This holiday season is a time to celebrate, reflect, exchange gifts and give thanks.
To commemorate this time of year, the U.S. Census Bureau presents the following holiday-related facts and figures from its vast collection of statistics.
The following facts are made possible by the invaluable responses to the Census Bureau’s surveys.
Did you know?
$14.6 billion
The estimated retail sales for the nation’s department stores in December 2020, a decrease of 20.0% from $18.3 billion in December 2019.
Source: Monthly Retail Trade Survey
Season's greetings
15.1%
The estimated percentage that December sales accounted for of total hobby, toy and game store sales in 2020.
Source: Monthly Retail Trade Survey
$96.2 billion
The estimated value of retail sales by electronic shopping and mail-order houses in December 2020, the highest estimated total for any month last year.
Source: Monthly Retail Trade Survey
$33.4 billion
The fourth quarter 2020 seasonally adjusted after-tax profits for retail trade corporations with assets of $50 million and over, down $10.4 billion from the third quarter of 2020.
Source: Quarterly Financial Report
$2.6 billion
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas decorations from China for 2020. China led the way with 92.03% of the U.S. total imports of Christmas decorations.
Source: International Trade Statistics, Harmonized System Codes 9505.10
$462.2 million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree lights for 2020. Cambodia led the way with 60.1% of the total U.S. imports of Christmas tree lights.
Source: International Trade Statistics, Harmonized System Code 9405.30
515 establishments
The number of establishments nationwide that primarily produced dolls, toys and games in 2019, a decrease of 17 establishments from 2018 (532 establishments); they employed 6,268 workers in the pay period including March 12, an increase of 31 employees from 2018 (6,237 employees). California led the nation with 94 establishments in 2019.
Source: County Business Patterns
$701.9 million
The value of U.S. imports of tapered candles in 2020. Most of these came from Vietnam, representing more than 48.1% of America’s imported tapered candles, followed by Canada with 21.6%.
Source: International Trade Statistics, Harmonized System Code 3406
Holiday names
There are many holiday-sounding places in the United States.
For example, more than a dozen areas have Holly in their names, including Holly Pond, Ala. (851), Holly Grove, Ark. (460), Holly, Colo. (837), Holly Hill, Fla. (12,958), Holly Springs, Ga. (16,213), Holly Village, Mich. (5,997), Holly Springs, Miss. (6,968), Mount Holly, N.C. (population 17,703); Holiday, Fla. (24,939), and Holiday Shores, Ill. (2,840).
There’s also Snowflake, Ariz. (6,104); Santa Claus, Ind. (2,586); North Pole, Alaska (2,243); Noel, Mo. (2,124); and — if you know about reindeer — Dasher, Ga. (890), and Rudolph, Wis. (433). There is also Unity, Ore. (40) and Garland, Texas (246,018).
Source: 2020 Decennial Census