Christmas is typically a peak selling season for retailers in many nations around the world; sales increase dramatically during this time as people purchase gifts, decorations, and supplies to celebrate. In the United States, the "Christmas shopping season" starts as early as October.Varga, Melody. About:Retail Industry. In Canada, merchants begin advertising campaigns before Halloween (October 31) and step up their marketing following Remembrance Day on November 11. In the UK and Ireland, the Christmas shopping season starts from mid-November, around the time when high street Christmas lights are turned on."South Molton and Brook Street Christmas Lights" (November 16, 2010), View London.co.uk.Kollewe, Julia, (November 29, 2010), "West End spree worth £250m marks start of Christmas shopping season" , The Guardian. A concept devised by retail entrepreneur David Lewis, the first Christmas grotto opened in Lewis's department store in Liverpool, England in 1879. In the United States, it has been calculated that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the Christmas/holiday shopping season. Figures from the US Census Bureau reveal that expenditure in department stores nationwide rose from $20.8billion in November 2004 to $31.9billion in December 2004, an increase of 54 percent. In other sectors, the pre-Christmas increase in spending was even greater, there being a November–December buying surge of 100 percent in bookstores and 170 percent in jewelry stores. In the same year employment in American retail stores rose from 1.6million to 1.8million in the two months leading up to Christmas.US Census Bureau. "Facts. The Holiday Season" December 19, 2005. (accessed November 30, 2009) Archived copy at the Library of Congress (May 7, 2010). Industries completely dependent on Christmas include Christmas cards, of which 1.9billion are sent in the United States each year, and live Christmas trees, of which 20.8million were cut in the US in 2002.US Census 2005. In the UK in 2010, up to £8billion was expected to be spent online at Christmas, approximately a quarter of total retail festive sales.
christmas is typically a peak selling season for retailers in many nations around the world; sales increase dramatically during this time as people purchase gifts decorations and supplies to celebrate in the united states the "christmas shopping season" starts as early as octobervarga melody aboutretail industry in canada merchants begin advertising campaigns before halloween (october 31) and step up their marketing following remembrance day on november 11 in the uk and ireland the christmas shopping season starts from mid-november around the time when high street christmas lights are turned on"south molton and brook street christmas lights" (november 16 2010) view londoncoukkollewe julia (november 29 2010) "west end spree worth £250m marks start of christmas shopping season"  the guardian a concept devised by retail entrepreneur david lewis the first christmas grotto opened in lewis's department store in liverpool england in 1879 in the united states it has been calculated that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the christmas/holiday shopping season figures from the us census bureau reveal that expenditure in department stores nationwide rose from $208billion in november 2004 to $319billion in december 2004 an increase of 54 percent in other sectors the pre-christmas increase in spending was even greater there being a november–december buying surge of 100 percent in bookstores and 170 percent in jewelry stores in the same year employment in american retail stores rose from 16million to 18million in the two months leading up to christmasus census bureau "facts the holiday season" december 19 2005 (accessed november 30 2009) archived copy at the library of congress (may 7 2010) industries completely dependent on christmas include christmas cards of which 19billion are sent in the united states each year and live christmas trees of which 208million were cut in the us in 2002us census 2005 in the uk in 2010 up to £8billion was expected to be spent online at christmas approximately a quarter of total retail festive sales