Spending $1K for presents, saving postage by using Evite and other holiday trends that will surprise you

It’s apparently both the best and worst of times, in a very Dickensian way, since several recently-released studies show that we’re ready to drop a cool $1,000 on Christmas presents, but are not likely to spend money on paper invitations for holiday parties.

A penny wise or a pound foolish? You be the judge. While you contemplate that cosmic question, take note that this year’s shopping trends are skewing widely different than in years past. It’s not so easy to point to the hottest toy or the sexiest gym shoes, but it is very easy to point to shoppers who want the very best deal – be it in a brick and mortal store or online. Those same savvy shoppers are also more likely to be on a budget and to be looking for an all-inclusive retailer that sells everything, according to Forbes.

That said, if you must get specific, then electronics, gift cards, books and apparel top the list of must-give and must-wants, according to Discover’s annual holiday survey. Also, the idea of gifting a vacation, a concert or an outing (known as “experience gifting”) is a hot item for this year if you can afford it.

In terms of eating on Thanksgiving, perhaps “Friendsgiving” will give you an alternative manner in which to see all your compadres. This event, which according to Evite is trending, is held somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas so that the main holiday is reserved for family while the days between can be reserved for friends. For these parties (and for Turkey Day in general,) the decor du jour is au natural: wooden boxes filled with rosemary, oregano and thyme. The idea being that you can eventually cook and eat your centerpiece.

Still, of those that host a holiday affair, some 21 percent plan to offer small bites rather than a full meal and 24 percent will use Evite rather than paper invitations. The saved postage might help the 41 percent who told Discover they are planning to spend between $100 and $300 on their home party. It’s no secret that the shopping season has started earlier, and we’ve even given you tips (via this blog) for your Thanksgiving dinner countdown. Savvy shoppers will compare prices for everything from food to toys, and 39% told Accenture (in yet another national shopping survey) that if they find that an already-purchased item is cheaper elsewhere, they will return and repurchase the item.

Sounds like a good move to us.

For Thanksgiving countdown tips, click here. And for ideas from my daily gift guide read here.