Figuratively Speaking

Year that the concept of "New Year's" was first celebrated, according to New Year's Facts and History: 2000 B.C. in Mesopotamia

Year that Jan. 1 was first recognized as the start of the new year -- in Venice, Italy: 1522

Year that Jan. 1 was first adopted as the beginning of the new year by the Roman Catholic Church: 1582

Year that "Auld Lang Syne" was written: 1788

Year that the first college football game was played on New Year's Day: 1902

Year that the first ball dropped in Times Square: 1907

Source: New Year's Facts.

During 2021, estimated number of Red Cross volunteers and staff who supported people affected by large disasters and emergencies, such as hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and home fires, throughout the U.S., according to a report by the Red Cross: 8,500-plus

Estimated number of meals and snacks served with the help of partners: 2 million

Estimated number of overnight shelter and emergency hotel stays provided with the help of partners: 200,000-plus

Estimated number of people who were given emergency financial assistance for urgent disaster needs, such as making a deposit on a new apartment or replacing lost essentials: 211,000-plus

Source: American Red Cross.

Percentage increase in holiday travel in 2021 compared to 2020, according to Allianz Partners USA: 34

Ranks of New York, Seattle, Orlando, Los Angeles and Phoenix on the list of Americans' favored domestic destinations: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of Cancun, Mexico; San Jose del Cabo, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica and Oranjestad, Aruba, on the list of Americans' favored international destinations: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Source: Allianz Global Assistance USA.

Percentage of Americans who were confident about their ability to maintain diets during holidays, according to a poll by Ipsos: 50

Percentage of baby boomers who said they are likely to maintain their dietary goals on holidays: 61

Percentage of Gen Zers who said the same: 49

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Percentage of winter holiday shoppers who were likely to spend money to treat themselves this holiday season, according to a Bankrate.com report: 57

Source: Bankrate.com.

Of those who make a New Year's resolution -- after one week, the percentage who are still successful in keeping it, according to research by Discover Happy Habits: 75

Percentage after six months: 46

Percentage of those who failed who said it was because they made too many resolutions: 10

Ranks of exercising more and improving fitness, losing weight, saving money and improving diet on the list of the most popular resolutions for 2021: 1, 2, 3, 4

Source: Discover Happy Habits.

Pre-pandemic, percentage of women who were guilty of partaking in "dating without intention," or without seeking a steady, long-term partnership, according to research from Dating.com: 40

While 60% of single women were open to short-term flings pre-pandemic, percentage who now are seeking a stable relationship: 85

Source: Dating Group.

Percentage of employed Americans who plan to quit their jobs within the next 12 months, according to CareerArc: 23

Ranks of the desire for better working conditions, burnout and higher pay on the list of reasons given by those who plan to resign in the next 12 months: 1, 2, 3

Source: CareerArc.

Percentage of retail workers who had their pay cut in the past year -- a slight improvement from 38% in 2020, according to research from LendingTree: 33

Percentage who have received raises this year, up from 54% in 2020: 58

Percentage who think next year will bring a pay raise: 42

Source: LendingTree.

When respondents to a survey by Adam and Eve were asked if they have ever fallen in love at first sight, percentage who said yes: 40

Percentage who said they weren't sure about love at first sight: 13

Source: Adam and Eve.

Idle Thought

"Many wealthy people are little more than janitors of their possessions." -- Frank Lloyd Wright, architect (1867-1959)

Year that the first Christmas card was sent, according to research by DMR: 1611

Years that Christmas was banned in England by the Puritans: 1647-1660

First year that Christmas was a bank holiday in England: 1834

Year that Christmas became a U.S. federal holiday: 1870

Source: DMR.

Percentage of Americans who plan to tip their trash/recycling collector during the holidays, according to a survey from CreditCards.com: 19

Median amount of tip: $20

Percentage who will tip a child's schoolteacher: 41

Median amount of tip: $25

Percentage who will tip a child care provider: 41

Median amount of tip: $50

Source: CreditCards.com.

Despite this year's early shopping trend, percentage of shoppers who still expect a "last-minute Christmas shopping" scramble, according to an Ipsos Poll: 20

Ranks of Amazon, Walmart, AT&T, Verizon Communications and Apple Inc. on the list of the top brands for gift cards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Ranks of gift cards and money on wish lists across the country: 1, 2

Source: Ipsos.

Rank of "It's a Wonderful Life," "Elf" and "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" on the list of favorite Christmas movies, according to a survey by Jackson, New Hampshire's Christmas Farm Inn and Spa: 1, 2, 3

Ranks of "Silent Night," "White Christmas" and "O Holy Night" on the list of favorite Christmas songs: 1, 2, 3

Source: Christmas Farm Inn and Spa.

