UNITED STATES DEPT. OF COMMERCE
December 12, 1997 CB97-FS.13 MEMORANDUM FOR Reporters, Editors, News Directors From: LaVerne Vines Collins Chief, Public Information Office Subject: Holiday Season Facts Census Holiday Season Facts Christmas Trees The nation's Christmas trees and their accompanying ornaments and lights aren't all made in the U.S.A. Country U.S. Imports the most from (amount Item in millions): Jan.-Sept. 1997 Christmas tree ornaments China ($26.9) Artificial Christmas trees China ($90.5) Lighting sets used for Christmas trees China ($328.5) Christmas tree lamps China ($4.9) http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ Holiday Shopping -- The December Rush Unadjusted retail sales for the nation's department stores (including leased departments) totaled $36.7 billion in December 1996 a 46- percent jump from November sales. (The increase was 58 percent if you exclude discount department stores.) No other month-to-month increase for department stores last year came anywhere near that. "Unadjusted" means the estimates are not adjusted for seasonal variations, holiday and trading-day differences and price changes. http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/monret.html Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and December 1996 included apparel and accessory stores (40 percent); jewelry stores (144 percent); book stores (76 percent); sporting goods stores and bicycle shops (66 percent); radio, TV and computer stores (44 percent) and variety stores (57 percent). The only other month-to-month rise for any of these retailers last year that came even close was the 73 percent jump in book-store sales from July to August. http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/monret.html For department stores, December sales made up about one-seventh of last year's total ($36.7 billion of $249 billion). Excluding discount department stores makes the proportion even higher about one-sixth ($15.9 billion out of $97 billion). For jewelry stores, December sales constituted nearly one-fourth of all 1996 sales ($4.5 billion of $20 billion) . http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/monret.html One side of the retail sales coin is what's sold. The other side is what's left when the holiday hordes diminish. The nation's department stores (excluding leased departments) last year built up their retail inventories by 19 percent between the end of August and the close of November, then watched inventories decline 22 percent in December. http://www.census.gov/svsd/www/monret.html Where Can You Buy Those Holiday Gifts? There is no shortage of options. Here's a rundown on the number of eight general types of retail establishments in the United States as of 1995 and the number of people they employ: Type of establishment Number Employees (March 1995) Catalog and mail-order houses 7,217 181,000 Apparel and accessory stores 135,270 1,148,000 Jewelry stores 27,487 143,000 Sporting goods and bicycle shops 24,760 173,000 Gift, novelty, and souvenir shops 33,788 181,000 Variety stores 10,535 93,000 Department stores 10,781 1,874,000 Hobby, toy, and game shops 10,347 104,000 Minnesota employed more in catalog and mail-order businesses than any other state: 15,499. Nearly half (7,227) worked in Hennepin County, Minn., which led the nation's counties in catalog and mail-order business employees. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-183.html Where are the Gifts Made? Perhaps in one of the numerous U.S. manufacturing establishments .... Manufacturing Number of Employees Value of industry establishments (March 1995) Shipments (1995) (1995) Dolls and stuffed toys 216 4,000 $0.2 billion Games, toys and children's vehicles 937 35,000 $4.8 billion Sporting and athletic goods 2,255 73,000 $9.6 billion Apparel and other textile products 24,216 911,000 $78.1 billion Jewelry 2,231 33,000 $4.4 billion http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-183.html for first two columns http://www.census.gov/econ/www/manumenu.html for third column Ohio employed more people in game, toy and children's vehicle manufacturing establishments than any other state: 3,801. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-183.html Or maybe from somewhere outside the United States .... Country U.S. Imports the Most From Item (Amount in millions): Jan.-Sept. 1997 Wheeled toys designed to be ridden by children (such as tricycles) and parts and accessories Taiwan ($22.5) Dolls China ($733.8) Stuffed toys China ($1,040.0) Toys (not stuffed) representing animals or non-human creatures China ($434.7) Electric trains China ($43.9) Scale model assembly kits Japan ($1.0) Puzzles China ($15.8) Jewelry Italy ($904.8) Skis France ($29.4) Golf clubs Japan ($10.3) Tennis rackets China ($32.5) Basketballs China ($30.6) Soccer balls Pakistan ($19.2) Ice skates & roller skates China ($85.2) Sports footwear China ($408.8) http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/ Winter Wonderland By December, the winter sports season is in high gear. In 1995, 9.3 million Americans reported they downhill-ski, while 7.1 million ice or figure-skate, 3.4 million cross-country-ski, 2.5 million play ice hockey and 2.3 million snowboard more than once a year. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-199.html Among selected cities, the best chances for a snowy holiday season belong to Sault Sainte Marie, Mich. (an average of 31 inches of snow in December); Juneau, Alaska (23 inches); Buffalo, N.Y. (23 inches); Burlington, Vt. (18 inches); and Duluth, Minn. (15 inches). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-199.html The preceding facts come from the U.S. Imports of Merchandise and U.S. Exports of Merchandise CD-ROMs, Monthly Retail Trade Sales and Inventory estimates, 1995 County Business Patterns data, the 1995 Annual Survey of Manufactures and the Statistical Abstract of the United States: 1997. Data in this factsheet are subject to nonsampling errors. Some are also subject to sampling variability. See referenced sources for detailed limitations. Each month, the Census Bureau will provide previously released statistics pertaining to selected events or holidays occurring that month. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; Fax: 301-457-3670; E-mail: pio@census.gov).
