Survey: Self-gifting a burgeoning trend, especially among men

SARATOGA, Calif. — Men have become significant players participating in a self-gifting trend, according to a survey released Wednesday by Roku. When it comes to self-gifting, men are most likely to hide their gift (43% more likely than women), claim it’s from someone else (150% more likely) or even create an imaginary friend (118% more likely) rather than own up to the purchase, according to the survey conducted by Omnipulse on behalf of Roku. 

The National Retail Federation estimates that more than 50% of holiday shoppers plan to spend an average of nearly $130 on “self gifts."

Midwesterners lead the charge of self-gifting with 47% planning to self-gift vs. only 40% of those in the Northeast. Midwesterners are also 85% more likely to hide their self gift than Northeasterners. 

Self-gifters are even wrapping their gifts and waiting till the holidays to open those gifts. As many as 25% of Southerners choose to wait until the actual holiday to open their self gift vs. just 16% of Northeasterners. To further add to that holiday spirit, Southerners are 40% more likely to wrap their self gift than the more practical residents of the Northeast.