Holiday shoppers weigh inflation impact as they plan for holiday gifts

印刷用画面を開く

Posted

Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. outlet / ˈaʊt lɛt / (n.) – a store that sells products, often from a particular brand, sometimes at lower prices
    Example:

    We visited a shoe outlet to buy discounted sneakers.


  2. divvy up / ˈdɪ vi ʌp / (phrasal v.) – to divide or share something among a group of people
    Example:

    Volunteers divvy up the food to give to people in the shelter.


  3. cut back / kʌt bæk / (phrasal v.) – to reduce the amount of something, especially spending, use, or consumption
    Example:

    The company is cutting back on travel expenses this year.


  4. nonessential / ˌnɒn əˈsɛn ʃəl / (adj.) – not necessary or needed
    Example:

    She removed nonessential items from her shopping list.


  5. willing / ˈwɪl ɪŋ / (adj.) – ready or happy to do something if needed
    Example:

    Volunteers are willing to give their time to help others.


Article

Read the text below.

Holiday shoppers in Nashville said they felt the pressure of higher prices in 2025 as they looked to buy gifts for their friends and family for the festive period.


At an outlet mall, residents looked for deals ahead of Christmas but also tried to spend wisely with an eye on the following year.


“When you’ve got a lot of people to buy presents for, you know, you kind of got to divvy up that budget,” said shopper Bennett Roach. “Everybody gets a little slice of the pie, but the pie, you know, is getting smaller and smaller every year.”


The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity, and holiday gifts in recent months, according to a survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.


Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they would normally.


“I used to get my hair done and my nails done, and I don’t do any really of that anymore,” said another shopper, Missy Hunt. “I started getting my nails done around my birthday, and that’s kind of like a special treat now. So those kind of things, I don’t really spend as much money on, like, makeup anymore.”


Hunt, who works in healthcare, said her concerns this holiday season are for others who are facing potential increased healthcare costs. “It’s one of those things where I hear so many stories about people who are about to be losing their healthcare,” said Hunt. “And, like, at a time like this, when I’m, like, not focused on that at all for myself, I know that’s what, like, the number one thing on a lot of people’s minds for 2026 and 27.”


For shoppers like Jackie Castro, she wanted her gifts to have an impact, so she was looking for brand-name deals. “I feel like if I know whoever I’m buying the gifts for is going to like it, then I’m willing to spend more and only buy one thing for them,” she said.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The article notes higher prices for groceries, electricity, and holiday gifts at the same time. How do rising daily costs affect how people feel about spending on gifts? Discuss.
  • Should holiday spending change when basic living costs increase? Why or why not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • How do you decide which expenses are most important when money is tight? Have you ever had to skip something you enjoy (ex. eating at a restaurant, getting nails done) to afford more important things? Discuss.
  • What things do you consider when buying gifts for others (ex. budget, recepient’s preference)? How can you make gifts meaningful without spending a lot of money? Discuss.