Holiday poll shows Americans cutting back spending, but not cutting out the Christmas cookies

new poll from Monmouth University shows that Americans are tightening their belts this holiday season thanks to inflation.

The poll of more than 800 people shows 55% of Americans plan on spending less on gifts this holiday season. That’s up from 46% who said the same last year and 40% in 2021.

All demographic groups say they’re spending less, but it’s more acute the less money you make, logically, with those making under $50,000 spending far less.

Sixty-seven percent of this lower income group have cut back this year; just under half (48%) of those in that group said the same in 2022.

“There is greater pessimism on the holiday gift-giving front,” notes Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

“The rate of inflation may be slowing but the damage has been done after a long stretch of rising prices,” he adds. He suggests many factors could be putting the pinch on our finances, including people’s post-pandemic spending habits “catching up with them.” 

The poll did look into some lighter news, however. Apparently we see no need to cut back on Christmas activities: 76% say they’re participating in the holidays this year, including 75% who say they’re decorating their homes, and 69% who say they’re making Christmas candy, cookies or desserts.

On the latter, frosted sugar cookies were dubbed the season’s most popular by far, with 32% of those polled calling them their favorites. A distant second at 12% were gingerbread cookies; 11% favored chocolate chip cookies around the holidays. 

Snickerdoodles came in fourth place, with butter cookies, peanut butter cookies and chocolate cookies in a three-way tie to round out the top five.

Survey questions, methodology and results have not been verified or endorsed by ABC News or The Walt Disney Company.