Consumer Spending

$439.53 Billion
The revised total retail sales forecast for this year's holiday. This expected amount is a six percent increase over last year's total retail sales.
[Source: National Retail Federation]

$763
Consumers plan to spend this much on gifts, up from $730 in the estimate reported a year ago, according to a telephone poll Nov. 7-10 by the Gallup Organization. However, the Conference Board's estimate proffers a more cautious holiday-spending attitude, claiming that U.S. households will spend an average of $466 on gifts these holidays, down marginally from last year's $476. Custom research firm TNS polled 5,000 U.S. households in November for the Conference Board.
[Source: DMNews]

New England
Households here are expected to spend the most this season, at $568 each household.
Those in the East South Central (Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi) and West South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas) will spend the least: $423 each. Both of these regions suffered from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
[Source: The Conference Board]

24
The percentage that online holiday-related consumer spending on nontravel products is expected to jump over the 2004 season — to cross $19 billion this year — according to online-shopping-behavior tracker comScore Networks. The Conference Board, on the other hand, expects a one percent climb to 34, from last year's 33 percent, of consumers planning to buy holiday gifts online this season. JupiterResearch found that 56 percent of consumers who intend to purchase online this holiday season say free shipping is more important this year because of high fuel and gas prices.
[Source: 1) DMNews, 2) JupiterResearch (via Hospitality Net)]

51.7 Million
The number of people who said they will use Internet access at work to browse or buy gifts online this holiday season. That is one-third, or 37 percent, of consumers.
[Source: Shop.org survey, conducted by BIGresearch (via E-Commerce News)]

Holiday Rush

$27.8 Billion
This was the total spending during the weekend after Thanksgiving this year, a 21.9 percent increase over 2004's $22.8 billion. The average shopper spent $302.81 during this year's Black Friday weekend.
[Source: NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch]

60 Million +
More than 60 million shoppers headed to the stores on Black Friday this year, an increase of 7.9 percent over last year. (The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday, in which, traditionally, retailers have gone from being "in the red" to being "in the black," i.e., profitable.) Another 52.8 million shopped on Saturday, a rise of 13.3 percent over 2004.
[Source: NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch]

Saturday, December 18
In 2004, this was the busiest shopping day, accounting for $8.0 billion. Last year's second and third busiest days were Friday, November 26, and Saturday, December 11.
[Source: ICSC]

Gifts

$18.48 Billion
The total of this holiday season's expected gift card sales, a 6.6 percent increase over 2004. The average consumer will spend $88.03 on gift cards this holiday season, 15.6 percent of their holiday gift budget.
[Source: NRF Gift Card Survey, conducted by BIGresearch]

45
The percentage of shoppers purchasing toys this year.
[Source: NRF 2005 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch]

Barbie
Déjà vu of last year, Barbie again is expected to be the most popular toy for girls at Christmas this year, followed closely by other dolls including Bratz and Dora the Explorer.
[Source: NRF 2005 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch]

Video Games
Yet again, these are expected to be the hottest toys for boys; the game units themselves are expected to follow close behind. Other popular items will include traditional favorites such as Star Wars merchandise and Legos.
[Source: NRF 2005 Holiday Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch]

iPod
Because I am a professional, I hesitate to use this phrase: Duh.
But, while electronics are expected to be the hottest gifts of the season, Apple's various versions of the company's iPod are unsurprisingly expected to be especially popular. Also, expect a great number of holiday sales for all mini MP3 players and their accessories, as well as cameras, and cell phones with MP3 and camera capabilities.
[Source: ICSC]

Maybe next year, in gift giving, books will come back into style. Perhaps? Eh, fat chance, huh?

Holiday Packages

20 Billion
The number of cards, letters and packages the United States Postal Service (USPS) will deliver between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
[Source: USPS]

900 Million
Total mail volume on Dec. 19 is expected to rise to this number of mail pieces, up from 670 million pieces on an average day.
[Source: USPS]

510
The number of daily truck routes DHL is adding to its regular network schedules per week during the holiday season. In addition, the company is adding 38 new flights per week to meet increased demand. On December 15 — DHL's peak holiday season pick-up day — the company expects to collect approximately 2.3 million packages from customers in the U.S. alone. On December 19 — DHL's peak holiday season delivery day — the company projects it will deliver 2.3 million packages to homes and businesses across the country.
[Source: DHL]

20 Million
The approximate number of deliveries the United Parcel Service (UPS) expects to deliver on its busiest day of the year, which falls between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This peak day will see more than 230 packages every second.
[Source: UPS]

December 21, 2005
This year's projected day on which UPS package-volume delivery peaks. (See above.) Also, the day on which air packages peaks, with a projected volume of about 5 million packages to be delivered.
[Source: UPS]

Decorating

November 1, 2005
The day on which most malls began decorating for the holidays. This year's percentage of malls that include décor for Christmas is 88.7.
[Source: ICSC]

1895
The year that U.S. President Grover Cleveland sponsored the first electrically lit Christmas tree in the White House.
[Source: Wikipedia]

25-30 Million
The approximate number of real Christmas trees sold in the U.S. every year; 330,000 are sold via e-commerce or catalogue and shipped mail-order.
[Source: National Christmas Tree Association]

18 ½ ft. (5.6 meters)
The height of this year's centerpiece of the White House holiday décor, a Fraser Fir from North Carolina. Upon arrival at the president's residence — via horse-drawn wagon — the Christmas tree was welcomed by the Marine Corps band playing "O Christmas Tree".
[Source: Reuters]

Sources

The National Retail Federation
http://www.nrf.com/content/default.asp?folder=home&file=main.htm&bhcp=1

Cautious Consumers Will Be Looking for Bargains This Holiday Season
The Conference Board, Nov. 22, 2005
http://www.conference-board.org/economics/press.cfm?press_ID=2766

Crystal Ball Remains Cloudy for 2005 Holiday Shopping Season
by Mickey Alam Khan
DMNews, Nov. 23, 2005
http://www.dmnews.com/cgi-bin/artprevbot.cgi?article_id=34869&dest=article

Jupiterresearch Forecasts 2005 Online Holiday Sales Will Reach $26 Billion In The U.S.
Jupiterresearch, Nov. 7, 2005
http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000567/4025178.search?query=holiday+2005+facts

Cyber Monday Creates Holiday Shopping Buzz
by Jennifer LeClaire
E-Commerce Times, Nov. 28, 2005
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/LzHCdexEGDhvjX/Cyber-Monday-Creates-Holiday-Shopping-Buzz.xhtml

International Council of Shopping Centers
http://www.icsc.org/

United States Postal Service (USPS)
http://www.usps.com/

DHL
http://www.dhl-usa.com/home/home.asp

United Parcel Service of America (UPS)
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/index.jsx

"Christmas Lights"
Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_lights

National Christmas Tree Association
http://www.christmastree.org/home.cfm

White House decor shifts to holiday mode
Reuters, Nov. 29, 2005
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051129/od_nm/life_whitehouse_dc;_ylt=Ag_7tOQxvCavaFLNWhF5iM.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3NW1oMDRpBHNlYwM3NTc-