Skip to main content

10 Holiday Fun Facts

Tis the season to be jolly!

Here are a few fun facts regarding the holiday season in the U.S. that you may not know:

1. Nine in 10 Americans say they celebrate Christmas while 32% view it as more of a cultural holiday than a religious one.

2. USPS will deliver 16 billion holiday letters, packages, and cards.

3. Over 100 million Americans will travel for the holidays this year.

4. 86% of Americans say they buy holiday gifts for family or friends.

5. Americans aim to spend an average of $935.58 each during the holiday shopping season this year.

6. Total holiday sales are expected to be over $655 billion.

7. 85% of Americans say they will probably give someone candy as a gift.

8. Americans eat about 3,000 calories worth of food during a typical holiday dinner.

9. 22 million turkeys are eaten for Christmas.

10. Americans bought nearly 26 million real Christmas trees last year and more than 13 billion fake ones.

The facts I found most surprising were #7 and #8 above. I honestly didn't think candy was that popular a holiday gift, but I suppose it isn't all that astounding when you factor in co-workers. From what I've seen, chocolate is probably the most widely exchanged gift in the workplace.

As for #8, I knew Americans don't shy away from a hearty holiday meal, but 3,000 calories? It's no wonder applications for gym memberships surge in the New Year!  I plan to go on a diet as of January 2 in order to shed a couple of pounds I've gained over the last few months.

I also wanted to add that gift cards have to be one of the best ideas ever dreamed up. When you don't know what to buy someone, and you just don't feel like giving them cash, a gift card makes a no-hassle choice -- and there's no wrapping involved!

From my family to yours, I'd like to wish everyone happy holidays and a blessed New Year!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

This will spell the end of your relationship

When asked to think about the most common culprits for a relationship's going south, most people will point to cheating, complacency, and taking one's partner for granted. While these are all valid -- and documented in various posts on this blog -- there are certain habits on the part of partners that may not kill the relationship right away, but cause it to erode more gradually.  Among the most egregious of these is expecting your significant other to be perfect. They pick at your follies any chance they get. Nothing you do is ever good enough. In fact, you will never measure up to an ex, neighbor, or accomplished co-worker.  Perhaps this all sounds a bit familiar.  When you feel as though you're constantly being put under the microscope, it can inflict lasting damage on the relationship and your self-esteem. You're walking on eggshells all the time, praying you don't say or do something that's going to trigger your partner. This is no way to live, let alone ca

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is  still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n

Misconceptions about quiet people

Earlier today, I came across a Facebook page that features motivational quotes intended to improve people's moods and enhance their overall self-esteem. Interestingly, I noticed two quotes that focus specifically on quiet people: "Be afraid of quiet people; they're the ones who actually think." "The quietest people have the loudest minds." I've observed that most people's views of quiet individuals can fall under one of two categories: 1. The ones who say quiet people are antisocial, suspicious, snobbish, and/or full of themselves. 2. The people who say their introspective nature and propensity to be deep in thought makes them smarter than their more garrulous peers. The quotes above speak to this mindset. As an introvert known to be quiet at work and at social functions where I might not know anyone, I feel I'm well positioned to dispel any inaccuracies surrounding quiet folks. First of all, the above statements misguidedly put