Americans plan to spend $29.9 billion on gift cards this holiday season, up from $27.6 billion last year, according to new survey results published by the National Retail Federation. Shoppers plan to purchase an average of four gift cards, worth approximately $49 each, according to the survey. The most popular gift cards are those for restaurants (purchased by 36 percent of buyers), department stores (32 percent), coffee shops (22 percent) and entertainment venues and outlets (17 percent).