Gen Z Is Making Some Questionable Financial Decisions to Afford Christmas, Survey Finds
· Vice
Holiday cheer comes with a price tag, and some Gen Zers are willing to risk a late rent payment to keep the festivities going.
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A new Talker Research survey of 2,000 Americans who celebrate a winter holiday found that 46% of Gen Z respondents had delayed or skipped a rent or mortgage payment to afford holiday spending. Across all generations, that number dropped to 18%.
The survey was commissioned by Accredited Debt Relief and conducted online by Talker Research between October 16 and 20, 2026. Respondents celebrated a winter holiday and had internet access, although the researchers didn’t disclose how many belonged to Gen Z. So it’s difficult to know how many people that 46% represents.
Nearly Half of Gen Z Has Skipped Rent or Mortgage Payments to Afford the Holidays, According to New Survey
Americans expect to give an average of 15 gifts this year and spend $1,533 on the holidays, according to the survey. Nearly half anticipate taking on debt to cover the festivities, with about a third of their holiday expenses going on credit cards and another 12% through buy now, pay later services. And who knows if the person on the receiving end will even like the present?
Guilt plays a big role in all this spending. Forty-five percent said admitting they can’t afford something during the holidays makes them feel guilty, while 39% would rather take on debt than disappoint someone they love. Nearly half would skip gift exchanges altogether if they weren’t worried about hurting anyone’s feelings. So we’ve got people spending money they don’t have on presents they don’t even want to buy, for people who might feel exactly the same way. Sounds logical.
December also seems to do strange things to people’s understanding of money. For 39% of respondents, spending during the holidays feels less serious than spending during the rest of the year. And with 61% admitting they regularly forget to budget for at least one seasonal expense, it’s easy to see how shipping costs, decorations, parties, and those last-minute purchases can leave people wondering where their money went.
Bobbi Rebell, chief financial education adviser at Accredited Debt Relief, said one common mistake is “focusing on the gifts while overlooking everything else that comes with the season.”
Some people are dipping into money they’d originally saved for other things, too. Thirty-five percent have withdrawn savings to cover holiday expenses, and one in five has reduced or skipped retirement contributions. Another 39% would rather deal with the financial consequences in January than cut back on holiday spending now.
Showing up to a holiday gathering empty-handed can feel embarrassing when everyone else has practically bought out an entire department store. But January isn’t going to be very festive if the rent money went toward Christmas presents.
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