Christmas Statistics 2026: 50 Facts on Travel, Food, Music and More

Christmas is more than gifts and trees. It is a travel rush, a mail surge, a food tradition and a music chart takeover.

This hub collects the numbers behind the season that the other guides do not cover: travel, church, food, songs, films and lights.

Every figure links to its source. For gifts, trees and weather, use the guides linked in the text below. The Census Bureau also publishes its own holiday season facts, a good place to start.

Travel over the holidays

1. 122.4 million Americans planned a year-end trip

AAA projected that 122.4 million people would travel at least 50 miles from home between December 20 and January 1 in 2025. That was 2.2% more than the record of 119.7 million a year earlier.¹

2. Nine in ten travelers go by car

Of those travelers, 109.5 million (89%) planned to go by car in 2025, 2% more than the year before.¹

3. Air travel passed 8 million for the first time

AAA expected a record 8.03 million domestic air travelers over the 2025 year-end period, the first time the number topped 8 million. A further 4.9 million were due to use buses, trains or cruise ships.¹

4. Gas under $3, airfare near $900

AAA reported national gas prices below $3 a gallon for the first time in four years in December 2025. Domestic airfare averaged nearly $900 round trip, 7% more than a year earlier.¹

5. Orlando leads the destination list

AAA named Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Anaheim/Los Angeles and Honolulu as top domestic destinations for the 2025 year-end holidays.¹

6. TSA expected 17.8 million screenings around Thanksgiving

The TSA projected more than 17.8 million people screened between November 25 and December 2, 2025, with over 3 million on the Sunday after Thanksgiving alone.⁵

7. A new one-day record: 3.13 million passengers

On the Sunday after Thanksgiving 2025 the TSA screened about 3.13 million passengers, a new all-time high. The previous record was 3.09 million on June 22, 2025.⁶

8. One in five holiday celebrants travels, mostly by car

In YouGov's 2025 holiday survey, about one in five celebrants planned to travel. Of those, 69% would drive and 40% would fly. Adults under 45 were more than twice as likely to travel as those 45 and older (29% vs. 12%).⁷ Travel also adds pressure: see our guide to Christmas stress and loneliness.

Mail and parcels

9. 8 billion mail pieces by December 18, 2024

USPS delivered its 8 billionth piece of holiday mail in 2024 on December 18, according to the San Antonio postmaster.⁴

10. More than 350 million mail pieces per operating day

USPS says it delivered more than 350 million mail pieces per operating day in December 2024, and 45% more packages per operating day than its competitors.⁸

11. Capacity of 88 million packages a day

New package sorters have raised USPS daily processing capacity from 60 million to 88 million packages. More than 600 sorters have been installed since 2020.⁹

12. The busiest week was December 15 in 2025

USPS named the week of December 15 as the busiest of 2025. Its delivery network reaches nearly 169 million addresses.⁹

13. Fewer seasonal hires than before

For the 2025 peak, USPS planned about 14,000 seasonal hires, down from around 40,000 in previous years. Nearly 232,000 pre-career employees have been converted to full-time since 2020.⁸ For what ends up in those parcels, see Christmas spending statistics.

14. Letters to Santa have been answered since 1912

USPS Operation Santa ran for its 113th year in 2025. Letters had to be postmarked by December 6 to be eligible, and volunteers adopt them to fulfill the wishes.¹⁰

Church and faith

15. 88% of Americans celebrate Christmas

Gallup found that 88% of Americans say they celebrate Christmas, in a poll published in December 2025. The year before it was 90%.¹¹

16. Church attendance has fallen by 17 points since 2010

Gallup reports that 47% of those who celebrate attend a religious service on Christmas Eve or Day, 17 points below 2010. Among Christians the share fell from 73% to 61%.¹¹

17. Lifeway: 47% typically attend a service at Christmas

In an August 2024 survey of 1,200 Americans, Lifeway Research found that 47% typically attend church at Christmas and 48% do not. Among the religiously unaffiliated only 21% do.¹²

18. Most go to honor Jesus, few for the season alone

Among Americans who attend church at Christmas, 60% say they go to honor Jesus. Another 16% go for tradition, 15% to be with family or friends and 8% to get in the Christmas spirit.¹²

19. In 2017, 55% marked Christmas as a religious holiday

Pew Research Center found in late 2017 that 55% of US adults marked Christmas as a religious holiday, down from 59% in 2013. Half (51%) planned to attend services.¹³

20. Secular traditions hold up better than sacred ones

In Gallup's poll, 96% of celebrants exchange gifts and 95% gather with family or friends. Religious decorations such as nativity scenes are down 14 points since 2010, to 54%.¹¹ Not every one of those gifts is a hit, as our unwanted Christmas gifts statistics show.

