Thanksgiving Statistics 2023 By Spending, Demographics and Country

Barry Elad

Updated · Nov 23, 2023

Thanksgiving Statistics 2023 By Spending, Demographics and Country

Introduction

Thanksgiving Statistics: Just like every country has its holiday seasons, countries like the United States of America, Canada, etc begin their holiday seasons from Thanksgiving. This year in 2023, Thanksgiving will be celebrated on 23rd November. These holidays are the start of family dinners, exchange of feelings, and gifts. According to some reports, the majority of the proposals happen during these holidays.

Since the launch of eCommerce, shopping trends have seen a significant increase. In addition, around $113 billion spent on shopping is this season with a 13.7% positive increase over 2022. Let’s take a look at these Thanksgiving Statistics to understand this year’s festive season trends

Editor’s Choice

  • As compared to a typical day, more than 3x cooking fire incidents are reported on Thanksgiving day.
  • As of 2023, in the United States of America, Thanksgiving has been voted with a popularity rating of 79%, followed by Memorial Day and Christmas.
  • As observed by Thanksgiving Statistics, 53% of the people eat the dinner’s leftovers for 2 to 3 days after the party.
  • The top three things that Americans are mostly thankful for are Family (84%), Health (69%), and Friends (63%).
  • In 2022, 1 out of 5 Americans were not sure whether they would have enough money to support this season.
  • This year more than 50% of Americans will celebrate their Thanksgiving at home with family or relatives. While 35% of Americans are going to their relative’s place and 11% have planned to visit their friend’s house.
  • Every year, around 54 million Americans travel back to their hometowns or vacation spots during this season.
  • In 2023, around 182 million consumers in the United States of America will probably shop during the season.
  • In 2022, around 29% of Americans planned to spend more than $500 on travel during Thanksgiving season.
  • Wine, Beer, and Whiskey are the most preferred respective thankful toasts.

What is Thanksgiving?

In the United States of America, Thanksgiving is considered one of the biggest holidays today, as it became public in 1862. Every year, the holiday takes place on the 4th Thursday of November in the United States of America, and since then the season of holidays started. Traditionally the meaning of thanksgiving is to be thankful for a good harvest.

Typically a Thanksgiving dinner includes cranberry sauce, sweet corn, mashed potatoes, turkey roast, and sweet mashed potatoes, sweet corn, bread rolls with pumpkin pie and butter, beer, wine, and whipped cream as dessert.

Thanksgiving Facts

  • The tradition of football started in 1876 when a game between Princeton and Yale took place on a Thanksgiving day.
  • United States of America has 4 towns named after Turkey: North Carolina, Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.
  • The first-ever Thanksgiving dinner didn’t have turkey in it. It served lobster, fish, eel, oysters, venison, goose, duck, cranberries and pumpkins.
  • The most expensive Thanksgiving dinner was served at Old Homestead Steakhouse, a restaurant in Manhattan that cost $181,000 in 2019. This dinner included edible gold flakes that covered two 20-pound free-range turkeys.
  • The first-ever Thanksgiving celebration was held in 1621.
  • Every year, 2 turkeys are transported to the White House every day.

General Thanksgiving Statistics

  • 1 out of 4 Americans planned to cancel Thanksgiving due to increased prices in 2022.
  • Every year, around 54 million Americans travel back to their hometowns or vacation spots during this season.
  • In 2022, 1 out of 5 Americans were not sure whether they would have enough money to support this season.
  • Every year, more than 40 million turkeys are killed for the holiday while the spend on them becomes $949 million.
  • 77% of Americans try to avoid talking about politics at the dinner table.
  • 97% of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving every day.

by Spending

  • In 2022, around 29% of Americans planned to spend more than $500 on travel during Thanksgiving season.
  • Furthermore, in 2022, on Thanksgiving day, consumers spent around $5.29 billion on online shopping, breaking the record for many years.
  • On average, over the 5-day Thanksgiving season, people spend $325.

expected-thanksgiving-spend-among-shoppers-in-the-united-states-in-2023

(Reference: statista.com)

According to Thanksgiving Statistics, majority of the Americans are planning to spend between $101 to $200 during this season. However, there are only 5% of the consumers planning to spend more than $300. Whereas, an average number of people are expected to spend between $26 to $100.

by Food Consumption

  • On Thanksgiving day, the average number of calories consumed is 4,500.
  • In 2022, according to Thanksgiving Statistics, Americans spent more than $1.1 billion on turkeys.
  • In 2023, on average the cost of 16-pound turkey is expected at $20.32.
  • Approximately Americans purchase around 80 million pounds of cranberries during this season’s week.
  • Every year. 13% of consumers plan to go out or grab takeout from a restaurant for a family dinner.
  • The total number of calories consumed alone from turkey by collective Americans is 7.2 billion every year.
  • On average, the cost of 10 people's Thanksgiving dinner is $64.05.
  • 64% of Americans would reconsider the turkey for the main dish because of the rising cost of meat.
  • On the other hand, 54% of Americans said they are looking forward to adding new side dish recipes to their menus.
  • 41% of Americans prefer gravy for dinner dishes.
  • Nowadays, 56% of the Americans prefer meat-free dinner options.
  • Wine, Beer, and Whiskey are the most preferred respective thankful toasts.
  • The average number of drinks consumed by men is 3.1 while it is 2.4 for women.

