$30.6 billion
Retail sales by the U.S. toy industry in 2002. Of this amount, $10.3 billion were from the sales of video games. A hefty percentage of these sales resulted from the purchase of holiday gifts. (Source: soon-to-be-released Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003.)

Holiday Names
1
The number of places around the country named “Christmas.” That unincorporated town is Christmas, Fla., which had a population of 1,162 in 2000. <http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en>

Other places whose names are associated with the holiday season include North Pole, Alaska (population 1,618 in 2002); Santa Claus, Ind. (2,129); Santa Claus, Ga. (238); Noel, Mo. (1,446); and — maybe — the village of Rudolph, Wis. (415). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001118.html>

$219,700
Value of U.S. imports between January and September 2003 from Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean, south of Hawaii. Perhaps some were “Christmas gifts from Christmas Island.” <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Holiday Shopping — The December Rush
The holiday season is critical for retailers. How critical? Well, here are some examples using the most recent Census Bureau data. Note that the estimates that follow have not been adjusted to account for seasonal variations or price changes.

$32.4 billion
Retail sales by the nation’s department stores in December 2002. This represented a 47 percent jump from the previous month (when retail sales, many Christmas-related, registered $21.9 billion). No other month-to-month increase in department store sales last year came near that.

Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 2002 included clothing stores (44 percent); jewelry stores (163 percent); book stores (87 percent); sporting goods stores (59 percent); and radio, TV and other electronics stores (56 percent). <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

$13.5 billion
Value of electronic shopping and mail-order sales in December 2002, easily the highest month that year. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

$13.8 billion
Value of e-commerce sales for the fourth quarter of 2002. This amount, which represented 1.6 percent of total retail sales over the period, was greater than e-commerce sales for any other quarter of the year. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

14 percent
Proportion of total 2002 sales for department stores (including leased departments) that took place in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 23 percent. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

22 percent
Proportion the nation’s department stores built up their inventories between the end of August and the end of November 2002. Thanks to the holiday hordes, inventories plummeted by 23 percent in the year’s final month. <http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>

1.9 million
Number of people employed at department stores in December 2002. This number typically swells during the holiday season, last year rising by 55,000 from November and 214,000 from October. Apparel and accessory stores showed similar seasonal employment gains. (Courtesy of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)

Where are the Gifts Made?
179
Number of establishments around the country that primarily manufactured dolls and stuffed toys in 2001; they employed 2,271 people; their total shipments: $296 million. California led the nation with 29 locations, and New York employed the most, 374.
For establishments: <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html>
For value of industry shipments: <http://www.census.gov/mcd/asm-as1.html>

779
Number of locations that primarily produced games, toys and children’s vehicles in 2001; they employed 21,644 workers and shipped $3.1 billion of goods. California led the nation in these establishments with 117 and Ohio in employees, with 2,972.
For establishments: <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/000926.html>
For value of industry shipments: <http://www.census.gov/mcd/asm-as1.html>

$820 million
Value of U.S. imports of stuffed toys (excluding dolls) from China between January and September 2003. China was the leading country of origin for toys, as well as for a number of other popular holiday gifts. These include electric trains ($58 million in exports to the United States over the period); puzzles ($34 million); roller skates ($57 million); sports footwear ($157 million); golf equipment ($32 million); and basketballs ($35 million). Canada was the leading supplier of ice skates ($15 million). <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

Where Holiday Gifts are Purchased
11,086
The number of electronic shopping and mail-order houses in business in 2001. These businesses, which employed 280,912 workers, are a popular source of holiday gifts. Their sales: $109 billion, of which 24 percent were attributable to e-commerce. California led the nation in these establishments and their employees, with 1,746 and 30,291, respectively. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html> and <http://www.census.gov/eos/www/papers/2001/2001estatstables.pdf">

If you’re not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail establishments in 2001 abound: 151,668 clothing and clothing accessories stores; 10,374 department stores; 10,783 hobby, toy and game shops; 33,678 gift, novelty and souvenir shops; 22,468 sporting goods stores; 29,780 jewelry stores; and 11,559 book stores. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/000926.html>

46,438
Number of malls and shopping centers dotting the U.S. landscape in 2002, a total that has increased by almost 10,000 since 1990. (Source: soon-to-be-released Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003.)

Winter Wonderland
7.4 million
Number of Americans who say they Alpine-ski more than once a year. Other popular winter sports are: ice- or figure-skating (6.7 million participants); cross country-skiing (2.3 million); ice hockey (1.9 million); and snowboarding (4.3 million). (Source: soon-to-be-released Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003.)

More than 2 feet
Average depth of the snowfall each December in Valdez, Alaska; Mount Washington, N.H.; Blue Canyon, Calif.; Yakutat, Alaska; Sault Sainte Marie, Mich.; Marquette, Mich.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Muskegon, Mich., all good places to practice winter sports during the holidays. (Source: soon-to-be-released Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2003.)