Creative Leisure News - Category Reports

What's new in various product categories; monthly update.

Miscellaneous Christmas Facts & Figures

Courtesy of the U.S. Census Bureau.

(January, 2004)

$466 million. The amount the nation's Christmas tree farmers received from tree sales in 2002.

$160 million. The amount received by Christmas tree farmers in Oregon from tree sales in 2002, making the Beaver State the nation's Christmas tree capital. North Carolina, Washington, Michigan and Ohio round out the top five states in tree sales.

$971 million. The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China between January and September 2003. China was the leading country of origin for such items. Similarly, China was the leading foreign source of artificial Christmas trees shipped to the United States ($93 million worth).

$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.

$32.4 billion. Retail sales by the nation's department stores in December 2002. This represented a 47% 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.

$13.5 billion. Value of electronic shopping and mail-order sales in December 2002, easily the highest month that year.

$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.

14%. Proportion of total 2002 sales for department stores (including leased departments) that took place in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 23%.

22%. 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% in the year's final month.

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.

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.

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.

$820 million. Value of U.S. imports of stuffed toys (excluding dolls) from China between January and September of 2003. China was the leading country of origin for toys.

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.

(Note: To read previous category reports, click on the titles in the right-hand column.)

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