Statistically Speaking

With winter break coming soon and the holiday mood building, here are some stats about the holiday season:

Percentage of total department store sales in 2005 that took place in December: 14

Percentage of consumers who wait for sales before buying Christmas gifts: 24

Average amount spent by American households on Christmas gifts in 2005: $870

Amount the nation’s Christmas tree farmers received from sales in 2005: $485 million

Amount expected to be spent on Christmas and Hanukkah decorations this year: $7.9 billion

Number of letters, packages, and cards the U.S. Postal Service expects to deliver between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year:20 billion

Speed (in miles per second) at which Santa would need to fly to deliver gifts to all “good” children around the world: 650 (3000 times the speed of sound)

SOURCES: www.census.gov,www.unitymarketingonline.com,www.wordpress.com,www.rosemasters.com, www.usfa.dhs.gov