Here are some statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau for the holiday season:
$27.2 Billion – Value of retail sales in the nation’s department stores in December 2010
$34 Billion – Value of retail sales via electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2010
$983 Million – Value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and September 2011
$2.5 Billion – The value of U.S. toy imports including stuffed toys, puzzles, and electric trains from China between January and September 2011.
50% – Proportion of nations potatoes produced in Idaho and Washington in 2010
$1.5 Billion – Value of product shipments of candles in 2009 by the nation’s manufacturers
Happy Holidays!