Half Your Customers Are Gifting Experiences This Year: How Lifestyle Brands Sell for the Hosted Holiday

Here's a number worth stopping for: half of US holiday shoppers plan to give an experience this year, according to Deloitte's 2026 Holiday Retail Survey. That's up 11 percentage points since 2024.

If you run a lifestyle brand selling tableware, candles or knitwear, that might sound like bad news. It isn't. The same survey found that 79% of those experience-givers plan to pair it with a physical gift. The experience is the headline and your product can be the thing they unwrap. Black Friday is November 27. If your holiday offer still looks like last year's 20%-off email, you have about a week to change it.

What's Driving the Experience Gifting Trend

Experience gifts are at a record high

The National Retail Federation puts it at 27% of holiday shoppers, up from 19% five years ago and the highest NRF has recorded. Why the gap with Deloitte's 50%? Deloitte counts restaurant meals, gift cards, event tickets and subscriptions; NRF's measure is narrower. Both point the same way.

The holiday is happening at home

In the International Housewares Association's 2026 survey, 57% of respondents had hosted a casual gathering in the past year, up from 47% the year before. Gatherings are where gifts get handed over, and hosts need things: serving pieces, lighting, something for the guest who brought wine.

One-of-a-kind beats brand new

ThredUp's 2026 Holiday Resale Report found 55% of Americans would rather receive a one-of-a-kind, vintage or hard-to-find secondhand gift in excellent condition than a new mass-produced one. Generic product is the weak spot this season.

People still want to see and touch

PwC's Holiday Outlook 2026 found 52% of consumers plan to browse stores for gift ideas, ahead of search engines (42%), social media (29%) and AI tools (14%). And 64% say they're prioritizing screen-free gifts.

A caution for Canadian founders

The picture north of the border is different. Deloitte Canada expects spending on experiences to fall 20% and on holiday entertaining to fall 22%, with per-person holiday spending at CA$1,305, the lowest since that survey began. If Canada is your main market, lead with value and lower price points.

The Startup Opportunity

1. The hosting kit

Bundle an object with an experience. A ceramic serving set, printed recipe cards and a QR code that unlocks a 30-minute video class with the chef or the potter who made the bowls. You've answered the "experience plus something to unwrap" brief in one SKU, and you can price it above the individual items instead of discounting them.

2. The numbered edit

Add a small, limited line: 50 numbered pieces, a refurbished vintage collection, or made-to-order items with a clear cut-off date. Scarcity is the selling point, so it holds full price. Apparel brands can do this with take-back stock they've repaired.

3. The workshop voucher

Sell gift vouchers for in-person workshops (candle pouring, table setting, visible mending) where people leave with what they made. It's the experience and the object in one, and it brings the recipient into your space in January, when foot traffic usually drops off.

Sales & Go-to-Market Strategy

Sell to the host, not only the gift-giver

"Everything for the table on December 20th" is a different pitch from "the perfect gift for her." Write separate emails and landing pages for people who are hosting. They have a date, a guest count and a reason to buy now.

Make the in-person moment count

With half of shoppers browsing in stores, a two-day pop-up can do more than another discount email. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Christmas markets are the obvious venue. In Canada and the US, partner with a café, bookstore or co-working space that already has the right crowd. Collect emails at the table; that list is worth more than the weekend's sales.

Let the discount be plain and put the story in the copy

PwC found 29% of of U.S. consumers plan to use AI somewhere in their holiday shopping. Keep your prices, sizes and materials clean and structured so they show up in those tools. But don't try to win on discount. Spend your words on the maker, the material and where it came from.