American's Most Favorite Thanksgiving Dishes

Americans-Favorite-ThanksGiving-Dishes

(Source: wallethub.com)

Majority of the Americans prefer turkey during the season resulting in 83%. Other two most preferred dishes are mashed potatoes (78%) and Stuffing or dressing (77%). Overall, Bread or rolls, sweet potatoes or yams, and cranberry sauce have more than 50% demand.

 (Source: wallethub.com)

Furthermore, the most preferred pie ingredient for the majority of Americans is pumpkin resulting in 23%. Whereas the least preferred is Blueberry and Cherry with only 5%. 27% of the people are looking for other Pie tastes than those mentioned above in the picture.

by Demographics

onsumers-in-the-united-states-who-were-more-likely-to-buy-gift-practical-items-as-gifts-during-the-2023-holiday-season-by-generation.

(Reference: statista.com)

In 2023, 51% of consumers from Gen Z are planning to buy value-based gifts, followed by millennials (48%), Gen X (45%), and Baby Boomers (36%). Together all the generations who are planning to buy value-based gifts have resulted in 44% in 2023.

by things Americans are thankful of

(Source: wallethub.com)

According to Thanksgiving Statistics, the top three things that Americans are mostly thankful for are Family (84%), Health (69%), and Friends (63%). Surprisingly, wealth has received only 21% thankful opinions being the lowest of all.

by Country

(Source: worldpopulationreview.com)

According to Thanksgiving Statistics, countries that celebrate the Thanksgiving season every year are the United States of America, Netherlands, Liberia, Grenada, Canada, Australia, and Liberia.

Along with a limited number of celebrations observed in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Japan, China, and Ghana

by Preferred Locations for Celebration

preferred-location-for-celebrating-thanksgiving-among-americans-in-2023

(Source: statista.com)

According to Thanksgiving Statistics 2023, this year more than 50% of Americans will celebrate their Thanksgiving at home with family or relatives. While 35% of Americans are going to their relative’s place and 11% have planned to visit their friend’s house.

The Meaning of Thanksgiving to Americans

-what-does-thanksgiving-mean-to-you-personally

(Reference: statista.com)

This year i.e. 2023, more than 50% of the people are thankful and spending their time with their family resulting in 67%. For others, thanksgiving is to have a good meal (47%), watch football (21%), and give something back (20%). Surprisingly, 3% of the consumers said this season meant nothing to them.

by Time To Begin Holiday Shopping Between 2021 to 2023

when-consumers-are-intending-to-begin-holiday-shopping-in-the-united-states-from-2021-to-2023

(Reference: statista.com)

According to Thanksgiving Statistics, only 50% of the consumers were planning to buy before October. However, the majority of them will start shopping in November and onwards as compared to the other two years. There will be no one planning to purchase in January 2024 as of today.

by Travel

(Source: smartasset.com)

With all-time travel preference modes, the car is the most preferred type of transportation by 89.3% of people. Only 7.7% go by air while 3% use other means of transport. Together these, travelers travel more than 50 miles during the Thanksgiving holidays.

Conclusion

Concluding the Thanksgiving statistics, it is good to know that more than 50% of people are looking for Turkey alternatives this year. There will be an increase in the shopping trends as well. This season for thanking people and other things you care about.

After Thanksgiving, the real season of holiday starts almost in every country where Thanksgiving is celebrated. Spending time with family and eating dinner together is the most wonderful thing you could ever experience in the holiday season.

  • Statistics
  • FAQ.

    Who invented the Thanksgiving holiday?

    President George Washington was the first person to issue a request for a holiday in 1789. This was requested for 26th November, Thursday, and since then the day has been marked as the first national holiday under the new constitution.

    What gifts do you give on Thanksgiving?

    You can give the following gifts, however, the choice of the same depends on the person’s liking, a box of chocolates, a platter of desserts, a bottle of wine, a flower bouquet, book sets, etc.

    What is included in the Thanksgiving meal?

    A Thanksgiving dinner includes mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce, roasted turkey, stuffing, wine, beer, and desserts.

    How do you thank someone on Thanksgiving?

    You can involve yourself in volunteering activities at local charities, donate to food banks, or simply help those in need.

    How much fat does an American eat on Thanksgiving?

    On average, an American consumes 229 grams of fat during the Thanksgiving holiday.

    Barry Elad
    Barry Elad

    Barry is a lover of everything technology. Figuring out how the software works and creating content to shed more light on the value it offers users is his favorite pastime. When not evaluating apps or programs, he's busy trying out new healthy recipes, doing yoga, meditating, or taking nature walks with his little one.

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