Figuratively Speaking

Rank of the iconic Jedi Obi Wan Kenobi on the list of characters from the "Star Wars" franchise that the American public would prefer to elect more than any other challenger when pitted against actual presidential candidates, according to an Ipsos poll: 1

Outside of the political realm, ranks of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi on the list of America's favorite Star Wars characters: 1, 2, 3, 4

In a head-to-head matchup, percentage of the millennial vote captured by Darth Vader, beating Donald Trump's 18 percent: 27

In a head-to-head matchup, percentage of the millennial vote captured by Yoda, beating Hillary Clinton's 26 percent: 50

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of Americans who say staying current on living expenses or getting caught up on bills is their highest financial priority, according to a survey by Bankrate.com: 38

Percentage who said paying down debt: 21

Percentage who cited saving: 18

Source: Bankrate Inc.

Percentage of people who say they plan to exercise more in 2016, according to a survey by Skout: 78

Percentage of those who say they will only do it with a friend: 26

Percentage who say they get a better workout with a friend: 84

Source: Skout.

Ranks of Charlotte, Amelia/Emilia, Aria/Arya, Olivia and Scarlett/Scarlet on the list of most popular baby names for girls in 2015, according to BabyNames.com: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Oliver, Liam, Benjamin, Owen and Jackson/Jaxon on the list of most popular baby names for boys in 2015: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: BabyNames.com.

Number of Americans over the age of 16 who do not currently work and who are not looking for work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: 94.6 million (equivalent to the entire populations of California, Texas, Florida and the New York City metropolitan area)

Estimated number of people who are either employed (149.3 million) or looking for work (7.9 million): 157 million

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Percentage of U.S. investors who say an increase in interest rates would not make much difference to their own financial situation, according to a Wells Fargo/Gallup Investor and Retirement Optimism Index poll: 54

Percentage who believe higher rates would be good for them: 16

Percentage who say higher rates would be bad for them: 30

Source: Gallup Organization.

Number of unique users the Facebook smartphone app had each month during 2015, according to research from Nielsen: 126 million

Number of unique users the YouTube app had each month: 97 million

Source: Nielsen Media Research.

Percentage of U.S. parents with kids under 18 in the household who can think of an instance when their child has made a specific request while shopping, according to results of a Harris Poll: 91

Percentage who can recall at least one occasion when they've refused such requests: 59

Percentage of parents who try to avoid going shopping with their children whenever possible: 40

Source: The Harris Poll.

Ranks of Cuba, Myanmar, Iceland, Colombia, and Ethiopia and Japan as emerging tourism destinations that will gain popularity in 2016 for Americans, according to members of the United States Tour Operators Association: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (tie)

Ranks of New York and California, Arizona and Hawaii, Nevada, Florida and Washington, D.C., and Alaska as the most popular U.S. destinations in 2016: 1 (tie), 2 (tie), 3, 4 (tie), 5

Source: United States Tour Operators Association.

Percentage of workers who characterize their work-life balance as good or very good, according to a survey by Robert Half Management Resources: 77

Percentage of workers who say they have greater balance than they had three years ago: 45

Source: Robert Half.

Idle Thought

"The question is whether or not you choose to disturb the world around you, or if you choose to let it go on as if you had never arrived." -- Ann Patchett, writer

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Ranks of Orlando, Cancun and New York as the top New Year's destinations for Americans, according to a survey by Orbitz Worldwide: 1, 2, 3

Busiest day for New Year's travel: December 30

Source: Orbitz Worldwide.

Percentage of people who say they have three or more varieties of pie during the holidays, according to a survey commissioned by Fleischmann's Yeast and Karo Syrup brands: 48

Percentage who enjoy the last piece of pie for breakfast the next morning: 34

Percentage who sneak the last piece while everyone is in bed: 23

Source: MSL Group.

Year that the New Year's Eve Ball made its maiden descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square, according to a survey commissioned by Fleischmann's Yeast and Karo Syrup brands: 1907

Number of versions of the ball that have been designed to signal the new year: 7

Number of 25-watt light bulbs that adorned the first New Year's Eve Ball, made of iron and wood: 100

Weight of the ball, which was 5 feet in diameter: 700 pounds

Source: Times Square Visitors Center.

Ranks of Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and the Fourth of July on the list of America's most loved holidays, according to a Harris Poll: 1, 2, 3, 4

Ranks of turkey, stuffing, ham, pie, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes on the list of the one food or dish Americans most look forward to eating each year during this holiday season: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (tie)

Source: The Harris Poll.

Percentage of workers who will work at least part of the week of Dec. 28, according to research by Robert Half: 59

Percentage who plan to take the entire week off for vacation: 28

Percentage who will take time off but will check in with the office: 60

Source: Robert Half.

Amount of extra waste generated in the holiday period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, according to the the Environmental Protection Agency and the American Chemistry Council: 1 million tons

Source: Plastics Make It Possible.

