The 2026 Holiday Intentions Preview from market researcher Numerator provides a look at which celebrations consumers intend to embrace, a list led by Christmas, which 92%, plan to celebrate followed by Thanksgiving (90%), Mother’s Day ( 79%), Easter (75%) and Independence Day (72%).
Top holidays for celebrating at home are Christmas, for 70% of consumers expecting to celebrate, Halloween ( 68%), Hanukkah (for 64%), Thanksgiving (59%) and Easter (58%). A large proportion of consumers surveyed said rising prices would impact their holiday spending, with the greatest potential impacts on Christmas (cited by 88%), Halloween (85%) and Thanksgiving (84%).
Many consumers carefully prepare for certain holidays, respondents to the Numerator survey confirmed. The holidays celebrators are most likely to shop one to three months in advance include Christmas (83%), Halloween ( 67%), Hanukkah (60%) and Thanksgiving (50%).
Numerator asked consumers surveyed to rate on a scale — 1 for least to 5 for most — how much effort goes into holiday celebrations. Christmas and Halloween saw the highest levels of enthusiasm, with 40% and 50% of respondents, respectively, rating the holiday as a 4 or 5.
Summer holidays see more road trips among consumers who plan to celebrate them, with 26% of intended celebrators hitting the road for Memorial Day and 25% for Labor Day. Winter holidays, including Hanukkah and Christmas, prompt more air travel, expected by 9% and 8% of intended celebrators, respectively.
