8 months ago
Americans Spend Billions on Holiday Decorations
Americans spend a lot of money on holiday decorations every year.
They buy real and artificial Christmas trees, lights, poinsettias, and other ornaments.
Some people spend a lot of money to make their homes look extra festive with lights and animatronic characters.
All these decorations use a lot of electricity and sometimes cause injuries.
The history of holiday decorations goes back to ancient times, but many modern decorations started in the 19th century.
Christmas lights were invented after Thomas Edison created the light bulb.
Some decorations come from China, and new tariffs have made them more expensive.
Even though people say they might spend less, a lot of Americans still shop for holiday items.
Americans spend $6 billion annually on holiday decorations, including 30 million real Christmas trees and 20 million artificial ones.
Holiday lights use 3.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, costing $645 million, and cause 18,400 decorating injuries annually.
Modern holiday decor trends began in the 19th century, with poinsettias introduced by Joel Roberts Poinsett and Christmas trees popularized by Queen Victoria.
Christmas lights were invented by Edward Hibberd Johnson in 1882, with mass-market lights introduced by General Electric in 1903.
Tariffs on Chinese decorations, which make up 87% of the market, have increased costs, with small businesses spending over $400 million on tariff fees.
- Who
- Americans
- What
- Spending on holiday decorations and their history and impact
- Where
- United States
- When
- Annually, with specific historical events in the 19th and 20th centuries
- Why
- For festive celebrations, emotional benefits, and cultural traditions
Key facts
- Annual Spending on Decorations
- $6 billion
- Real Christmas Trees Purchased
- 30 million
- Artificial Christmas Trees Purchased
- 20 million
- Christmas Lights Sets Purchased
- 150 million
- Poinsettia Pots Purchased
- 70 million
- Electricity Used by Holiday Lights
- 3.5 billion kilowatt hours
- Cost of Holiday Lights Electricity
- $645 million
- Decorating Injuries
- 18,400 ER visits
- First U.S. Christmas Tree at White House
- 1856
- First Mass-Market Christmas Lights
- 1903
- Percentage of Decorations from China
- 87%
- Tariff Increase on Chinese Decorations
- 145% (spring 2024), then dropped to 40%
- Increase in Tariff Fees for Small Businesses
- 1,438% from last year
- Percentage Planning to Buy New Decorations (2024)
- 39%
- Record Number of Americans Shopping for Christmas Items
- 202.9 million
- Expected Overall Holiday Spending
- Over $1 trillion
Quotes
Mike Bagwell
A resident of Springfield, Missouri, known for his extensive holiday decorations.
“When you see the [community’s] laughter and the joy, it just makes it all worthwhile.”
theweek.com
Pauline Wallin
A psychologist discussing the emotional benefits of holiday decorations.
“If you haven’t had a great year, it can put you back in touch with pleasant memories.”
theweek.com
Matthew Shay
CEO of the National Retail Foundation, commenting on holiday spending trends.
“Somehow, Santa Claus always comes.”
theweek.com
Jared Hendricks
Owner of Village Lighting in West Valley City, Utah, discussing the impact of tariffs on his business.
“We went from working toward a profit to working for tariffs.”
theweek.com