To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org, dreamtime@yahoogroups.com
Cc:
Subject: [permaculture] Merry Christmas
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 17:47:36 -0600
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 14 Dec 2004 11:53:05 -0500
From: angela.c.baker@census.gov
To: Census-Bureau-Alert@lists.census.gov,
Public-News-Alert@lists.census.gov
Subject: [public-news-alert] Census Bureau News Facts for Features: The
Holiday
Season
CB04-FF.21-2
December 14, 2004 (update)
Photos
The Holiday Season
The holiday season, with its many
traditions, family gatherings and
general good feeling, will soon be upon
us. To commemorate this time
of year, the U.S. Census Bureau
presents the following holiday-related
facts and figures from its data
warehouse.
Christmas Trees, Ornaments and Gifts
$521 million
The amount of money the nation's Christmas tree farmers received from
tree
sales in 2003. <http://www.ers.usda.gov/>
$158 million
The amount received by Christmas tree farmers in Oregon from tree sales
in 2003,
making the Beaver State the nation's Christmas tree leader. North
Carolina,
Washington and Michigan round out the top four states in tree sales.
<http://www.ers.usda.gov/>
$312 million
The value of U.S. imports of Christmas tree ornaments from China
between January and July
2004. 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 ($40 million worth)
during the same period. <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$30.6 billion
The dollar amount of retail sales by the U.S. toy industry in 2002. Of
this, $10.3 billion came
from sales of video games. It is believed a hefty percentage of these
sales were holiday gifts.
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html>, 2003
edition, Table 1037.
Other places whose names are associated with the holiday season include
North Pole, Alaska
(population 1,645 in 2003); Santa Claus, Ind. (2,164); Santa Claus, Ga.
(238); Noel, Mo. (1,452);
and if you know about reindeer the village of Rudolph, Wis. (415).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/
001856.html>
$239,945
Value of U.S. imports between January and July 2004 from Christmas
Island, an
Australian territory in the Pacific Ocean, south of Hawaii. Perhaps
some of these
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 available. Note that
the
estimates that follow have not been adjusted to account for seasonal or
pricing
variations.
$31.1 billion
Retail sales by the nation's department stores (including leased
departments) in December 2003.
This represented a 48 percent jump from the previous month (when retail
sales, many Christmas-
related, registered $21.0 billion). No other month-to-month increase in
department store sales last
year was as large.
Other U.S. retailers with sizable jumps in sales between November and
December 2003 were
clothing stores (45 percent); jewelry stores (169 percent); book stores
(95 percent); sporting
goods stores (66 percent); and radio, TV and other electronics stores
(59 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
$14.4 billion
The value of electronic shopping and mail-order sales in December 2003,
easily the greatest
amount for any month that year.
<http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
$17.5 billion
The value of total retail e-commerce sales for the fourth quarter of
2003. This amount,
representing 1.9 percent of total retail sales over the period,
exceeded e-commerce sales for all
other quarters of the year.
<http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
14 percent
The proportion of total 2003 sales for department stores (including
leased departments) that took
place in December. For jewelry stores, the percentage was 24 percent.
<http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
23 percent
The proportion that the nation's department stores (excluding leased
departments) built up their
inventories between the end of August and the end of November 2003.
Thanks to the holiday
hordes, inventories plummeted by 24 percent in the year's final month.
<http://www.census.gov/mrts/www/mrts.html>
1.8 million
The number of people employed at department stores in December 2003.
This number typically
swells during the holiday season, last year rising by 44,600 over
November and 159,900 over
October. Apparel and accessory stores showed similar seasonal
employment gains.
<http://www.bls.gov>
Where are Christmas 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 such 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
The 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 the
number of these establishments with 117 and Ohio in the number of
people they employed, 2,972.
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>
$601 million
The value of U.S. imports of stuffed toys (excluding dolls) from China
between January and July
2004. China was the leading country of origin for toys coming into this
country, as well as for a
number of other popular holiday gifts that were imported. These include
electric trains ($40
million over the period); puzzles ($27 million); roller skates ($38
million); sports footwear ($148
million); golf equipment ($29 million); and basketballs ($32 million).
Canada was the leading
supplier of ice skates ($8 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 the number of these establishments and
their
employees, with 1,746 and 30,291, respectively.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_own
ership/000926.html> and
<www.census.gov/eos/www/papers/2001/2001estatstables.pdf>
If you're not sure where to do your shopping, choices of retail
establishments abound: In 2001,
there were 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>
47,104
The number of malls and shopping centers dotting the U.S. landscape as
of 2003, a total that had
increased by approximately 10,000 since 1990.
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-
abstract-04.html>, 2004-05 edition, Table 1040.
Winter Wonderland
7.4 million
The number of Americans who say they Alpine-ski more than once a year.
Other popular winter sports are cross country-skiing and ice hockey
(each
around 2.0 million) and snowboarding (5.6 million).
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html>, 2004-05
edition, Table 1241.
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 for winter sports participants.
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html>, 2004-05
edition, Table 382.
Editor's note: Some of the preceding data were collected in surveys
and, therefore, are subject to sampling error.
Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public
Information Office: telephone: (301)
763-3030; fax: (301) 457-3670; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.