Food and drink

21. Potatoes beat turkey

In a YouGov head-to-head poll of 1,140 Americans in December 2020, mashed or roast potatoes were the most popular Christmas dishes, ahead of turkey. Turkey still won 73% of its matchups among proteins.¹⁴

22. Prime rib beats ham on the nationwide ranking

The same poll gave prime rib a 69% win rate, roast beef 66% and steak 65%. Duck won 33% of its matchups and goose 28%.¹⁴

23. The Christmas table looks different by region

The Northeast favored lasagna (79%) and ham (72%). The West preferred tamales (57%), the South mac and cheese (70%), and the Midwest chicken (76%).¹⁴

24. Eggnog is America's Christmas drink

In YouGov's 2025 comparison of four countries, 40% of Americans named eggnog their favorite Christmas drink and 25% hot chocolate. Eggnog polls under 10% in the other markets.¹⁵

25. Winter holidays are candy's biggest season

The National Confectioners Association reports $7.5 billion in winter holiday candy sales in 2024, more than 18% of seasonal confectionery sales. 95% of Americans mark the season with chocolate or candy.¹⁶

26. How to eat a candy cane

In an NCA survey of 1,690 people, 54% start a candy cane with the straight end, 30% with the curved end and 16% break it into pieces.¹⁶

27. Cookies and hot chocolate are near universal

Gallup found that 81% of celebrants bake cookies or desserts. In YouGov's 2025 survey, 67% planned to drink hot chocolate.⁷

28. The poinsettia is a $149 million crop

Potted poinsettia sales reached $149 million in 2018, making it the second largest flowering potted crop in the United States after orchids. Joel Poinsett brought the plant from Mexico around 1828.¹⁷

Christmas music

29. 22 weeks at No. 1 and counting

Guinness World Records credits Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (released 1994) with 22 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as of January 3, 2026. The old record was 19 weeks.²

30. A holiday hit that returns every year

Carey's song first reached No. 1 on December 21, 2019, 25 years after its release, and has returned to the top in the holiday seasons since.¹⁸

31. Carey has spent 100 weeks at No. 1

With the 2025 run, Mariah Carey reached 100 total weeks at No. 1, second only to the Beatles and the most for any solo or female artist.¹⁹

32. Wham! finally reached No. 2

"Last Christmas" climbed to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in December 2025, its highest position ever, more than 40 years after its release.¹⁸

33. White Christmas is still the best selling single

Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" sold about 50 million physical copies, the Guinness record. It spent eleven weeks at No. 1 in 1942 and was recorded in 18 minutes.²⁰ Does it snow on the day? See white Christmas statistics.

34. Holiday music takes over 10% of streaming

Luminate data show holiday music exceeding 10% of US on-demand audio streaming in peak weeks. The share reached 14.3% in 2020 and 13% in 2023.²¹

35. Three in four plan to listen to holiday music

In YouGov's 2025 holiday survey, 75% of Americans planned to listen to holiday music, the most popular activity on the list.⁷

Films and television

36. Home Alone earned $477 million

"Home Alone" (1990) grossed $285.8 million in the US and $477.4 million worldwide on an $18 million budget.²²

37. 89% of Americans have seen Home Alone

A YouGov poll of 2,230 adults in December 2025 found that 89% have seen it. Next come Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (84%), A Charlie Brown Christmas (82%) and Frosty the Snowman (80%).³

38. Home Alone is also the most loved

56% of viewers say they love Home Alone, ahead of A Charlie Brown Christmas (52%) and Rudolph (49%).³

39. Is Die Hard a Christmas movie? America is split

Among those who have seen it, 44% say Die Hard is a Christmas movie and 45% say it is not. For The Nightmare Before Christmas the "yes" share is 73%.³

40. Eight in ten like holiday movies

79% of Americans say they love or like holiday movies, and 64% planned to watch one in 2025. Gallup finds that 86% of celebrants watch holiday movies.³

41. Netflix set a streaming record on Christmas Day

The Lions-Vikings game on Netflix averaged 27.5 million US viewers on Christmas 2025, the most streamed NFL game in US history. The Cowboys-Commanders game drew 19.9 million, down from 25.8 million a year earlier.²³

Decorations, lights and energy

42. 89% decorate their homes

Gallup reports that 89% of celebrants decorate their homes for Christmas. In YouGov's survey, 70% planned to look at holiday lights and 56% to put up lights themselves.⁷ Trees get their own guide: Christmas tree statistics.

43. $2.82 billion of decorations from China

The Census Bureau counts $2.82 billion of Christmas decoration imports from China, 88% of the US total. The data cover 2023.²⁴

44. LED tree lights come from Cambodia

Imports of LED Christmas tree lights from Cambodia reached $309.4 million, 66% of the US total, in the same Census Bureau release.²⁴

45. LED strands use 70% less energy

The US Department of Energy says LED holiday light strands use 70% less energy than incandescent ones. Lighting a 6-foot tree for 12 hours a day over 40 days costs $0.27 with LEDs and $10 with incandescents.²⁵

46. The first National Christmas Tree had 2,500 bulbs

President Coolidge lit a 48-foot balsam fir from Vermont on the Ellipse on December 24, 1923. It was decorated with 2,500 red, white and green electric bulbs.²⁶

47. Rockefeller Center: from 20 feet to 45,000 LEDs

The first Rockefeller Center tree in 1931 stood 20 feet tall. Today's tree carries 45,000 lights on 5 miles of wire and a 550-pound Swarovski star.²⁷

How the traditions began

48. Christmas became a federal holiday in 1870

President Ulysses S. Grant signed a law on June 28, 1870 making Christmas a legal holiday for federal employees in Washington, D.C. They were not paid for the day until 1938.²⁸ How the season plays out at the office today is covered in our workplace Christmas statistics.

