Winter Holidays by the Numbers
From the
U.S. Census Bureau
It's in the Mail
20 billion
Number of letters, packages, and cards the U.S. Postal Service delivered
between Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2006. The busiest mailing day last
year was Dec. 18, with more than twice as many cards and letters being
processed as the average on any given day.
12
million Number of packages delivered by the U.S. Postal
Service every day during the holiday season last year through Christmas Eve.
The busiest delivery day: Dec. 20.
Rush to the Stores
$31.4 billion
Retail sales by the nation’s
department stores (including leased departments) in December 2006. This
represented a 44% jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many
holiday-related, registered $21.8 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 2006
were book stores (86%); clothing stores (49%); jewelry stores (155%); radio,
TV, and other electronics stores (60%); and sporting goods stores (65%).
14%
The proportion of total 2006 sales for
department stores (including leased departments) in December. For jewelry
stores, the percentage was 22%.
28%
The
proportion of growth in inventories by our nation’s department stores
(excluding leased departments) through Aug. 31 to Nov. 30, 2006. Thanks to
the holiday crowds, inventories plummeted by 23% in December.
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 shoe-shine 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.
1.7
million
The number of people employed at department stores in
December 2006. Retail employment typically swells during the holiday season,
last year rising by an estimated 40,600 from November and 174,700 from
October.
$21 billion
Value of retail sales by
electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2006—the highest
total for any month last year.
$35.3 billion
The value of total retail e-commerce sales for the fourth quarter of 2006.
This amount represented 3.4% of total retail sales during the period and
exceeded e-commerce sales for all other quarters of the year. E-commerce
sales were up 24% from the fourth quarter of 2005.
15,924
The number of electronic shopping and
mail-order houses in business in 2005. These businesses, which employed
253,677 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts. Their sales: $162
billion, of which 40.5% were attributable to e-commerce. California led the
nation in the number of these establishments and their employees, with 2,383
and 30,800, respectively.
If you’re not sure where to do your
shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2005, there were
150,580 clothing and clothing accessories stores; 9,589 department stores;
9,612 hobby, toy, and game shops; 33,238 gift, novelty, and souvenir shops;
23,195 sporting goods stores; 29,624 jewelry stores; and 11,077 book stores
across the nation. The figures shown are for locations with paid
employees.
48,695
The number of malls and
shopping centers dotting the U.S. landscape as of 2005, a total that
increased by approximately 12,000 since 1990.
Christmas Trees and
Decorations
$512 million
The gross earnings
of Christmas tree farmers in 2006, with North Carolina ($134 million) as the
top producer. Oregon was next at $121 million in sales.
$249
million
Christmas tree sales of the 17 surveyed states in
2006, with Oregon as the top seller. Note that only growers with at least
$10,000 in annual sales were surveyed.
$142.6
million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments
from China between January and June 2007. 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 ($13.4 million
worth) during the same period.
Where the Toys are ... Made
104
Number of establishments around the country
that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2005; they employed
2,480 people. California led the nation with 18 locations.
707
The number of locations that primarily
produced games, toys, and children’s vehicles in 2005; they employed
15,381 workers. California led the nation with 115 establishments.
$3.3 billion
Total value of shipments for dolls,
toys and games by manufacturers in 2005.
$3.3
billion
The value of U.S. toy imports including stuffed toys
(excluding dolls), puzzles and electric trains from China between January
and June 2007. 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 ($79 million), sports footwear ($193
million), golf equipment ($36 million), and basketballs ($23 million). China
leads Canada as the leading supplier of ice skates ($6.6 million versus $3.8
million), with Thailand ranking third ($2.8 million).
Holiday
Names
Places whose names are associated with the holiday season
include North Pole, Alaska (population 1,828 in 2006); Santa Claus, Ind.
(2,324); Santa Claus, Ga. (245); Noel, Mo. (1,555); and—if you know
about reindeer—the village of Rudolph, Wis. (419) and Dasher, Ga.
(803). There is Snowflake, Ariz. (5,157) and a dozen places named Holly,
including Holly Springs, Miss., and Mount Holly, N.C.
Hanukkah and
Kwanzaa
Nearly one-half
Proportion of the
nation’s spuds produced in Idaho and Washington in 2006. Potato latkes
are always a crowd pleaser during Hanukkah.
$1.3
billion
The value of product shipments of candles in 2002 by
the nation’s manufacturers. Many of these candles are lit during
Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebrations.
$161 million
The value of product shipments of candles in 2002 by manufacturers in Texas.
The Lone Star State led the country in candle shipments.
New
Year’s Eve and Day
73,685
The estimated
July 1, 2006, population of Champaign, Ill., a place whose name alone may
get you into a celebratory mood.
$475 million
U.S. manufacturers shipments of effervescent wines (including sparkling
wines, such as champagne) in 2002.
More than 303
million
The nation’s projected population as we ring in
the New Year. This compares with fewer than 175 million 50 years earlier
(1958) and less than 90 million a century earlier (1908).
Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
