It’s in the Mail

20 billion
Pieces of mail the U.S.Postal Service expects to deliver between Thanksgiving and Christmasthis year. The busiest mailing day is set for Dec. 17, as more thanthree times the average daily volume of cards and letters should bemailed (more than 275 million versus 82 million). <http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm>

Rush to the Stores

$31.4 billion
Retail sales by thenation’s department stores (including leased departments) in December2006. This represented a 44 percent jump from the previous month (whenretail sales, many holiday-related, registered $21.8 billion). No othermonth-to-month increase in department store sales last year was aslarge.

Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between Novemberand December 2006 were book stores (86 percent); clothing stores (49percent); jewelry stores (155 percent); radio, TV and other electronicsstores (60 percent); and sporting goods stores (65 percent). Source:Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

14 percent
The proportion oftotal 2006 sales for department stores (including leased departments)in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 22 percent. Source:Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

28 percent
The proportion of growth in inventories by our nation’s departmentstores (excluding leased departments) through Aug. 31 to Nov. 30, 2006.Thanks to the holiday crowds, inventories plummeted by 23 percent inDecember. Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

Note:Leased departments are separately owned businesses operated asdepartments or concessions of other service establishments or of retailbusinesses, such as a separately owned shoe-shine parlor in a barbershop, or a beauty shop in a department store. Also, retail salesestimates have not been adjusted to account for seasonal or pricingvariations.

1.7 million
Thenumber of people employed at department stores in December 2006. Retailemployment typically swells during the holiday season, last year risingby an estimated 40,600 from November and 174,700 from October. Source:Bureau of Labor Statistics <http://www.bls.gov>

$21 billion
Value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses inDecember 2006 — the highest total for any month last year. Source:Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

$35.3 billion
The value of total retail e-commerce sales for the fourth quarter of2006. This amount represented 3.4 percent of total retail sales duringthe period and exceeded e-commerce sales for all other quarters of theyear. E-commerce sales were up 24 percent from the fourth quarter of2005. Source: Service Sector Statistics <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/ecomm.html>

15,924
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in2005. These businesses, which employed 253,677 workers, are a popularsource of holiday gifts. Their sales: $162 billion, of which 40.5percent were attributable to e-commerce. California led the nation inthe number of these establishments and their employees, with 2,383 and30,800, respectively. Source: County Business Patterns
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/010192.html> and Annual Trade Survey <http://www.census.gov/eos/www/2005/table6.xls>[Excel]

Ifyou’re not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retailestablishments abound: In 2005, there were 150,580 clothing andclothing accessories stores; 9,589 department stores; 9,612 hobby, toyand game shops; 33,238 gift, novelty and souvenir shops; 23,195sporting goods stores; 29,624 jewelry stores; and 11,077 book storesacross the nation. The figures shown are for locations with paidemployees. Source: County Business Patterns <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/010192.html>

48,695
The number of malls and shopping centers dotting the U.S. landscape asof 2005, a total that increased by approximately 12,000 since 1990.
Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2007, Table 1035 <http://www.census.gov/prod/2006pubs/07statab/domtrade.pdf>

Christmas Trees and Decorations

$512 million
The gross earnings ofChristmas tree farmers in 2006, with North Carolina ($134 million) asthe top producer. Oregon was next at $121 million in sales. Source:USDA Economic Research Service <http://www.ers.usda.gov/data/FarmIncome/receipts/2000_06/CR0006US.xls>

$249 million
Christmas tree salesof the 17 surveyed states in 2006, with Oregon as the top seller. Notethat only growers with at least $10,000 in annual sales were surveyed.Source: USDA Floriculture and Nursery Corps Yearbook
<http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/flo/2007/09Sep/FLO2007.pdf>

$142.6 million
The value of U.S.imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and June2007. China was the leading country of origin for such items.Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmastrees shipped to the United States ($13.4 million worth) during thesame period.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Where the Toys are ... Made

104
Number of establishments aroundthe country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2005;they employed 2,480 people. California led the nation with 18locations. Source: County Business Patterns
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/010192.html>

707
The number of locations thatprimarily produced games, toys and children’s vehicles in 2005; theyemployed 15,381 workers. California led the nation with 115establishments. Source: County Business Patterns
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/county_business_patterns/010192.html>

$3.3 billion
Total value of shipments for dolls, toys and games by manufacturers in 2005. Source: Annual Survey of Manufacturers
<http://www.census.gov/mcd/asm-as2.html>

$3.3 billion
The value of U.S. toyimports including stuffed toys (excluding dolls), puzzles and electrictrains from China between January and June 2007. China was the leadingcountry of origin for stuffed toys coming into this country, as well asfor a number of other popular holiday gifts. These include rollerskates ($79 million), sports footwear ($193 million), golf equipment($36 million) and basketballs ($23 million). China leads Canada as theleading supplier of ice skates ($6.6 million versus $3.8 million), withThailand ranking third ($2.8 million). Source: Foreign Trade Statistics<http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Holiday Names

Places whose names are associated with the holiday season includeNorth Pole, Alaska (population 1,828 in 2006); Santa Claus, Ind.(2,324); Santa Claus, Ga. (245); Noel, Mo. (1,555); and — if you knowabout reindeer — the village of Rudolph, Wis. (419) and Dasher, Ga.(803). There is Snowflake, Ariz. (5,157) and a dozen places namedHolly, including Holly Springs, Miss., and Mount Holly, N.C. Source:Population estimates
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010315.html>

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

Nearly one-half
Proportion of thenation’s spuds produced in Idaho and Washington in 2006. Potato latkesare always a crowd pleaser during Hanukkah.
Source: National Agriculture Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov/>

$1.3 billion
Thevalue of product shipments of candles in 2002 by the nation’smanufacturers. Many of these candles are lit during Hanukkah andKwanzaa celebrations.
Source: 2002 Economic Census
<http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/SUBSUMM.HTM>

$161 million
Thevalue of product shipments of candles in 2002 by manufacturers inTexas. The Lone Star State led the country in candle shipments.
Source: 2002 Economic Census at <http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/SUBSUMM.HTM>

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.
Source: Population Estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010315.html>

$475 million
U.S. manufacturers shipments of effervescent wines (including sparkling wines, such as champagne) in 2002.
Source: 2002 Economic Census at <http://www.census.gov/econ/census02/guide/SUBSUMM.HTM>

More than 303 million
The nation’sprojected population as we ring in the New Year. This compares withfewer than 175 million 50 years earlier (1958) and less than 90 milliona century earlier (1908).
Source: National estimates <http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/pre-1980/PE-11.html>