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This statistic shows the year-over-year growth of holiday retail sales in the United States from 2000 to 2011. In 2008, the recession affected American holiday spending, so retail sales during Christmas season in the United States declined 4.4 percent. Luckily, sales recovered again by 2010: that year, Christmas holiday retail sales grew by 5.2 percent compared to the previous year - the highest increase in the last four years.