U.S. Easter Spending Set to Hit Record $24.9 Billion in 2026

Easter is, at its core, a gathering holiday. Forty-three percent of Americans celebrating this year plan to attend church, 36% are organizing egg hunts, and the majority will cook a meal and visit family. Against that backdrop, the National Retail Federation's forecast of $24.9 billion in U.S. Easter spending for 2026 is less surprising than it is clarifying: this is what it costs to celebrate together. The forecast tops 2023's previous record by $900 million and sits $8.5 billion above 2015 levels, with per-person spending expected to reach nearly $200 among those celebrating.

The number that deserves more attention than the headline total is this one: Easter basket candy prices have risen 67% since 2020, according to an InvestorsObserver analysis. That figure reshapes every budget conversation happening at checkout right now. Your basket costs more because the ingredients cost more, and understanding that distinction is the first step to spending wisely without cutting what actually matters.

"While economic uncertainty remains on the minds of many, consumers are still focused on holiday celebrations like Easter," NRF chief economist Mark Mathews said. That commitment to the holiday, despite real financial pressure, is exactly where intentional gift-giving earns its keep.

The NRF broke the $24.9 billion forecast into five categories: food at $7.5 billion, gifts at $3.9 billion, clothing at $3.7 billion, candy at $3.5 billion, and flowers at $2.2 billion. Candy and gifts together account for $7.4 billion of that national total, and they are also the two categories where thoughtful substitution delivers the most savings without signaling that you cut corners.

Candy is the item most people plan to buy, and the 67% price jump since 2020 explains precisely why pre-assembled baskets at the front of drug stores and big-box retailers cost what they do. Curating your own is the sharper move. A mix of loose jelly beans from a bulk bin, one quality chocolate bar in the $6 to $8 range, and a small plush toy will come in under most branded basket equivalents and look far more considered. For children under ten, a $3 bag of foil-wrapped chocolate eggs paired with a $12 seed-starting kit or activity book outperforms a $40 cellophane bundle on every metric except sheer volume.

For gifts, the $3.9 billion Americans will spend nationally does not require a $200 outlay from any single household. If you are shopping in-store this week with Easter falling on April 5, spring-themed puzzles run $15 to $20 at Target and Walmart, ceramic planting kits land around $18, and children's picture books clock in at $10 to $14. For the relative who lives far away, ship-to-home gifts ordered now with expedited shipping can still arrive in time: a small curated basket in the $25 to $35 range, a scented candle set around $22, or a coffee shop gift card with a handwritten note when you are genuinely down to the wire.

Clothing accounts for $3.7 billion in Easter spending nationally, driven largely by parents outfitting children for the holiday. One accessory rather than a full outfit is the smarter move: a $14 spring hair accessory set or a pair of $12 novelty socks reads as thoughtful at a fraction of the apparel cost. The $2.2 billion in flower spending tilts heavily toward florist arrangements, but a $12 pot of tulips from the grocery store delivers identical seasonal warmth for considerably less.

Spending $24.9 billion collectively does not mean any individual basket needs to approach $200. The 67% candy price increase since 2020 is the one stat worth quoting to anyone who questions your decision to build smarter rather than bigger. The most remembered Easter gifts tend to be the ones that felt specific to the person receiving them, not the ones that took the most space under cellophane.