End of Year Special Issue:A 2025 Review of the Most Relevant Consumer Holidays & Retail Moments

Good morning, ! As we head into the holidays—with Christmas just behind us and New Year’s Eve closing out the year—this special end-of-year issue looks at the moments that truly shaped consumer behavior in 2025. From Valentine’s Day and Prime Day to Halloween and Black Friday, we break down where demand showed up, how it shifted, and what it signals heading into the next cycle.

Wishing you a happy holidays.

Want to advertise in Consumer 150? Check out our self-serve ad platform, here.

Know someone deep in the consumer space? Pass this along—they’ll appreciate the edge. Share link.

— The Consumer150 Team

2025 REVIEW: TOP EVENTS

I. The Economics of Valentine’s Day 2025

Valentine’s Day remains one of Q1’s most powerful demand moments, with 2025 spending hitting a record $27.5B in the U.I. The Economics of Valentine’s Day 2025.

Consumers planned to spend $188.81 on average, driven by top gift categories like candy (56%), flowers (40%), cards (40%), and high-ticket items such as jewelry, which alone is projected to reach $6.5B.

Gift cards show the most dramatic behavioral spike: order volumes on February 14 surge 5.69× the monthly average, underscoring the rise of last-minute, convenience-driven gifting. Meanwhile, demographics shape spending patterns—35–44-year-olds remain the highest spenders, while older adults remain more conservative.

Although fewer people celebrate the holiday than a decade ago, those who do are spending more and shifting online, with 40% of shoppers buying digitally. For brands, the playbook is clear: highlight convenience, personalize offers, and capitalize on the intense pre-holiday urgency window. (More)

II. Inflation Hopped Into the Basket Too

Easter spending hit $22B in 2024—down slightly from a record $24B in 2023—but don’t be fooled: inflation, not candy cravings, explains much of the growth since 2019. Shoppers are chasing value: 53% hit up discount stores, and 67% prioritize price over brand when buying chocolate. Even during festive moments, the wallet rules. And while Cadbury reigns supreme with 49% market share, there's still room in the basket for newer contenders—just don’t expect loyalty if your sticker shock hits harder than a sugar rush. (More)

III. Dad Dollars: A $24B Opportunity in Cargo Shorts and Concert Tickets

Father’s Day is no longer just for power drills and polo shirts. In 2025, U.S. spending on Dad is projected to hit $24 billion, nearly double the 2014 total. But the real shift? Experiential gifts like dinners and events now top the charts at $4.8B, eclipsing clothing and gift cards. Per-person spending has soared to $199.38, with 25–34 year-olds leading the charge at a hefty $275.67 each. Even in a year where overall spend dipped slightly, personalized, tech-forward gifts held strong, and electronics alone raked in $2.6B. In short: if your product speaks to sentiment, utility, or dopamine, Father’s Day is open for business. (More)

IV. Prime Day: The $14B “Summer Christmas”

Prime Day has morphed into a July ritual where America’s most loyal online households drop $200+ like it’s Thanksgiving. Amazon’s cart average beat rivals by $54, planned purchases outnumbered impulse buys, and even with a dip in item count vs. 2023, total spend hit all-time highs. Older consumers (55+) are leading the charge, proving that speed, selection, and same-day shipping now dominate the loyalty economy. Forget Black Friday. The real shopping holiday lives in the cloud — and Amazon owns the calendar. (More)

V. School Is in Session (for Wallets)

Back-to-school isn’t just a shopping trip—it’s America’s second-largest consumer event after the holidays. In 2025, K-12 spending alone hits $39.4B, with per-student outlay at $858. Families are prioritizing apparel (43%) and tech (26%), making this season as much about Chromebooks as crayons. Nearly two-thirds of parents (64%) shop early, lured by promotions that feel “too good to pass up.” Gen Z parents are also sneaking AI into the cart—67% using gen AI tools to hunt deals, though only 22% actually trust them. The takeaway? Back-to-school is less “pencils and paper” and more a barometer of consumer confidence heading into Q4. (More)

VI. America’s Most Democratic Holiday

97% of U.S. consumers celebrated Halloween 2024, topping even Christmas and Valentine’s Day in participation. Yet average spending was only $114.50 — proving this isn’t a holiday for luxury goods but for mass engagement. The secret? Micro-purchases. Think candy, costumes, and décor — small transactions that scale into a $13.1B market. Over the past decade, total Halloween spending has nearly doubled, fueled by earlier shopping (49% start before October) and social-media-fueled creativity. It’s not how much people spend — it’s how many people spend. For brands, Halloween is a marketing sandbox: a rare moment when volume beats value and participation drives profit. (More)

VII. Black Friday Is Still Booming—But It's Not About Discounts Anymore

Forget the doorbusters—Black Friday has quietly evolved into a multi-week, omni-channel ritual of lifestyle spending, personalization, and nostalgia-fueled discovery. Total U.S. spending is on track to hit $10.8B in 2024 and $11.8B by 2025, doubling since 2017 with an 11.3% CAGR. This isn’t just a retail event—it’s an economic anchor for Q4.

Gen Z leads the spending surge, not just chasing deals but buying into moments: compact digital cameras (+2,345%), embossing stamps (+1,119%), and Pilates reformers (+990%) aren’t flukes—they’re signals. Consumers are curating identity, not just shopping carts. Meanwhile, the top conversion channel isn’t TikTok or TV—it’s email (59.2%), a nod to the power of first-party data and CRM precision.

For investors, this spells a strategic shift. Performance will hinge less on price cuts and more on product relevance, storytelling, and operational agility. Winners will be those who blend nostalgia, utility, and emotional resonance—while optimizing every pixel of the digital shelf.

Bottom line: Black Friday isn’t dying. It’s maturing—and the spending clock now starts weeks before Thanksgiving. (More)

"Get busy living or get busy dying."

Stephen King