🌎 The Holiday Edition

Snow is a billion-dollar problem for states

Who would’ve guessed? Since rushing to clear your car of snow so you can make it to work on time isn’t an entirely unique experience, many of us know the struggles cold weather can bring during the holiday season.

However, snow, sleet, slush, and cold snaps have much bigger consequences than making you late for work.

The burden of blizzards

While the occasional whiteout might make for some good pictures, snow and ice aren’t just seasonal scenery… they’re a major expense for municipal and state budgets:

• The US spends over $2 billion on snow removal alone, according to an estimate by the Federal Highway Administration.

• That includes the cost of maintaining fleets of snowplows (that cost $200,000 each), hiring staff, and purchasing road treatments, with snow-heavy states using millions of gallons of brine and hundreds of thousands of tons of salt each year.

More storms = bigger burden: Boston spent $40 million (double its budget) during the 2014–15 season after storms were worse than anticipated, and Maryland shelled out $108 million after a winter saw 67% more storms, followed by delayed repairs and ballooning maintenance costs.

Things can get even more costly

The price tag for heavy snow often goes far beyond just plows and salt, because when a blizzard gets bad enough:

• States can lose anywhere from $70 million to $700 million per day in lost wages, lower retail receipts, and diminished tax revenue due to winter shutdowns, according to a 2014 study.

• In extreme cases, like the 2021 Texas winter freeze, costs were estimated to be in the hundreds of billions.

How do states plan for winter weather? Snow budgets are essentially educated guesses based on average winters, but when unpredictable winter storms arrive, cities are often forced to overspend, drain reserves, or cut other programs to cover overtime, materials, and emergency plowing costs.

Americans are spending big on Christmas trees

Nothing beats a nice Fraser fir. With Christmas just around the corner (hopefully you have all your gifts wrapped), new data has revealed just how much Americans are spending on Christmas trees… and it’s a lot.

Christmas cash

According to the National Christmas Tree Association, Americans buy around 25 million to 30 million Christmas trees on average each year. In 2025, however, that number is likely to be surpassed:

• Americans are expected to spend roughly $6 billion on about 50 million (real and fake) Christmas trees this year, according to Finder.

• The average price for a real tree reached $83.87 (slightly up from last year’s price), while artificial trees are going for an average cost of $126.20.

Of course, the classic Fraser firs lead the market with about 35% share (see graph), followed by Douglas and Noble firs, which are prized for their shape, needle retention, and ornament‑holding strength.

Fake trees are also catching some eyes: Despite being more expensive, artificial trees can be used for years and are a better option for those who have pets or allergies to the pollen sap found in real trees.

There are a lot of saplings to go around: While roughly 350 million to 500 million trees are grown on US farms, fewer than 10% of them are ultimately used as Christmas trees. See some more fun facts here.

Practical gift giving is trendy this holiday season

Now who doesn’t want a vacuum cleaner for Christmas? As prices for many goods continue to stretch household budgets, many American holiday shoppers are gravitating toward everyday essentials for gift-giving.

Practical purchases

Earlier this month, The Washington Post analyzed Adobe Analytics data to see how holiday purchases stacked up against average October sales and found some rather notable trends:

• Practical gifts saw a meteoric rise in sales, with orders of vacuum cleaners up 1,300%, small kitchen appliances up 1,250%, and power tools up 900%.

• Daily necessities like clothing, appliances, coffee, socks, and diapers also saw a rise in sales for holiday shopping, beating out other, more luxury and “fun” gifts.

Some shoppers interviewed by The Washington Post described wrapping household staples like baby shampoo or toilet paper as holiday gifts partly as a joke, but also as a reflection of the times.

• Others report turning to used goods to save money in a new trend that’s being called “Thriftmas.”

That doesn’t mean people aren’t still spending: Overall holiday sales are expected to rise by about 4% this year, but that is slightly slower than last year’s growth rate and well below the double‑digit gains seen earlier in the decade.

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Holiday ads started wayyyyy earlier this year

What’s better than Christmas commercials in September? Many brands began their holiday advertising campaigns much earlier than usual this year, aiming to compete for the dollars of budget-conscious consumers.

They spent a lot doing it, too

The early push was meant to grab shoppers’ attention before the busiest buying season of the year started and to stand out in a crowded ad market. That led to a lot of money being spent on ads:

• Advertisers spent $1.47 billion on holiday TV ads over the first nine weeks of the season, a roughly 13% increase from the same time last year.

• Some holiday commercials from major companies (echem, Amazon) began airing as early as the second week of October.

The early ad blitz is part of a broader trend called “holiday creep,” where seasonal marketing starts earlier each year to extend the selling window and boost sales.

Do the ads even work? Well, many consumers actually enjoy holiday ads, as surveys show that about 91% of people find them entertaining or uplifting. Some generations, including 70% of baby boomers and 47% of Gen Zers, say the festive messaging arrives “too soon.”

Netflix is taking a page out of Hallmark’s book (literally)

We’ve officially gone full circle. As viewers increasingly clamor for Christmas content, Netflix has infused its library with festive titles in an effort to compete with traditional holiday channels.

Bring on the jolly

Netflix first entered the holiday movie space almost a decade ago and has since built a sizable collection of festive films and specials, many of which now rank among its most-watched titles:

• Last year, Netflix debuted a popular rom-com named Hot Frosty, which briefly became the platform’s number one movie.

• This year, new holiday releases such as My Secret Santa, Jingle Bell Heist, and Champagne Problems have climbed the streaming giant’s leaderboard alongside non-holiday heavyweights.

• Beyond movies, Netflix has leaned into the season with holiday specials and a lineup of themed virtual fireplaces.

If you can’t beat 'em: To supplement its own holiday original movies, Netflix teamed up with Hallmark, adding 10 titles last year and securing a multiyear licensing agreement this year.

Catch up on this week’s weird news

 > According to Target’s 2025 sales data, gingerbread cookies are America’s favorite holiday treat, topping purchase lists in 38 states, with sugar cookies leading in eight states and shortbread favored in four.

 > A record‑holding collector in Nuremberg, Germany, has filled his home with over 11,000 snow globes, making it the world’s largest known collection and a year‑round winter wonderland.

 > A new poll found about 60% of US adults consider cash or gift cards “very acceptable” holiday presents, and nearly half plan on going to bed before midnight on New Year’s Eve.

 > This holiday season is seeing a surge in holiday pop‑ups as businesses are using limited‑time experiences to draw crowds and boost sales during the holidays.

 > The most popular Christmas toys of past decades now cost significantly more when adjusted for inflation, with classics like Teddy Ruxpin costing over $200 if sold at their original tags now.