Christmas

Celebrated as "Noel" or Christmas "Nol" in France on Dec. 6th or Dec. 25th, when traditionally children put their shoes on the hearth to be filled with gifts. $1,044 2010 Planned Gift-Spending Comparison The average amount shoppers say they will spend on gifts this year. Canadian Traditions In places like Labrador and Nova Scotia, local people wear masks and visit houses during the 12 days of Christmas, miming and making rude noises and actions, ring- ing bells and asking for treats. If the hosts guess their identities, they remove their masks and stop acting riotously. Online ($1,083) Catalogs ($560) $488.5 million Value of U.S. imports of ornaments from China between Jan. and Aug. 2010 $30 billion $27.4 billion Retail sales bythe nation's department Value of retail $5.1 billion sales by electronic shopping and mail- order houses Value of U.S. toy imports from China between Jan. stores in Dec. 2009 and Aug. 2010 in Dec. 2009 Average Holiday Spending for Online Purchases Average Holiday Spending for Catalog Purchases (in dollars) (in dollars) 1800 1800 1600 1600 1400 1400 1200 1200 1000 1000 800 800 600 600 400 400 200 200 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Number of Retail Establishments 2008 Production Comparisons in the U.S. in 2008 Number of U.S. 160,000 establishments that primarily manufactured dolls/stuffed toys 18 140,000 120,000 80 California 100,000 Other states 80,000 60,000 Number of U.S. establishments that 40,000 99 田田 primarily produced games, toys, and children's vehicles 20,000 515 clothing dept. California hobby, toys, gift, novelty goods sporting jewelry books stores Other states games Busiest mailing day, with twice the average volume American December Santa Traditions 123 4 5 67 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 Children write letters to Santa, who leaves presents under the tree and/or in stockings for them to find Christmas morning. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Christian Chinese citizens 30 31 (1%) privately celebrate on Dec. 25th though it is not a legal holiday. Busiest delivery day of the year 47% 55% 87% 79% 11% 87% of 79% of 47% of 11% of 55% of Americans Americans Americans Americans Americans say they would make time to do not believe it's necessary to spend a lot of money in order to have a believe holidays should be more say they'd toss a holiday fruitcake in the trash without delay. consider about family and caring for others than gifts. shopping for presents more of a joyful experience than a chore regift a fruitcake. fulfilling holiday Between 2003 and 2007, U.S. fire departments responded to an average In Mexico, Christmas is called is "Navidad" and is celebrated from Dec. 12th to Jan. 6th. of 250 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. 1:1 = 500 pounds 25 The ratio of the density of the average fruitcake to the density of mahogany. Number of years that fruitcakes Pounds of fruitcake delivered can age and still be enjoyed to U.S. troops in Iraq for the holidays: 2,952 German 18 feet, 6 inches: Height of the White House Christmas tree Traditions In Germany, Christmas is called "Weihnachten" and children are not allowed to decorate the tree. It is believed that it has a mysterious spell for all young eyes that rest on it before Christmas Eve. 7 feet: Retail height of tree, which takes 7 years to grow. Iraqi Traditions On December 24th, children read the Nativity story from the Arabic Bible. A pile of dried thorns is kept at one corner. As soon as the story has been read the pile is list up and made into a bon- fire. A psalm is sung until it burns out. When the fire is out, everyone jumps over the ashes three times and makes a wish. 221 feet: The tallest Christmas tree erected at Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Wash., in 1950 1,089 参 参 金 金 叁 Number of feet of garland strung throughout the first mansion. 000 金鑫 金 叁 套 00 17 = 500 4,638 = 50 Number of decorated Red ornament balls in 269 wreaths in the White House trees in the White House the White House. sources: http://www.americanresearchgroup.com/holiday/ http://christmasspirit.wordpress.com/2006/12/19/counting-on-christmas-statistics/ http://www.christmastree.org/statistics_consumer.cfm#retail http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categorylD=296&URL=Safety%20lnformation/For%20consumers/Holidays/Christmas%20tree%20fires&cookie%5Ftest=1 http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/cb10-ff23.html http://www.theholidayspot.com/christmas/worldxmas/index.htm