Donations as presents: is it good or bad gifting?

Holiday gifting can be stressful when you don’t know what to get someone. One alternative to the standard, physical gift is a charity donation in the recipient's name.

About three in five (58%) Americans say if someone gave them the gift of a donation made in their name, they would consider it a good gift.

Not all Americans would welcome the gift of donation, though. A quarter of Americans (23%) are neutral on whether the donation makes a good or bad gift – while one in twelve (8%) say it’s a bad idea.

Women (62%) are more likely to welcome a donation as a gift than men (54%).

Older Americans are more likely than young Americans to say a donation to charity is a good gift. Three in five Americans over the age of 55 (63%) say if someone gave them the gift of a donation in their name, they would consider it a good gift, while just 49% of 18-to 24-year-olds say the same.

Feelings about donations as gifts even differ based on political party. Democrats (66%) are more likely than Republicans (57%) and Independents (52%) to say a donation in their name would be a good gift.

See the topline results from this YouGov Poll

Methodology: Total sample size was 12,929 US Adults aged 18+ weighted to provide a representative sample of the United States. Participants were asked, “If someone gave you the gift of a donation in your name to a charity that they selected, would you consider that a good or bad gift?" Response options were: "Good,” “Neither good nor bad,” and “Bad.” The survey was conducted December 3 – 4, 2020.

Image: Getty