Originally Posted On: https://www.freshbuck.com/save-money/easter-shopping-trends-2025/

Easter Shopping Trends for 2025: How Much Americans Are Spending to Celebrate the Easter Bunny’s Return

Inflation-proof your festivities

Easter is shaping up to be big this year — bigger baskets, bigger spending, and, unfortunately, bigger price tags. With egg prices up 41%, food inflation still nibbling away at budgets, and Easter arriving later than usual, 2025 is rewriting the rules on how Americans celebrate.

Some families are ditching dyed eggs altogether (do kids even eat hardboiled eggs?), while others are rethinking their Easter baskets to include fewer sugar crashes and more practical consumer goods.

Meanwhile, retail spending is set to be a record-breaking year, and clothing sales — yes, even the dreaded Easter church outfits — are at their highest in a decade.

From budget-friendly basket fillers to the top Easter shopping trends, here’s what’s shaping the holiday this year.

How inflation & high egg prices are changing the Easter Bunny’s spending 

Egg prices are insane. With bird flu shortages, rising production costs, and egg theft, U.S. egg prices have skyrocketed 41% in 2025. As a result, many families are rethinking their traditional Easter spending. Many shoppers are nixing quiches and egg bakes from their brunch menus, and skipping Easter egg hunts and egg-laden baskets.

My kids have always enjoyed an egg-less Easter. Nobody eats hardboiled eggs at our house, so buying eggs to color would be a waste. And springtime in Minnesota could mean hunting for neon eggs in the snow and sleet — no thanks.

This means 2025 could be our year, as retailers are expanding their non-candy, non-egg offerings and offering families affordable, fun Easter goodies that don’t rely on overpriced eggs — real or otherwise.

Easter 2025 spending is up 

Looking for a spike in spending for Easter 2025. Last year’s Easter saw record-breaking sales totalling $17.3 billion, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Those celebrating spent an average of $146 per person. This year, the NRF projects $18.4 billion in retail sales and an average spend of $153 per person.

Inflation and holiday placement are the two main drivers of extra spending. Food prices are up 2% now versus 12 months ago, but prices for eggs, poultry, and meat have risen even more significantly (BLS).

Additionally, Easter comes late this year.

“Most consumers have almost an entire extra month to shop for Easter this year, and by the time the holiday comes the weather should be significantly warmer than last Easter,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “That should put shoppers in the frame of mind to splurge on spring apparel.”

Items where consumers are spending money for Easter 

According to the NRF survey, here’s how much consumers spend across different categories:

• $5.8 billion on food
• $3.3 billion on clothing
• $2.9 billion on gifts
• $1.2 billion on flowers
• $1.1 billion on decorations
• $788 million on greeting cards

And here’s how many Easter  consumers buy goods from each of these categories:

• Food: 87%
• Clothing: 50%
• Gifts: 61%
• Candy: 89%
• Flowers: 49%
• Decorations: 43%
• Greeting cards: 48%

Clothing spending is the highest it’s been in a decade 

The 50% of consumers planning to buy clothing is up from 45% last year — and the highest level it’s reached in a decade. The expected $3.3 billion in apparel spend is up 9% from last year.

Where consumers are Easter shopping 

Discount stores lead the pack for retailers that consumers will frequent.

• 58% of consumers will shop at discount stores like Walmart, Target, and dollar stores
• 46% will go to department stores
• 26% will shop at local businesses

Online Easter shopping is up 

According to the NRF, 27% of Easter shoppers will shop online. While the figure may seem low, it’s a 29% rise from last year when only 21% of consumers made online Easter purchases.

Additionally, 28% of smartphone owners will research Easter-themed products on their mobile devices and 18% will use their phones to make a purchase. Among smartphone shoppers, half of them, or 9% of all Easter shoppers, will use mobile apps to purchase products or do product research.

How consumers are celebrating Easter this year 

Survey research finds that Easter revelers plan to celebrate the holiday in many different ways:

• 61% will visit family and friends
• 57% will cook an Easter-themed meal
• 52% will go to church
• 35% will have an Easter egg hunt
• 17% will go to a restaurant
• 16% will open Easter  gifts
• 9% will head to movie theatres or shopping malls

What’s trending in Easter baskets this year?

