NEW YORK- A new Siena Research Institute survey shows that Thanksgiving remains a major tradition across New York State, with 92 percent of residents planning to celebrate the holiday. Of those, 40 percent expect to travel to visit friends or family—mostly within the U.S.—and nearly all travelers say they feel confident their trips will go smoothly.
Shopping and football also top the list of holiday activities. More than half of New Yorkers say they’ll shop for gifts over Thanksgiving weekend, and 55 percent of those celebrating expect to tune in to football games. A growing Thanksgiving trend may be emerging as well: one in three football viewers say they plan to place at least one online bet on an NFL game. That figure jumps even higher among men, younger residents, and households earning over $100,000.
Holiday spending remains a concern for many. While 47 percent of residents say they set a specific holiday budget, most do not with over half of those surveyed planning to shop for gifts during Black Friday or Cyber Monday, and most expect to spend the same or less than last year. Still, a quarter say they’ll spend more, with many citing rising prices. One in four New Yorkers also say they’ll use an AI chatbot to help come up with gift ideas or organize their shopping.
About half of residents plan to spend under $500 on gifts, and most will spend under $500 on holiday meals. Online shopping remains popular, though slightly less so than last year and while 78 percent of New Yorkers say they’ll pay off their holiday bills immediately, 20 percent plan to carry payments into 2026. Overall, 58 percent say holiday spending will have a serious impact on their financial situation.
Lower-income households face the heaviest strain with two-thirds of residents earning under $50,000 saying the holidays will seriously affect their finances, and many expecting to keep both gift and meal spending to a minimum. Nearly three in ten in this group say they will delay paying their bills into 2026.
Despite the financial stress, the institute notes that Thanksgiving continues to bring people together. “Whether you are traveling near, far, or not at all, the entire team at the Siena Research Institute wishes you a joyful, peaceful, and restorative Thanksgiving holiday,” said SRI Associate Director Travis Brodbeck.