​​Should Holiday Messages Focus More on Self-Gifting?

PwC’s 2025 Holiday Outlook survey found U.S. Gen Z consumers plan to spend 39% of their holiday budget on gifts for themselves, with millennials at 38%, and boomers, 33%. Does the traditional “gift of giving” holiday messaging have to be expanded?

Other forecasts show strong interest in gift-giving, including a survey from influencer commerce marketing platform LTK showing 90% of U.S. consumers planning to shop for themselves while buying gifts for others this holiday season, up from last year. Beauty and personal care products top the list for self-gifting across all generations, with entertainment and fashion close behind.

CivicScience found 28% of holiday shoppers plan to buy themselves a gift. Another 24% remain undecided, with that share nearly doubling over the past two years. CivicScience wrote, “For advertisers, that means there’s not only a solid base of confirmed self-gifters to reach, but also an emerging group that can still be persuaded.”

The impact of self-gifting on holiday selling started receiving heightened attention around 2010 when consumers were seen indulging themselves after cutting back during the Great Recession.

Self-gifting in recent years is reportedly being driven by the increased emphasis on self-care and wellness. University studies that have shown consumers are self-gifting regularly, with benefits like stress release, a sense of relaxation, an enhanced feeling of well-being, and elevated self-esteem levels.

Another factor that could be driving self-gifting is Gen Z’s high engagement with social influencer marketing. Finally, self-gifting is seen increasing during the holidays as those shopping for gifts for others are likely to pick something for themselves.

Self-Gifting and the Holiday Messaging Around the Trend

The growth in self-gifting has led to a wide range of advice on how to reach self-gifters during the holiday.

Lauren Lombardo — lead CSM, strategic at Attentive — wrote in a blog entry, “We’ve found that self-gifting messaging can increase AOV during the holiday shopping season. It’s an easy way to remind customers that as they shop for others, they can treat themselves at the same time. Messaging like ‘Treat yourself and a bestie,’ tends to work well in these campaigns.”
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Salsify’s 2024 holiday study urged retailers and brands to consider how their unique audience fits within the self-gifting trend “and offer specific promotions and discounts that could drive incentives to self-spend, such as buy one, get one free (BOGO) offers; bundle deals; or free gifts for spending a select amount.”

CivicScience research finds that, versus those who do not plan to buy themselves a gift, self-gifters are more financially literate, more drawn to socially conscious brands, more brand loyal overall, and more open to trying new products.

CivicScience added, “They’re more likely to say they don’t always stick to their plans, make decisions quickly and confidently, and often rely on emotions over pure objectivity. This suggests they’re confident, emotionally driven consumers who act on instinct and can be swayed by the right message.”