As Christmas approaches, families are scrambling to buy decorations, gifts, and food. On average, American households spend around $900 on Christmas, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). This could make Christmas the most expensive holiday of them all.  

   To begin, indoor holiday decorations can range greatly from a few dollars to hundreds, depending on size, material, and appearance. For example, Christmas tree ornaments, stockings, and table decorations can be purchased for only $1.50 at Dollar Tree, whereas Christmas trees themselves can cost as much as $400 at Lowe’s. 

   Continuously, outdoor decorations such as blow-up characters, signs, and door decor differ considerably. While door decorations like wreaths and stickers can also be found at Dollar Tree, blow-up characters cost $20 to $200 at Walmart, which is widely considered a store with lower prices than others.

   Decorations are just one part of the holiday itself. Food for gatherings is also a prominent part of Christmas and can be costly. Typical dishes in the United States include roasted meats, stuffing, casseroles, mashed potatoes, and pies for dessert. Altogether, this adds up to about $80 at Walmart.

   This does not include the typical stockings full of candy. Depending on the number of family members, candy can also add to the already-high expenses. With inflation, these costs are only increasing.

   According to the NRF, the most expensive of them all are gifts. They note that about $630 of the total budget is spent on gifts for family members, friends, and coworkers alone. This leaves just $270 for everything else Christmas-related.

   Compared to other holidays like Easter and Valentine’s Day, which are not typically considered expensive, Christmas requires a lot of preparation. This could place Christmas as one of the most expensive holidays.