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How much do people spend on holiday shopping?

As the holidays wind down, let’s unpack the spending trends that shape the season. From toy stores to online shopping carts, consumer habits reveal a lot about Americans and our economy. Here’s how people have been shopping and spending since the 1990s.

• Americans spent 20% more on retail purchases in December 2022 ($531.8 billion, averaging about $1,600 per person and $3,800 per household​​) compared to December 2012 ($442.9 billion)​​.

• Despite the increase in overall spending since the ’90s, December’s share of annual retail spending has declined, dropping from 11.2% in 1992 to 9.4% in 2022.

  
  

• Americans spent approximately $2.9 billion at hobby, toy, and game stores in December 2022, accounting for 13.4% of the year’s total spending in these stores​​.

  
  

• In the fourth quarter of 2019, around 15% of non-automobile retail sales were online. That rose to over 20% in 2020. Rates remained at similar levels in 2021 and 2022.

See even more charts tracking spending patterns here.

Data behind the news

The Senate passed a $886 billion defense bill on December 13. Here’s a look at national defense spending dating back to 1972.

We got you a little present for the end of the year: It’s the weekly fact quiz!

One last fact

In 2022, Colorado produced more beer than any other state: over 20 million barrels. Some states produced more than 6.5 million barrels, including Texas, Ohio, and Virginia. Several states ramped up production between 2015 and 2022, bucking the overarching national trend. Arizona produced 1.94 million barrels in 2022, up 1,128% since 2015.

Thanks for being part of this data journey. That’s all for 2023. We’ll see you in 2024 for even more illuminating government numbers.