49. NORAD has tracked Santa since 1955

The tradition began in 1955, when a Sears newspaper ad printed a phone number that reached the Continental Air Defense Command, where Colonel Harry Shoup answered the calls.²⁹

50. Toy stores earn 13.6% of their year in December

In December 2023, hobby, toy and game stores made 13.6% of their annual sales, according to the Census Bureau.²⁴

What the numbers mean for businesses

Three patterns stand out. People travel and gather, so attention is scattered in December. Secular rituals such as decorating, movies and baking beat religious ones, so a brand can join in without being preachy. And the season starts early, with music and mail ramping up weeks before Christmas (more on the countdown in our advent calendar statistics).

A digital advent calendar fits that rhythm: one small surprise a day, no postage, no queues. Teams can use it for employees, shops for customers, and marketers as a campaign that runs through the whole of December.

My take

Frequently asked questions

How many Americans travel at Christmas?

AAA projected 122.4 million Americans would travel at least 50 miles from home between December 20 and January 1 in 2025, and 109.5 million of them by car.

How many Americans go to church at Christmas?

About half. Gallup found that 47% of celebrants attend a service on Christmas Eve or Day, and Lifeway Research (2024) found that 47% of Americans typically attend church at Christmas.

What is the best-selling Christmas song?

Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling physical single ever, at about 50 million copies. Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" holds the Hot 100 record with 22 weeks at No. 1.

What is the most popular Christmas movie in the US?

Home Alone. In a December 2025 YouGov poll, 89% had seen it and 56% of viewers said they love it.

What do Americans drink at Christmas?

Eggnog leads, named the favorite Christmas drink by 40% of Americans, ahead of hot chocolate at 25% (YouGov, 2025).

When did Christmas become a federal holiday?

On June 28, 1870, when President Grant signed a law making it a legal holiday for federal employees in Washington, D.C. Pay for the day came in 1938.

Where can I use these statistics?

You are welcome to quote them in articles, reports and presentations. Please link to this page as the source.

Sources

1. 1AAA, Year-end holiday travel forecast 2025 (newsroom.aaa.com)
2. 2Guinness World Records, Most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (guinnessworldrecords.com)
3. 3YouGov US, Christmas movies seen and loved 2025 (yougov.com)
4. 4USPS, 8 billionth mail piece of the 2024 holiday season (about.usps.com)
5. 5TSA, Thanksgiving travel projections 2025 (tsa.gov)
6. 6Hotel Online, reprinting Reuters on the TSA screening record 2025 (hotel-online.com)
7. 7YouGov US, Holiday traditions and travel plans 2025 (yougov.com)
8. 8USPS, Ready to deliver for the 2025 holiday season (about.usps.com)
9. 9USPS, Ready for the busiest week of 2025 (about.usps.com)
10. 10USPS, Operation Santa 2025 (about.usps.com)
11. 11Gallup, Secular Christmas traditions persist as sacred ones decline (Dec. 2025) (news.gallup.com)
12. 12Lifeway Research, Church attendance at Christmas 2024 (news.lifeway.com)
13. 13Pew Research Center, Religious aspects of Christmas 2017 (pewresearch.org)
14. 14YouGov US, Most popular Christmas dinner dishes 2020 (yougov.com)
15. 15YouGov, Top Christmas foods in Britain, the US, Germany and France (yougov.com)
16. 16National Confectioners Association, Winter holiday candy 2024 (candyusa.com)
17. 17University of Florida IFAS, Five facts about the poinsettia (gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu)
18. 18NPR, via KJZZ, Mariah Carey is back at No. 1 (kjzz.org)
19. 19Black Enterprise, citing Billboard chart data on Mariah Carey (blackenterprise.com)
20. 20Guinness World Records, Best-selling physical single (guinnessworldrecords.com)
21. 21Luminate, Holiday music streaming trends (luminatedata.com)
22. 22Box Office Mojo, Home Alone (1990) (boxofficemojo.com)
23. 23Associated Press, via Michigan Public, Christmas Day NFL viewership 2025 (michiganpublic.org)
24. 24US Census Bureau, Facts for Features: Winter holiday season 2024 (census.gov)
25. 25US Department of Energy, How do holiday lights work? (energy.gov)
26. 26National Park Service, The 1923 National Christmas Tree (nps.gov)
27. 27Mental Floss, Facts about the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree (mentalfloss.com)
28. 28TIME, How Christmas became a US federal holiday (time.com)
29. 29NORAD Tracks Santa, About the program (noradsanta.org)