Percentage of consumers who returned a holiday gift after telling the person who gave it to them that they loved it, according to a study by the Centre for Generational Kinetics and Gift Card Impressions: 53

Percentage of people aged 18 to 34 who say they have posted online a picture of a ridiculous gift they have received: 30

Percentage of people who have watched someone open a gift they gave them, realized they didn't like it, yet witnessed the person lie and say they liked it: 80

Source: Center for Generational Kinetics.

Percentage of women who plan to improve their look in 2016, according to a survey by SKOUT: 82

Percentage of men who plan to improve their look in 2016: 71

Source: SKOUT.

While most people say they would prefer to host the holidays at their house, when asked to name the relative for whom they'd most like to find separate accommodations, percentage who said they'd send their sibling packing, according to a HomeAway report: 29

Percentage who said their grown child could stay elsewhere: 22

Source: HomeAway.

Ranks of holiday celebrations, watching TV/movies, cooking, reading and enjoying fireplace fires on the list of favorite winter activities, according to an Ipsos poll: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Idle Thought

"I know what I have given you. I do not know what you have received." -- Antonio Porchia, poet

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre@bwr.eastlink.ca.)

Date of the probable first flight of Santa's sleigh, a versatile, all-weather, multipurpose, vertical short-take-off-and-landing vehicle capable of traveling vast distances without refueling and deployed, as far as we know, only on Christmas Eve (and briefly for a test flight about a month before Christmas), according to NORAD: Dec. 24, 343 A.D.

Home base: North Pole

Length of the sleigh, built by K. Kringle & Elves Inc.: 75 cc (candy canes)/150 lp (lollipops)

Weight at takeoff: 75,000 gd (gumdrops)

Propulsion: Nine (9) rp (reindeer power)

Max speed: Faster than starlight� Source: NORAD.

Period during which the Christmas tree was introduced in the United States by German settlers, rapidly growing from tabletop size to floor-to-ceiling: 1800s

Year that Christmas trees began to be sold commercially in the United States: 1850

Year Franklin Pierce is credited with bringing the first Christmas tree to the White House: 1853

Estimated year that Sears, Roebuck & Co. began offering the first artificial Christmas trees -- 33 limbs for 50 cents and 55 limbs for $1: 1883

Year the first Christmas tree farm was started when W.V. McGalliard planted 25,000 Norway spruce on his farm in New Jersey: 1901

Source: History.com.

Estimated number of visitors who are drawn to the Christmas tree area around Rockefeller Center every day the tree is lit: 750,000

Number who visit on a non-Christmas tree day: 350,000

Source: Bloomberg.

Average number of minutes that parents across the U.S., U.K., France, Canada, Australia, Brazil and Mexico say they spend each night trying to get their children to bed, according to a study conducted on behalf of Netflix: 17.5

Percentage of parents who report that their children have come up with some creative stall tactics to try and delay bedtime: 61

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Year Barbie debuted at the annual Toy Fair in New York, according to research by Convergex: 1959

Since her birthday on March 9, 1959, estimated number of careers she has had: 150

Rank of the 1992 Totally Hair Barbie, which wore hair down to its feet, according to Mattel's website on the list of the best-selling Barbie of all time: 1

Source: Convergex.

Percentage of people who spend two to six hours preparing their holiday meal, according to a survey by Omaha Steaks: 56

Percentage of people who spend more than six hours: 29

Source: Omaha Steaks.

Percentage of adults who admit they have plugged too many Christmas lights into one outlet, according to a study by insuranceQuotes.com and Allstate Insurance: 50

Percentage who have let a real Christmas tree go without water for more than three days: 29

Source: insuranceQuotes.com.

Percentage of consumers who typically wait until the week of Christmas to do the majority of their holiday shopping, according to RetailMeNot: 30

Percentage of Americans who have bought last-minute gifts during the holidays: 91

Source: RetailMeNot.com.

Percentage of parents of children 9 or under who are likely to make toy purchases, more than those who are parents of tweens (ages 10 to 12) or full-blown teenagers (ages 13 to 17): 92

Ranks of children's books, arts and crafts supplies, dolls and console video games as the most-purchased gifts: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: The Harris Poll.

Percentage of Americans who plan to holiday tip this year, according to a survey from Care.com: 70

Percentage who prioritize tips for baby sitters, nannies and day care workers: 60

Percentage who tip those who regularly interact with their children, such as coaches, tutors, teachers, etc.: 42

Percentage who tip personal care contacts, such as hairstylists, manicurists, personal trainers, etc.: 47

Source: Care.com.

Idle Thought

"A thing of beauty is a joy forever: its loveliness increases; it will never pass into nothingness." -- John Keats

(Readers can contact John MacIntyre at johnmacintyre(at)bwr.eastlink.ca.)

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