When struggling to feign interest in that unwanted gift this holiday season, take solace in knowing that most Americans are in the exact same position.
Almost three-quarters of Americans probably won’t like the gift they receive this holiday season, according to a survey from the Japan-based online retailer Rakuten. More than a third of respondents said they will regift unwanted gifts, another 27% will donate it to charity, and 14% will sell it.
And yet Americans are still stressing over what to buy (in fact, 45% of respondents said they find the holiday season stressful). According to the survey, they will spend an average of 14 hours shopping for gifts.
“The holiday season is a time to spend with family and loved ones,” George Chang, senior vice president at Rakuten.com, said in a statement. “Yet, we all spend too much time worrying whether we have bought the perfect gifts.”

Shopping Secrets Rakuten
- What a Photographer Saw in the West Bank
- Accenture’s Chief AI Officer on Why This Is a Defining Moment
- Inside COP28's Big 'Experiment'
- U.S. Doctors Can't Be Silent About Gaza: Column
- The Movie Wives Would Like a Word
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2023
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time