In this episode of ‘Your Personal Economist,’ Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, unwraps the 2025 holiday spending trends that matter most to shoppers.
Whether in busy stores or at home, consumers are navigating a season shaped by a search for value and an embrace of ‘vibes’.
- U.S. holiday sales are projected to rise 3.4% this year, based on Mastercard SpendingPulse™, which measures in-store and online retail sales representing all payment types.
- Shoppers are searching for value, navigating tariff-related price increases and continuing to embrace e-commerce options.
- Wellness and viral fashion are leading the way, with thoughtful gifts and fresh trends shaping holiday wish lists.
This holiday season is being shaped by both value and vibe — careful budgeting on one hand, and gifts that feel thoughtful and trendy on the other. It’s a season where shoppers are finding ways to balance meaning, magic and money.
Michelle Meyer Chief Economist and Head of the Mastercard Economics Institute
Access previous episodes here:
Episode 7
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In this episode of ‘Your Personal Economist,’ Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist at the Mastercard Economics Institute, explores how risk - or the possibility of unexpected outcomes - shapes today’s economy and the decisions we make every day.
Episode 6
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