The 2010 Holiday Season

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 data collection.

Rush to the Stores

$27.4 billion
Retail sales by the nation’s department stores (including leased
departments) in December 2009. This represented a 45 percent jump from the
previous month (when retail sales, many holiday-related, registered $18.9
billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last
year was as large.

Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and
December 2009 were book stores (98 percent); clothing stores (36 percent);
jewelry stores (135 percent); radio, TV and other electronics stores (42
percent); and sporting goods stores (71 percent).
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>

14%
The percentage of total 2009 sales for department stores (including leased
departments) in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 21
percent.
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>

21%
The growth in inventories by our nation’s department stores (excluding
leased departments) from Aug. 31 to Nov. 30, 2009. Thanks to the holiday
crowds, inventories plummeted by 23 percent in December. Source: Service
Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>
Note: Leased departments are separately owned businesses operated as
departments or concessions of other service establishments or of retail
businesses, such as a separately owned shoeshine parlor in a barber shop,
or a beauty shop in a department store. Also, retail sales estimates have
not been adjusted to account for seasonal or pricing variations.

$30 billion
Value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses in
December 2009 — the highest total for any month last year.
Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/retail>

21,895
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in
2008. These businesses, which employed 332,405 workers, are a popular
source of holiday gifts.

If you’re not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail
establishments abound: In 2008, there were 155,578 clothing and clothing
accessories stores; 8,813 department stores; 9,211 hobby, toy and game
shops; 29,390 gift, novelty and souvenir shops; 22,116 sporting goods
stores; 26,683 jewelry stores; and 9,708 book stores across the nation. The
figures shown are for locations with paid employees.
Source: County Business Patterns <http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html
>

Christmas Trees and Decorations

$488.5 million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between
January and August 2010. 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 ($28.2 million worth) during
the same period. Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Where the Toys are … Made

98
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured
dolls and stuffed toys in 2008. California led the nation with 18
locations.
Source: County Business Patterns <http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html
>

614
The number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children’s
vehicles in 2008; they employed 9,163 workers. California led the nation
with 99 establishments. Source: County Business Patterns <
http://www.census.gov/econ/cbp/index.html>

$5.1 billion
The value of U.S. toy imports including stuffed toys (including dolls),
puzzles and electric trains from China between January and August 2010.
China was the leading country of origin for stuffed toys coming into this
country, as well as for a number of other popular holiday gifts. These
include roller skates
($37 million), sports footwear ($218 million) and basketballs ($32
million). China leads Thailand as the leading supplier of ice skates ($9
million versus
$6 million), with Canada ranking third ($4 million).
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Holiday Names

Place names associated with the holiday season include North Pole, Alaska
(population 2,226 in 2009); Santa Claus, Ind. (2,303); Santa Claus, Ga.
(247); Noel, Mo. (1,615); and — if you know about reindeer — the village
of Rudolph, Wis. (418) and Dasher, Ga. (821). There is Snowflake, Ariz.
(5,686) and a dozen places named Holly, including Holly Springs, Miss., and
Mount Holly, N.C.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.html>

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

50.9%
Proportion of the nation’s spuds produced in Idaho and Washington in 2009.
Potato latkes are always a crowd pleaser during Hanukkah.
Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov/>

$1.2 billion
The value of product shipments of candles in 2008 by the nation’s
manufacturers. Many of these candles are lit during Hanukkah and Kwanzaa
celebrations.
Source: Annual Survey of Manufacturers <
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=EAS&_submenuId=&_lang=en&_ts=
>

New Year’s Eve and Day

More than 311 million
The nation’s projected population as we ring in the New Year.
Source: Population projections
<http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/2008projections.html>.