DIY craft blogs for gift ideas, seek out budget-friendly gifts online, and think about how things like handwritten notes or thoughtful, multi-gift packages (think a new coffee mug with whole beans of someone’s favorite roast inside) can make someone’s holidays.
If our post will help someone you know find some gift inspiration, please share!
Methodology
We surveyed 1000 Americans 18+ in August 2024, using the online platform Pollfish. Results shown and discussed are post-stratified to achieve a distribution equal to the American population by age, gender, and state of residence.
About Us
Frontier Bundles is an online authorized reseller of Frontier. For media inquiries, please contact media@frontierbundles.com.