How COVID-19 is shaping our holiday season

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    SCRANTON, PA (WNEP) — The celebrations will be smaller, the shopping will be mostly online, and the decorations are bigger and brighter.

That is according to a consumer expert who told Newswatch 16 a recent survey showed the health crisis has made this a season unlike any other.

“I think we’re going to see a year of Zoom holiday parties and I think that you know some people maybe will try to get-together in small microcosm groups. This is the year of the no holiday party,” said Stacy DeBroff of Influence Central.

Stacy DeBroff said to make up for that, folks seem to be going big when it comes to decorating their homes this holiday.

When it comes to gift-giving: she said there are new trends this season.

“I think we’re going to see gift-giving following this trend, do it yourself, home cooks, stay fit.”

DeBroff said more consumers plan to will spend less this year on gifts, many focusing on buying online and shipping those presents to loved ones.

“The number one place that consumers are saying that they are looking for gift giving and looking into shipping gifts giving that people are coming, is going to be on big retail sites like Walmart, Amazon, Target.”

DeBroff predicts some of these trends like more online shopping, smaller gatherings and more may be consumer trends that will continue even after this pandemic is over.

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