Easter baskets are evolving. While plastic eggs and chocolate bunnies are still the backbone of many a basket, 2025 consumers are getting more creative — both to save money and to make Easter morning special.

Trending Easter basket ideas, based on consumer discussions, social media trends, and shameless tea-spilling with other moms.

• Reusable baskets: Beach bags, tote bags, and other reusables replacing Easter baskets.
• Mini baskets: Gifts for adults with spring-themed items and Easter candies.
• Bestie baskets: Baskets for your besties with self-care items and cosmetics.
• Budget baskets: Baskets built with gear from the Dollar Tree, Dollar Store, and Five Below.
• Prefilled eggs: Many parents are skipping the hassle of stuffing plastic eggs themselves.
• Dinosaur eggs: “Easter” eggs that hatch, hiding baby dinos inside.
• Sensory toys & Play-Doh kits: Especially popular for younger kids.
• Spring-themed books & puzzles: A longer-lasting alternative to candy overload.
• On-the-go-gear: Water bottles, Crocs, and rainboots.
• Barnyard chic: Metal buckets, wicker baskets, stuffed lambs, and other farmyard-vibe containers and toys.
• Double-duty buys: Kids have seasonal and year-round needs: sunscreen, bug spray, rain boots, underpants that fit. Instead of just buying these with the kids at the supermarket, the Easter Bunny is gifting these practical goods, but in spritely spring packaging.

Where to find the cheapest Easter basket stuffers

Retailers know parents are looking for deals, and some stores are better than others for budget-friendly fillers.

• Dollar Tree: A goldmine for cheap Easter grass, plastic eggs, and small toys.
• Walmart & Target: Best for multi-pack Easter candy deals, cute stuffies, and affordable spring apparel.
• Five Below: Great for trendy but inexpensive small gifts.
• Temu & Shein: Fast-growing options for ultra-cheap Easter basket fillers, but shipping times may be a gamble. Toy safety, especially for children under age 3, may be a concern.

Related: Best Alternatives to Shein for Affordable Shopping

Easter 2025 on a budget: Practical tips

Regardless of the holiday, nobody wants to be a Scrooge. And yet, there’s no need to go overboard either or spend money that you don’t have. Especially if you’re among the 52% of Americans who celebrate the holiday for spiritual reasons.

Here are some tips to keep the Easter Bunny from blowing its budget at your house:

• Make a list, check it twice. Compare grocery prices across multiple supermarkets and base your meal around what’s a bargain price.
• Think outside of the basket: If you’re going to be gifting baskets, think about things that your kids need that you were going to buy anyway: Everything looks better with a bow on it. Also stickers, mini crafts, and $1 packs of colored pencils can be just as thrilling as candy.
• Shop early and compare prices. In searching for dino-hatching eggs, I’ve noticed the price can range from $6.99 to $19.49 per unit — that’s a huge spread. Of course, the retailers selling them for $6.99 charge for shipping and have little else I want to buy.
• Ditch the baskets. Use a tote bag or a lunchbox. You can use what you have, no need to buy new.
• Don’t fall into the bulk-buy trap. Is it cheaper per unit to buy a 20-pack of Reese’s peanut butter eggs instead of a single? Sure. But if you only need two, one for each basket, why buy the other 18?

Americans are going big for Easter this year 

No matter how you celebrate the holiday, Americans are going big for Easter in 2025.

Retailers are ready to cash in, but that doesn’t mean you have to overspend. Smart shoppers are finding ways to cut costs without cutting the fun, from budget-friendly Easter baskets to smarter meal planning. Because at the end of the day, for most U.S. families, Easter is all about togetherness, food, and springtime. And also securing the best candy deals before they’re picked clean.

Other trending reads

• Easter basket spending in 2025: How much is the average family shelling out, per basket?
• The Easter Bunny may be in cahoots with the Tooth Fairy. Do you know how much money the Tooth Fairy is dishing out in every state?
• An AARP membership as an Easter basket stuffer? Maybe! Throngs of Millennials and Gen Z young’uns are joining the senior club in bulk.