The holiday season is a time for gathering and celebrating with friends and family, gift-giving, reflection and thanks. To commemorate this time of year, the U.S. Census Bureau presents the following holiday-related facts and figures from its collection of statistics.
Rush to the stores
$27.2 billion
Retail sales by the nation’s department stores (including leased departments) in December 2010. This represented a 44 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many holiday-related, registered $18.8 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year was as large.
Leased departments are separately owned businesses operated as departments or concessions of other service establishments or of retail businesses, such as a beauty shop in a department store.
Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2010 were clothing stores (33 percent); radio, TV and other electronics stores (44 percent); sporting goods stores (58 percent); bookstores (92 percent); and jewelry stores (113 percent).
14 percent
The percentage of total 2010 sales for department stores (including leased departments) in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 20 percent.
24 percent
The growth in inventories by the nation’s department stores (excluding leased departments) from Aug. 31-Nov. 30, 2010. Thanks to the holiday crowds, inventories plummeted by 22 percent in December.
$34 billion
Value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2010, the highest total for any month last year.
21,891
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in 2009. These businesses, which employed 320,721 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts.
Choices of retail establishments abound: In 2009, there were 150,205 clothing and clothing accessories stores; 8,663 department; 8,424 hobby, toy and game shops; 27,738 gift, novelty and souvenir shops; 21,628 sporting goods stores; 24,973 jewelry stores; and 9,390 bookstores across the nation. The figures shown are for locations with paid employees and do not include non-employer firms or firms with no paid employees.
Christmas trees and decorations
$983 million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January-September. China was the leading country of origin for such items. Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmas trees shipped to the United States ($79.7 million worth) during the same period.
Where the toys are made
88
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2009. California led the nation with 15 locations.
579
The number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children’s vehicles in 2009; they employed 7,858 workers. California led the nation with 98 establishments.
$2.5 billion
The value of U.S. toy imports including stuffed toys (including dolls), puzzles and electric trains from China between January-September. China was the leading country of origin for stuffed toys coming into the United States, as well as for a number of other popular holiday gifts. These include roller-skates ($24.6 million), sports footwear ($253.8 million) and basketballs ($38.9 million). China leads Thailand as the leading supplier of ice skates ($17.7 million versus $9.8 million), with Canada ranking third ($4.2 million).
Holiday names
Place names associated with the holiday season include North Pole, Alaska (population 2,117); Santa Claus, Ind. (2,481); Santa Claus, Ga. (165); Noel, Mo. (1,832); and, if you know about reindeer, the village of Rudolph, Wis. (439) and Dasher, Ga. (912). There is Snowflake, Ariz. (5,590) and a dozen places named Holly, including Holly Springs, Miss. (7,699) and Mount Holly, N.C. (13,656).
Hanukkah and Kwanzaa
50 percent
Proportion of the nation’s spuds produced in Idaho and Washington in 2010. Potato latkes are always a crowd pleaser during Hanukkah.
$1.5 billion
The value of product shipments of candles in 2009 by the nation’s manufacturers. Many of these candles are lit during Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations.
New Year’s Eve and Day More than 312 million
The nation’s projected population as we ring in the New Year.