The month leading up to Christmas is traditionally the busiest shopping period of the entire year.  Presented below are some facts and figures about the economics behind the Christmas holiday:

• For many countries, Christmas is the single largest annual economic stimulus.
   
• The day following Thanksgiving Day in the United States is referred to as "Black Friday".  This traditionally marks the beginning of the official Christmas shopping season.
   
• It is estimated that consumers spent over $52 billion and $45 billion over the Thanksgiving weekends in 2011 and 2010.
   
• The Monday immediately following Black Friday is sometimes referred to as "Cyber Monday" as it is the busiest online shopping day of the year.
   
• Over $1.2 billion was spent online on Cyber Monday in 2011 which represents a more than 100% increase since 2006 (where sales were estimated at around $600 million).
   
• The US Postal Service sells an estimated 1.3 billion holiday stamps every year.
   
• Over 90% of Americans indicate that they exchange gifts during the Christmas holiday.
   
• In 1998, it is estimated that Americans spent $1.5 billion purchasing Christmas trees.