Christmas

Holiday shopping typically plays out like a well-rehearsed melody – steady rhythms, familiar refrains. But this year, it feels more like jazz: improvisational and less predictable, with shifting consumer behavior, smarter spending and a younger generation leading the key change. According to PwC's 2025 Holiday Outlook survey, consumers expect their seasonal spending to decline on average by 5% from 2024 – the first notable drop since 2020.

Miscellaneous

Just 1 in 10 Americans say they own a freestanding or grandfather clock, fewer than the share who own a digital watch (14%), an analog watch (33%), a smartwatch (33%), a wall clock (54%), or an alarm clock (56%), a new YouGov poll finds. Older Americans are more likely than younger Americans to own most of these types of clocks and watches. The biggest exception is smartwatches: 39% of adults under 45 own one, compared to 29% of older Americans.

Auto-New Imported

Cox Automotive Inc. recently released the Drivers of Car Shopping Satisfaction, a comprehensive report detailing the emotional journey and satisfaction of car shoppers. The study surveyed more than one thousand new and used-vehicle buyers and reveals significant improvements in the car buying experience over the past decade. The study surveyed 740 new-vehicle buyers and 350 used-vehicle buyers regarding vehicles purchased in the past 12 months from a franchise dealership.