Happy Holidays: Here’s What Will Cost More This Year

Just in time for the holidays, inflation is driving prices through the roof everywhere, from the grocery store to the gas pump. According to the Labor Department, the Consumer Price Index jumped 6.2% from October 2020 to October 2021, the largest year-over-year increase since November 1990. The latest numbers break down these price increases in painful detail, and we've combed through them to find some of the most sobering. 

Related: Shortages That Could Make Your Holidays Way Less Merry

Often-ignored canned fruits and veggies get a chance to shine over the holidays, taking center stage in everything from casseroles to pumpkin pies. But these normally budget-friendly pantry staples will cost over 5% more than they did last year, largely thanks to the higher price of steel.

Related: Here's How Much More Groceries Cost at Kroger in 2021

Planning on sending packages to far-away friends and family this holiday? Prepare for sticker shock, with prices of both postage and package delivery up more than 7%.

Related: Why Stamp Prices Keep Rising

If you're going to put something sparkly under the tree, prepare to pay more. Prices are up more than 7%, much of that thanks to a one-two punch from pandemic-related shortages and pent-up demand. 

Related: Things That Aren't Worth Buying on Black Friday

Even writing a heartfelt Christmas card and wrapping up all those presents will be more of a budget buster this year, with prices up more than 8%.

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Technology is always a hot category over the holidays, but those deals might not be quite as smokin' this year. A shortage of microchips has snowballed since the pandemic shut down overseas factories, and it's affecting everything from laptops to voice assistants.

Related: Smart Home Products That Are Worth the Money

This popular gift category includes one of the most classic Christmas presents of all time: A shiny new bike. Unfortunately, things haven't gotten much better since the pandemic spurred bike shortages. If you've promised someone a new set of wheels for Christmas, find them now — and know you'll be spending more.

Related: Things We Stopped Taking For Granted During the Pandemic

Getting all dressed up for that company holiday party or new family photo? You might want to see if you’ve already got something in the closet that will fit the bill. Men, the news isn’t any better for you: The cost of suits and sport coats is up 9.3%

Will those Black Friday TV deals be quite as compelling this year? We think not. Only time will tell, but the microchip shortage has driven up the price of televisions, too.

Related: Black Friday Preview: The Biggest Deals We’re Anticipating This Year

This typically cheap refrigerator staple is among the most notable grocery-store pain points, and if you’re planning to make a lot of Christmas cookies, you’ll definitely notice. Part of the problem: the high cost of chicken feed, plus severe weather that ravaged big egg-producing areas earlier this year.

Related: Is Raising Chickens Cheaper Than Buying Eggs?

Unless you’re vegetarian, those traditional holiday meals are going to cost a lot more, driven by the (much) higher price of meat. And it's not just the turkeys, hams, and roasts. If you love a big holiday breakfast, be warned: The bacon that usually goes with those eggs will cost an eye-popping 20.2% more.

Related: The Price of Bacon the Year You Were Born

Whether you want to spruce up the living room ahead of a big gathering or outfit your bed in cozy flannel sheets, it will cost you. And thanks to supply-chain disruptions at just about every turn of the furniture business, you might not get any furniture orders until long after the holidays.

If those holiday discounts on appliances don’t seem quite so compelling this year, there’s a good reason. The cost of major appliances is up 6% across the board, but laundry equipment is particularly pricey. The usual suspects are driving the increase, including labor and materials shortages, factory shutdowns, transportation snags, and pent-up demand.

Related: How to Make Sure Your Appliances Don't Fail When You Can't Get Them Repaired

It's never been cheap to stay at a hotel or rent a crash pad for a much-needed vacation, but here’s some bad news for holiday travelers. The hospitality industry has been slammed by plenty of pandemic-related forces, and it's still reeling from a massive decline in business travelers even as leisure travel bounces back.

The holidays aren’t much fun if you can’t stay warm and keep the lights on, so prepare for your utility bills to eat into your gift budget this year. The cost of electricity is up 6.5%, but that’s the very least of it. Piped gas costs 28.1% more; propane, kerosene, and firewood cost 34.7% more; and fuel oil is a painful 59.1% more.

While rental cars aren't as hard to find as they were earlier this year, prices remain very high compared with last year — bad news for anyone who is traveling over the holidays. Experts also say they're likely to stay that way, as holiday travel increases demand while the microchip shortage continues to squeeze vehicle supply. 

Unfortunately, even if you’re using your own wheels to head to those holiday shindigs, filling up the gas tank will be a sobering experience. Gas prices are at a seven-year high, with Californians paying a painful $4.62 a gallon, on average. Hurricanes and supply-chain issues have driven up prices, and experts say relief is unlikely any time soon.

Related: The Cost of Gas the Year You Were Born