Merry Christmas to all who celebrate! 

(Originally Published in December 2021…)

• You might think that toys or electronics are the biggest selling items at Christmas, but actually that is not the case: clothing and accessories leads at 74%; food, drink, and wellness at 70%; toys at 64%; electronics at 47%; and kitchen and home goods at 36%.
• 85% of us prefer free shipping to fast shipping.
• Holiday shopping can account for up to 30% of all retail sales. 
• Men shop just as much as women, but men tend to spend more, with an average spend of over $725 for men and $609 for women in the United States.
• 24% of millennials say they expect shipping in less than 24 hours.
• 60% of U.S. consumers start their Christmas shopping before December. 
• 60% of shoppers in the United States prefer to shop online. 
• 24% of parents said they plan to spend $50 to $100 per child for Christmas gifts. 18% of parents had a budget of $150 to $200 per child, and 17% planned to spend more than $200 per child.
• Here are the top ten online retailers during the 2021 holiday shopping season, ranked by unique visits to the websites: Amazon, Walmart, eBay, Target, Apple Etsy, Best Buy, Home Depot, Macy’s, Kohl’s.
• The original title of “The Little Drummer Boy” was “Carol of the Drum.”
• Gingerbread houses originated in Germany in the 16th century.
• Candy canes are red and white to represent the purity of Jesus Christ and the blood he shed on the cross.
• Sherry is the alcohol added to the base of candy truffles.
• Wassail is made from apple cider, lemons, oranges, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg.
• The first Christmas tree was lit in Rockefeller Center in 1933.
• In Australia, people celebrate Christmas by gathering on the beach.
• Germany started the custom of putting up a Christmas tree.
• The first Christmas card was sent in 1843  and was designed by John Horsley, an English academic painter, illustrator, and designer.
• Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created in 1939 by Robert L. May as an advertising gimmick for Montgomery Ward.
• Santa was born in 270 AD.
• Swedish children leave out coffee for Santa in case he is tired after delivering all those gifts!
• In a day when the Rockettes fo four shows (probably at Radio City Music Hall during the holiday season), they do 650 kicks!

Rockettes!