3 Overrated Holiday Trends You Shouldn’t Waste Money on in 2025
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Rebekah Evans
Commitment to Our Readers
GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.
20 Years
Helping You Live Richer
Reviewed
by Experts
Trusted by
Millions of Readers
This year is in its final quarter, which means that it’s time to end on a high note with the holiday season. Only this year you might want to skip a few holiday trends that have become outdated, too much of a hassle and, ultimately, not worth the money. At a time where everyone is looking to make ends meet and still have a delightful time during the festivities at the end of year, finding ways to save money can be the best gift to stuff your stocking with.
GOBankingRates got in touch with Joanna Clark-Simpson, head of consumer research and consumer expert with the Pissed Consumer. Using a 2025 online survey of over 1,058 consumers providing extensive data on holiday shopping trends, including reasons and plans, spending amounts compared to the previous year, top retailers, products, preferred events and consumers’ sentiments during the holiday season this year, Clark-Simpson narrowed down the three overrated holiday trends you shouldn’t waste money on in 2025.
Black Friday Shopping
Despite it being a major retail event in the past, 57.3% of consumers said Black Friday is no longer relevant to their shopping needs, according to Clark-Simpson’s recent holiday shopping survey. In fact, the data shows that the Black Friday shopping frenzy has now become one of the most overrated trends in 2025.
“Many express growing skepticism about price manipulation, with 21.5% thinking retailers inflate prices during the holiday season,” Clark-Simpson explained. “Overall, shoppers are moving away from event-based shopping, with nearly 47% planning to complete their purchases before November, highlighting a strong shift toward early, intentional buying.”
AI-Assisted Gift Planning
Clark-Simpson noted that the findings also show that while artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining traction in everyday life, it hasn’t taken hold in holiday shopping. So while many people might be using it to find seasonal recipes or local festivities to attend in their area, AI is not typically being used to aid in holiday shopping needs.
“68.6% of respondents, the majority of whom are seniors over 50, say they do not plan to use tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Copilot to assist with holiday purchases,” Clark-Simpson said.
Impractical Gift Giving
Finally, Clark-Simpson pointed out that there’s a clear shift toward practicality in gifting.
“Consumers are favoring essentials like clothing (70.4%), gift certificates (42.1%) and even groceries (27.8%) over luxury or non-essential items,” Clark-Simpson explained, adding that this trend reflects both inflationary pressures (64.9% of respondents said inflation impacts their shopping decisions) and a change in values around holiday giving.
More From GOBankingRates
