Unwrapping holiday insights: Trends from 2021 to 2023

As the holiday season approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on how shopper preparations and attitudes have evolved – or stayed consistent – over time. Since 2021, we've surveyed approximately 2,000 Kroger shoppers to understand their holiday habits, and some clear patterns have emerged.

Thanksgiving preparations

One consistent trend we've observed is that a majority of shoppers set their Thanksgiving plans by early November with fewer people making last-minute plans.

When it comes to the size of Thanksgiving gatherings, most respondents (80% to 74%) report spending the holiday with about the same number of people each year, indicating stable and consistent gathering sizes. For brands, this suggests a predictable pattern. Shoppers tend to plan for gatherings of similar size each year, which can aid in forecasting demand for food, party supplies or other holiday-related expenses.

December holidays: hosting and staying local

The December holidays also show a pattern of consistency. From Q4 2021 to Q4 2023, the majority of respondents have hosted about the same number of people each year. This suggests that households have established a rhythm in their holiday celebrations.

In regards to holiday travel in December, most respondents tend to stay local. Although there has been a slight increase in respondents planning to travel 50 miles or more to celebrate during the December holidays, the vast majority plan to celebrate the holidays close to home.

Holiday sentiment

We also looked at shopper sentiment about the holiday season. On a scale of 1 to 7, respondents were asked if they agreed with the statement, “I hope that next year’s December holidays will be a similar experience to this year.” Since 2021, only about 20% of respondents strongly agreed with this statement, suggesting that while some shoppers enjoy the predictability of holiday traditions, others may be seeking new experiences or improvements.

Looking forward

As we enter the upcoming holiday season, it's clear that traditions and consistency play a significant role in our celebrations. From early Thanksgiving planning to local December gatherings, many households take part in familiar routines. At the same time, there's an opportunity and desire for new holiday experiences next year.