More than half of Americans will do anything to avoid gift-wrapping for the holidays

The worst part about the holidays isn’t the music, after all — it’s wrapping gifts and being a Secret Santa.

A survey of 2,000 Americans identified the worst part of the holiday season, which is wrapping gifts, according to 52% of respondents.

Nearly as many (51%) hate the task so much, they prefer having a professional wrap their gifts and will do anything to avoid wrapping. Half will go out of their way only to buy easy-to-wrap gifts.

The hardest gifts to wrap include bicycles (55%), gym equipment (46%), sporting balls (45%), guitars (45%) and candles (22%). More than half (59%) can tell what something is and who it’s from based on how it’s been wrapped.

The average person spends $56 on gift-wrapping materials for the holidays.

Commissioned by Slickdeals and conducted by OnePoll, the study found gift-wrapping costs are just a drop in the bucket on spending this year.

The average respondent plans to spend over $250 on the holidays this year —not including any potential travel costs.

People said they are willing to spend an average $61 extra on top of their regular holiday budget for exclusive holiday edition items like consumables, wearables, beauty products and more.

For holiday shoppers, the most anticipated items include new smartphones, laptops, TVs (43%), experiential gifts (42%), popular toys from the year (38%) and video game consoles (36%). Yet, a majority of shoppers have major concerns about finding the items they want this year.

More than half of respondents have concerns about product shortages (51%), shipping delays (56%) and rising costs (56%).

Kids may also contribute to holiday costs. Of the parents surveyed, they believe the average gift for kids should cost $89. Two in three parents (68%) even said their kids have an extensive holiday wish-list this year.

Some respondents shared what their kids want this holiday season, such as luxury cars, cows and other livestock animals, lightsabers, x-ray machines and “one hundred pancakes for breakfast.”

“This year brings unique challenges to the holiday shopping season,” said Pete King, deal expert for Slickdeals. “Supply chain issues are causing product shortages, shipping carriers have indicated it’s best to shop and ship earlier this year, so you don’t run into delays, and, similar to last year, Black Friday-style deals are being promoted throughout November. More than ever, it’s important to plan ahead, do your research and shop early.”

Aside from the holiday shopping stress, another disliked holiday tradition is Secret Santa, according to the findings.

Most respondents (79%) said they hate being roped into the exchange because they never know what to get their designated exchange-ee.

Nearly nine in 10 (87%) admitted they regift the items they’ve received from past Secret Santa exchanges.

According to respondents, some of the worst-received Secret Santa gifts include bars of soap, knock-off chia pets and random vegetables.

But that hasn’t stopped 37% of people who plan on participating in Secret Santa gift exchanges this year. Others are keeping tabs on their wallets when it’s time to shop for their Secret Santa.

More than four in five (86%) Secret Santa exchanges have spending limits, but 93% of participants look for sales that could help them save money. On average, Secret Santas spend $85 on their gifts.

“Whether shopping for traditional gifts or as a reluctant Secret Santa, doing your own research can get overwhelming,” added King. “Tapping into a community of savvy shoppers like ours is a great way to ensure you’re getting the best products at the best prices.”

THE MOST ANTICIPATED GIFTS OF 2021

New smartphones, laptops, TVs - 43%
Experiential gifts - 42%
Popular toys from the year - 38%
Video game consoles - 36%
Clothing - 32%
Board games - 31%
Kitchen appliances - 28%
Furniture - 26%
Fitness equipment - 22%
Self-care products - 19%