Ready to do some holiday shopping? According to a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, nearly 2 million more people than last year are expected to hit the stores this holiday weekend. That works out to about 158 million people—up from 156.6 million in 2020 but still below the 165.3 million in pre-pandemic 2019.
And this year, shoppers should be prepared to open their wallets. Prices are on the move, a fact reflected in PNC Bank’s 38th annual Christmas Price Index, or CPI, which saw a 5.7% bump compared to 2019.
The National Christmas Tree last year in Washington, D.C.
Photographer: Tasos Katopodis via Getty Images
The CPI is an ...