US States That Leave Christmas Shopping Until The Last Minute

By: Valia Jensen

• California leads in last-minute shopping, with 61.58% of holiday searches occurring in December
• Florida ranks second with 61.10% of holiday searches in December
• Last-minute shoppers focus on gifts for women: “Gifts for women” and “Christmas gifts for mom” are top last-minute searches across states

As the holiday season approaches, many shoppers across the country are waiting until the last minute to secure their Christmas gifts, with some states showing a clear pattern of procrastination.

New research by casino experts at NonGamStopBets reveals that some states are more prone to leaving their Christmas shopping until the last minute.

By analyzing search data from October to December over the past three years (2021-2023), the states with the highest proportion of holiday shopping searches occurring in December have been identified, revealing the states most likely to delay their holiday shopping.

California Tops the List

California tops the list for last-minute Christmas shoppers. The state sees 61.58% of its holiday monthly search volume concentrated in December, with an average of 1,820 gift-related searches per 100,000 residents. This suggests that many Californians wait until the final weeks to secure gifts and holiday deals, potentially influenced by the state’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Notably, one of California’s top five holiday-related searches is “gift for women,” which saw 29,300 average monthly searches, hinting that residents are urgently searching for the perfect gift ideas for the women in their lives as Christmas approaches.

Florida Comes in Second

Florida ranks second, with 61.10% of its holiday search activity occurring in December. The state averages 1,887 monthly searches per 100,000 people in December, showcasing a preference for late holiday shopping.

Interestingly, a high volume of searches for “Christmas gifts for mom,” which ranks among the top five with an average of 14,900 queries, suggests that many Floridians are unsure what to buy their mothers.

Nevada Ranks Third

Coming in third, Nevada has a substantial number of last-minute shoppers, with 60.51% of holiday searches happening in December, averaging 1,713 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. The term “gift for women” had 2,114 searches on average, placing it among the top five holiday shopping searches. This trend indicates a last-minute rush to find meaningful presents, possibly reflecting indecision during the holiday season.

Other Notable States

New Jersey ranks fourth, with 60.33% of holiday searches occurring in December and an average monthly search volume of 2,245 per 100,000 residents. One of the state’s top trending searches is “gifts for mom,” with 6,946 searches on average.

Arizona places fifth, logging 60.11% of holiday-related searches in December, with a monthly average of 1,797 searches per 100,000 people. A notable search trend in Arizona is “gifts for women,” which gathered 5,667 average searches, indicating a desire to find thoughtful presents.

Rate of Last-Minute Christmas Shopping Searches

Search Volume for Last-Minute Christmas Shopping (Top 50 States)