Opinion: ‘Tis the season for commerce

Whether it be for Christmas, Hanukkah, or another special occurrence, the final three weeks of December may be some of the busiest weeks in the entire year. As such, these holidays have a huge impact on the American economy and international economies. 

For many retail brands, the holiday season, or perhaps the holiday stretch starting from October’s Halloween, can be a do-or-die point. That’s why there are many holiday-themed products that companies are constantly coming out with. One visible example of this is Too Faced’s constant holiday-themed launch.

Too Faced is a cosmetics company owned by The Estée Lauder Company. Every holiday season, Too Faced launched makeup sets, such as beautifully designed eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, and other holiday aesthetic and scented products. For instance, just in the 2022 holiday season, Too Faced launched products with Halloween, pumpkin spice, hot chocolate, and other Christmas baked goods. Why? Well, the holiday season stretch that begins with Halloween provides a perfect market for the companies; consumers are looking to buy presents for themselves and others, and the end-of-the-year festivities are a much-needed break. 

The impacts of Christmas and the holidays aren’t only limited to large corporations and their subsidies like The Estée Lauder Company and Too Faced. In fact, it’s not limited to the United States domestic economy, either. Studies have shown the dramatic impacts of consumers and consumer spending during the holidays.

According to Forbes, one such study was conducted in the United Kingdom by Holly Tucker, an entrepreneur and author. Tucker found that if every United Kingdom citizen bought a gift from a small business, there would be $3.6 billion pounds reallocated in the economy to these small businesses. Furthermore, according to Tucker, this money would be critical in saving small businesses in the face of closure. 

As a whole, the holiday season is a time for festivities and relaxation. However, it is also a period of time when many businesses’ fates rest upon consumers. So, as the school year is gearing up for students, rest up and enjoy knowing that all times of the year are incredibly joyous!