✨ Sparkle season

Americans are on track to spend around $1 trillion this sparkle season across gifts, food, and décor. Prices remain higher than five years ago — especially household furnishings (+17%), food at home (+25.7%), and electricity (+35.9%).

The spirit of giving still shows up in the numbers: Empower research shows average gift spending at about $64 per person.

On the wish list front, a few standouts are lighting up Google* Search — movie projector searches are up 945% (home projectors +60%), kids’ scooters are up 50%, and queries for items like the retro drop-waist dress and backpack charm are at all-time highs.

— The Editors 

💰 HSA bump: Savers enrolled in a high-deductible health plan can contribute more to health savings accounts (HSAs) in 2026: $4,400 for individuals and $8,750 for families. Learn more about an HSA’s “triple tax advantage.”

🥩 Dinner winner: Sizzler has given nine of its 80* steakhouses a makeover during the past two years, and sales have heated up with a 47% increase (one location even hit 100%). The steak surge mirrors a trend in eating habits: An Empower study found that 36% of people pay extra at restaurants to boost protein in their meals, rising to 49% among younger consumers.

🎮 Gaming glow: Demand for Nintendo’s Switch 2 console has leveled up, with annual sales now projected at 19 million* units for the fiscal year ending March 2026, up from the previously expected 15 million. The company overall hit 90% revenue growth year-over-year, with profit up more than 270% in its most recent quarter. Sony also boosted its gaming division’s revenue forecast after hitting a milestone of 84.2 million* PlayStation 5 consoles sold since launch. Both systems are among the key spending drivers for this year’s holiday season.

🤝 Supercharged deal: Design software company Adobe is adding search engine marketing platform Semrush to its toolkit in a $1.9 billion* acquisition. Semrush shares surged 74% on the day of the news, which comes as people have changed their online habits to integrate artificial intelligence (AI). Empower findings show that close to half of Americans (47%) are more comfortable using AI in their financial lives compared to a year earlier.

Bling season

A dazzling ring could be unwrapped this season, as 47% of couples get engaged between November and February. The average engagement ring runs about $5,200, and Empower research shows that people expect to spend an average of $31,281 on a wedding. Long-term upsides after the wedding include the tax benefits of marriage.

Funding in a flash

America’s 36 million small businesses account for more than 43% of U.S. gross domestic product, though securing capital has been a sticking point. Only around 44% of small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) have access to external financing, such as bank loans and lines of credit.

Fintech firms have been bridging the gap to bring faster and more flexible credit options. Generating around 10-15% of small business loan dollar volume, these companies go beyond credit scores and collateral, tapping into SMBs’ sales data to better gauge demand cycles and adjusting credit offers with the help of AI and real-time analytics.

Keeping small businesses moving ahead can be essential during spending season: More than three in five (61%) shoppers prefer to buy gifts from small businesses for unique options, according to Empower research.

Sweet dreams

A Boston hotel has staged* a “Goodnight Room” — a two-bedroom suite modeled on the Great Green Room from the childhood book “Goodnight Moon” — with details like a working dollhouse, a red balloon, and a glowing LED fireplace.

The limited-run installation is scheduled through April 27, 2026. It reflects a broader shift in travel toward immersive experiences as hotels have seen more spending on higher-end stays. 

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