“We have all noticed inflation throughout the years but how will it affect this holiday season?” --Paloma bastos, 6th grade
Inflation has been affecting us for years, and with the holiday season officially approaching, prices have been skyrocketing. Lower-middle-class citizens have been concerned about cooking and holiday shopping, as it may be too “out of budget.”
Prices for Thanksgiving food have always been a concern for US citizens, who experience a rollercoaster each year. Surprisingly, an article from northjersey.com says, “Federation reported that the average cost of a holiday meal for 10 people in 2024 was $58.08, down by 5% from 2023 and a record-high of $64.06 in 2022.” This was a relief for families.
Most people associate turkey with Thanksgiving, and this year the cost of turkey went down by 3.9%. Meanwhile, chicken and beef went up in cost, showing more people choosing chicken and beef over turkey. Various vegetables also went up along with alcoholic beverages like whiskey, while beer went down.
Poultry and anything that are food products from a bird have gone down because of fewer cases of Avian Influenza or bird flu, which has been raising poultry prices for a while now. Inflation, in general, went up by 2.6%, which is more in the normal range. Although it seems inflation is easing, U.S. food prices have risen by 25% between 2019 and 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But what about the inflation during Christmas? Everyone who celebrates, loves Christmas, because of gifts from family and friends. But some stores are ready to take your money with their insane prices. Parents are trying their best to get what their children want for Christmas, but with inflation, they have to choose between gifts or gas for their car.
An article by USA Today says, “Still, the National Retail Federation said holiday spending is expected to grow this year, up between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023. Consumers are expected to spend between $979.5 billion and $989 billion in total holiday spending in November and December, up from $955.6 billion during the same time frame last year,” Which isn't surprising. Despite the sales and Black Friday, it just makes consumers buy more.
In 2023, holiday retail sales were projected to have reached highs of 957 billion U.S. dollars, and with inflation rising to around 5.4%, we can only imagine the prices people will be reaching to buy loved ones gifts. The United States is the 2nd country that spends the most money on holiday shopping, which shows what high peaks of price citizens would hit to buy gifts.
Inflation this holiday season has been affecting many people, but here are some words from a fellow OSA parent who has been fighting inflation. Francisca Cazares, a single mom with two kids (one of them being me), has some ways to save money and opinions regarding this gift-giving season.
Inflation has been affecting people's ability to give gifts. Cazares says, “When everything costs more, it leaves less money for discretionary spending. And that means that there is less to buy gifts.”
Cazares agrees with how dramatic of a change has swooshed the U. S. regarding prices. Cazares says, “Over the years, the cost of everything has increased dramatically, whether it be food, housing, clothing, and other necessities, or for things like healthcare (my premiums went up significantly last year, and will go up again for 2025).... Any increase we receive in salary amounts to a pay cut when we have to pay more for insurance AND basic necessities.”
Inflation is not the only concerning thing, as we know the president-elect Donald Trump will make inflation worse with the increase in tariffs his administration is planning on doing, prices will reach heights we have never seen before, Cazares says on this topic “If the incoming administration gets its way, we will end up with a shortage of agricultural workers on top of tariffs for many imported goods. This includes both shortages of and higher costs for fruits and vegetables too, not just electronics, autos, etc. We have not seen the worst yet.”
Cazares has some tips for saving money “I try to shop in bulk only for items that will be used/consumed. I stock up on shelf-stable items when they are on sale. I try to limit eating out. To address long-term savings, I always put extra into my pre-tax retirement accounts. This means I get taxed less on my paychecks and will have more I can spend now while also saving for the future.”
As you can see, many citizens are struggling with their traditional “big dinners and gift-giving” because of the inflation that's been going on since 2020. Many people have been suffering from financial issues, and with the increase in tariffs for imported goods the Trump administration is planning, prices will most definitely rise once we transition into 2025.
And although inflation has taken a toll on our economy, there are many ways to save money. Whether that be handmade things, shopping on sales, or investing, during times like these, you might find yourself having to think outside of the box.
Prices for Thanksgiving food have always been a concern for US citizens, who experience a rollercoaster each year. Surprisingly, an article from northjersey.com says, “Federation reported that the average cost of a holiday meal for 10 people in 2024 was $58.08, down by 5% from 2023 and a record-high of $64.06 in 2022.” This was a relief for families.
Most people associate turkey with Thanksgiving, and this year the cost of turkey went down by 3.9%. Meanwhile, chicken and beef went up in cost, showing more people choosing chicken and beef over turkey. Various vegetables also went up along with alcoholic beverages like whiskey, while beer went down.
Poultry and anything that are food products from a bird have gone down because of fewer cases of Avian Influenza or bird flu, which has been raising poultry prices for a while now. Inflation, in general, went up by 2.6%, which is more in the normal range. Although it seems inflation is easing, U.S. food prices have risen by 25% between 2019 and 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But what about the inflation during Christmas? Everyone who celebrates, loves Christmas, because of gifts from family and friends. But some stores are ready to take your money with their insane prices. Parents are trying their best to get what their children want for Christmas, but with inflation, they have to choose between gifts or gas for their car.
An article by USA Today says, “Still, the National Retail Federation said holiday spending is expected to grow this year, up between 2.5% and 3.5% over 2023. Consumers are expected to spend between $979.5 billion and $989 billion in total holiday spending in November and December, up from $955.6 billion during the same time frame last year,” Which isn't surprising. Despite the sales and Black Friday, it just makes consumers buy more.
In 2023, holiday retail sales were projected to have reached highs of 957 billion U.S. dollars, and with inflation rising to around 5.4%, we can only imagine the prices people will be reaching to buy loved ones gifts. The United States is the 2nd country that spends the most money on holiday shopping, which shows what high peaks of price citizens would hit to buy gifts.
Inflation this holiday season has been affecting many people, but here are some words from a fellow OSA parent who has been fighting inflation. Francisca Cazares, a single mom with two kids (one of them being me), has some ways to save money and opinions regarding this gift-giving season.
Inflation has been affecting people's ability to give gifts. Cazares says, “When everything costs more, it leaves less money for discretionary spending. And that means that there is less to buy gifts.”
Cazares agrees with how dramatic of a change has swooshed the U. S. regarding prices. Cazares says, “Over the years, the cost of everything has increased dramatically, whether it be food, housing, clothing, and other necessities, or for things like healthcare (my premiums went up significantly last year, and will go up again for 2025).... Any increase we receive in salary amounts to a pay cut when we have to pay more for insurance AND basic necessities.”
Inflation is not the only concerning thing, as we know the president-elect Donald Trump will make inflation worse with the increase in tariffs his administration is planning on doing, prices will reach heights we have never seen before, Cazares says on this topic “If the incoming administration gets its way, we will end up with a shortage of agricultural workers on top of tariffs for many imported goods. This includes both shortages of and higher costs for fruits and vegetables too, not just electronics, autos, etc. We have not seen the worst yet.”
Cazares has some tips for saving money “I try to shop in bulk only for items that will be used/consumed. I stock up on shelf-stable items when they are on sale. I try to limit eating out. To address long-term savings, I always put extra into my pre-tax retirement accounts. This means I get taxed less on my paychecks and will have more I can spend now while also saving for the future.”
As you can see, many citizens are struggling with their traditional “big dinners and gift-giving” because of the inflation that's been going on since 2020. Many people have been suffering from financial issues, and with the increase in tariffs for imported goods the Trump administration is planning, prices will most definitely rise once we transition into 2025.
And although inflation has taken a toll on our economy, there are many ways to save money. Whether that be handmade things, shopping on sales, or investing, during times like these, you might find yourself having to think outside of the box.