Percentage of respondents who said they would be traveling to a second home or vacation rental over the holidays, according to Pacaso: 45

Percentage who said they would like some amount of seasonal decoration at their second home or vacation rental: 76

Source: Pacaso.

Year that Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States, placed a Christmas tree in the White House for the first time, according to PolitiFact.com and the National Christmas Tree Association: 1856

Year that President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn: 1923

Year that the National Christmas Tree was not lit until Dec. 22, because of a national 30-day period of mourning following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy: 1963

Source: National Christmas Tree Association.

Percentage of parents with kids under 18 who say they are worried about disappointing their kids this holiday season, according to a survey by LendingTree: 69

Percentage who lose sleep over holiday spending worries: 50

Source: LendingTree.

Date of the probable first flight of Santa's sleigh (built by Kringle and Elves Inc.), 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: 75 cc (candy canes) / 150 lps (lollipops)

Width: 40 cc / 80 lps

Height: 55 cc / 110 lps

Weight at takeoff: 75,000 gd (gumdrops)

Propulsion: Nine (9) rp (reindeer power)

Armament: Antlers (purely defensive)

Climbing speed: One "T" (Twinkle of an eye)

Max speed: Faster than starlight

Source: NORAD.

Number of children Santa must visit in a matter of hours, according to the Ministry of Fun: 2.1 billion

Number of stops he must make (assuming the global average of 2.5 children per household applies): 842 million

Source: Ministry of Fun.

Date that two astronauts aboard Gemini 6 sent an odd report to Mission Control saying that they saw an unidentified flying object about to enter Earth's atmosphere, traveling in the polar orbit from north to south -- interrupting the tense report with the sound of "Jingle Bells," as Wally Schirra played a small harmonica accompanied by Tom Stafford on a handful of small sleigh bells they had smuggled aboard, according to research by author and historian Christopher Klein: December 16, 1965

Source: Surprising Christmas Facts.

Idle Thought

"What wisdom can you find that is greater than kindness?" -- Jean Jacques Rousseau, philosopher and author (1712-1778)

Percentage increase in the price index of the whimsical economic analysis by PNC Wealth Management based of the prices of gifts in the holiday classic "The Twelve Days of Christmas" from 2019 to 2021, and now totaling $41,205: 8.6

Cost for a partridge in a pear tree, up 6%: $222.68

Cost for five golden rings, up 8.5%: $895

Cost for 11 pipers piping, up 7.1%: $2,748.87

Source: PNC Financial Services Group.

Ranks of bicycles, gym equipment, sporting balls and guitars on the list of the hardest gifts to wrap, according to a survey by Slickdeals: 1, 2, 3, 4

Percentage of people who say they can identify a gift and who it's from based on how it has been wrapped: 56

Source: Slickdeals.

Percentage of holiday celebrants who are willing to explore ways to reduce their gift-giving costs this year, according to CreditCards.com: 76

Percentage who are seeking out coupons and store sales: 42

Percentage who are limiting gift exchanges to immediate family members: 39

Percentage who are giving homemade gifts: 24

Source: CreditCards.com.

Percentage of parents who blame the internet for their children no longer believing in Santa, according to a survey by Wriggly Toes: 16.5

Percentage who say Google searches are responsible for their kids discovering the truth: 33

Percentage of kids who say they were upset when they found out that Santa wasn't real: 30

Percentage who said they played along with the Santa shtick for a time, even after they realized it wasn't true: 65

Source: Wriggly Toes.

Percentage of gift-givers who are getting creative and saying they are very likely or might use an on-demand service like DoorDash to order last-minute gifts, according to an Oracle Retail study: 55

Percentage of people who fear porch pirates may steal a delivery: 32

Source: Oracle.

Percentage of workers who have received raises this past year, according to a MagnifyMoney survey of full-time workers: 58

Of those who received a pay increase this past year, percentage of men who say the increase was $5,000 or more annually, compared with 36% of women who say the same: 52

Source: LendingTree.

Entering December, percentage of Americans who had already finished or are almost done with their holiday shopping, according to an Ipsos Poll: 52

Ranks of gift cards and money on people's wish list across the country: 1

Source: Ipsos Public Affairs.

Of Americans traveling for Christmas this year, percentage who will be staying in a hotel, according to a survey commissioned by the American Hotel and Lodging Association: 23

Source: American Hotel and Lodging Association.

Ranks of promotions, discounts and free shipping on the list of influences for shoppers purchasing gifts this holiday season, according to a Deloitte survey: 1, 2, 3

Source: Deloitte.

Idle Thought

"In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute." -- Thurgood Marshall, U.S. Supreme Court Justice (1908-1993)