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Merry Christmas From Patch!

Here's a by-the-numbers look at the holiday

We know Christmas is a big time for retailers, but how big?

And just where did all those toys under the nation's trees this morning come from?

Here is a by-the-numbers look at Christmas, courtesy of  U.S. Census Bureau.

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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. 

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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 our nation’s department stores (excluding leased departments) from Aug. 31 to 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.

Decking the Halls

$983 million: The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and September 2011. 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 and dolls, puzzles and electric trains from China between January and September 2011. 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.

Holiday Names  

Place names associated with the holiday season include North Pole, AK (population 2,117); Santa Claus, IN (2,481); Santa Claus, GA (165); Noel, MO (1,832); and — if you know about reindeer — the village of Rudolph, WI. (439) and Dasher, GA. (912). There is Snowflake, AZ. (5,590) and a dozen places named Holly, including Holly Springs, MS (7,699) and Mount Holly, NC (13,656).

Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

$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

More than 312 million: The nation’s projected population as we ring in the New Year.


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