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Traditional Gifts Top Year Round Gifting

By Meredith Schwartz -- Gifts and Dec, 3/2/2006 5:58:00 AM

Stevens, PA — Contrary to conventional wisdom, Americans don't necessarily spend most of their gift budget during the holidays. In fact, they doled out less than half of their budgets from October to December last year.

U.S. consumers spent an average of $1,934 buying gifts for others last year, according to Unity Marketing’s quarterly gift tracking study, a longitudinal survey of 500-600 gift buying consumers. The typical gifter spent less than half of his or her annual budget, $928, from October to December.

‘Giftables," or traditional gifts, were the most popular gift category in 2005, including candles, flowers, figurines, stationery, collectibles, seasonal decorations and gift s for pets, among others. But during the fourth quarter, giftables declined to fourth place.

For the holiday season, entertainment and recreation gifts rose to first place, including books, toys, sporting goods, video/audio, DVDs and entertainment equipment, photographic equipment, computers and games, among other products. In all of 2005, this was the second most popular gift category.

Clothing and fashion accessories rose to second place in the fourth quarter, while ranking fourth overall. Store gift certificates and gifts of cash were the third most popular both during the fourth quarter and throughout the year.

“Birthdays, followed by anniversaries, new baby, friendship/thank you and weddings are the top five gifting occasions. Christmas, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day are the most popular gift holidays,” says Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing. “Retailers who want to capture a greater share of gift givers’ spending should look more closely at expanding their giftables offerings, targeting the $25 to $50 price range, which is the spending sweet spot for shoppers when buying a gift.”

The most popular giftables, in order of preference, were: candles and candle accessories; flowers, plants and garden accessories and decoratives; seasonal ornaments and decorations; gifts for pets and figurines and sculpture.

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