Christmas is a selling season for retailers in many nations around the world. Sales increase dramatically as people purchase decorations, gifts and supplies to celebrate.
United States:
In the U.S., the “Christmas shopping season” starts as early as October. Statistics show that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the Christmas/holiday season. Figures from the “U.S. Census Bureau” show that department store sales nationwide rose 54 percent. The Christmas spending was increased more in other sectors. There was a buying surge of 100 percent in bookstores and 170 percent in jewelry stores. Same year employment in American retail stores went up from 1.6 million to 1.8 million in the two months prior to Christmas. Industries depend on Christmas include such as Christmas cards, of which 1.9 billion are sent in the United States each year. And live Christmas Trees, of which 20.8 million were cut in the U.S. in 2012.

Canada:
However, Canadians usually begin advertising campaigns after Halloween (October 31), and speed up the marketing after Remembrance Day on November 11. Stores would be open Christmas and New Year day until 7 or 8 pm. Boxing day is observed annually on December 26 in Canada, the U.K. and Commonwealth countries around the world. In the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday, much like Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) in the United States. Boxing Day sales are very common in Canada. It is a time when shops hold sales often with dramatic price reductions. For many retailers, Boxing Day has become the day of the year with the greatest revenue.
UK and Commonwealth:
In the UK in 2009 it was estimated that up to 12 million shoppers appeared at the sales. The Christmas shopping season starts around the middle of November, around the time when street Christmas lights are turned on, In the UK and Ireland. In 2010, up to £7 billion spent online at Christmas, approximately a quarter of total retail festive sales.
For most of the Western countries, Christmas Day is the least active day of the year for business and commerce. Almost all retail, commercial and institutional businesses are closed, and almost all industries stop activity whether laws require such or not. In England and Wales, the Christmas Day “Trading Act 2004” prevents all large shops from selling on Christmas Day.

Also, film studios release many high-budget movies during the holiday season, including Christmas films, fantasy movies or with high production values to the hopes of getting Academy Awards.