Some stocking stuffers from Mintel

Gifts, cards & decorations

• Some 13% of US consumers think a cell phone is a good gift for children aged 6-11, up from just 4% earlier this year.
  
• November is the most popular time to start shopping for holiday gifts, with nearly one-third (30%) of US shoppers starting then. However, 15% start their holiday shopping in December - the majority (18%) are male.
  
• Roughly one-third (32%) of Americans expect stores to offer boxes for holiday gifts; close to a quarter (22%) plan to cut down on the number of people they buy gifts for; and, more than two in 10 browse in-store, but buy online to save money.
  
• Gift for them and a treat for you? 27% of US consumers say that when they go gift shopping for the holidays, they usually wind up buying something for themselves.
  
• In the US, 69% of women bought a Christmas gift for someone in the past year, versus only 57% of men... come on guys, get out there, and shop!
  
• From last year's holiday season (i.e. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc.), the average amount of money spent on video gaming equipment as gifts for other people was US$78.
  
• Skipping the wrapping paper? 21% of Americans say they only use it rarely if at all, since gift bags are so plentiful.
  
• 42% of Americans say they bought Christmas decorations in the past year, compared to only 24% for Halloween and 14% for Easter.
  
• Giving or receiving? Christmas is the top occasion for sending a Christmas card in the US - 64% of US consumers purchased a Christmas greeting card in the past year - but more than that (67%) received one.
  
• Americans have very smart pets. 11% of them sent a greeting card or gift to their loved ones.
  
• Close to three in 10 (29%) US consumers say they bought a fragrance as a gift for someone else on Christmas. The winter holidays represent the peak season for fragrance sales.
  
• "Sniff, sniff... " who doesn't love the smell of the holidays... evergreens, cinnamon and sage. It turns out that just more than a quarter (28%) of Mintel respondents buy candles specifically for the holidays.

Food, drinks & entertaining

• According to Mintel Menu Insights, there's been a 6.9% increase in cranberry sauce menu items on restaurant menus in Q3 2011, compared to Q3 2010.
  
• Nearly one in five (18%) of US consumers claim they "absolutely have to entertain guests for the holidays."
  
• Holidays, such as Christmas, are the second most popular reason families vacation with nearly a quarter (24%) of Americans claiming this reason for taking a family vacation over the past 12 months.
  
• Over half (58%) of Americans say Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter holidays motivates them to cook gourmet or elaborate meals (i.e. meals that take three or more hours to prepare).
  
• Some 61% of Americans purchased chocolate in seasonal packaging in the past year, which is perhaps why 'Christmas chocolate' is expected to hit a new sales high (since 2006) in 2011, surpassing US$400 million in sales, an increase of 42%.
  
• Cheers! Falling just behind New Year's Eve (37%), Christmas is the next most common holiday that Americans buy booze for (28%).
  
• In 2010, 23 new food and drink products were launched in the US with Egg Nog in the product description; meanwhile, one in 10 US women who enjoy spirits usually mix them with milk or Egg Nog.
  
• 14% of American nut-lovers enjoyed chestnuts as a snack or part of a meal in the past month, though probably not roasted over an open fire!
  
• Say cheese! Some, 24% of Americans say they buy specialty cheese selections (samplers) as gifts.
  
• The infamous holiday leftovers... how do you store yours? 79% of Americans use resealable containers for leftovers, while 54% prefer wrap or foil... way, they won't last long!
  
• Nearly one in 10 US consumers claim cinnamon is the ingredient they most closely associate with comfort food.
  
• Treating your pet with turkey treats for the holidays, too? 48 new pet food products launched in the US this year with turkey as an ingredient - up from 35 in 2006.
  
• 'Tis the season of goodwill - nearly one in five (18%) of Americans try to do some kind of volunteer / charity work during the holidays. This rises to 22% of those earning US$100 000+.

In case you're in the need for some holiday spirit(s), Kathy Hayden, foodservice analyst at Mintel, has some suggestions:

"Bartenders are getting in the holiday spirit(s) with cocktails like the cognac-laced Maple Snow at Hank's Oyster Bar in D.C.; gingerbread martinis at Outback Steakhouse; a triple-spiked Jolly Java coffee at bd's Mongolian Grill and the Disgruntled Elf from Wildfish Seafood Grille in Newport Beach."