AS Christmas Day is celebrated across United States today, millions of Americans will be experiencing one of their more unusual holidays with bright sunny skies and record breaking warm weather. It's a long way from what most Americans are used to, particularly along the East Coast where the nation's weather is usually ice cold by now. Not this year however. It's in the high 60s in Boston, the low 70s in New York and nearly 80 in Washington DC area. To most people it's feeling like summer. Now it's a famous piece of music that's providing a little bit of holiday Christmas cheer, and a reminder of what winter weather is usually like at this time of year. It was one of America's most famous singers, Bing Crosby, that sang a song millions in the US now listen to during this most celebrated of holidays. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas," is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. Listening to this timeless classic is the closest many Americans are going to get to have a snowy Christmas this year. Long held Christmas traditions of sitting by a fire in warm clothes with family and friends, have been replaced with Americans in shorts and t-shirts, walking in the parks looking at cherry blossoms which are blooming thinking Spring is already here. Yet certain symbols associated with Christmas remain regardless of what the weather is doing. Famous stores such as Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tiffany have decorated their windows for the holiday, and people's homes, hotels and restaurants all have Christmas trees. The tree is where presents are left to open during the day on Dec. 25. The most famous Christmas trees in America are the one at the White House which was lit by President Barack Obama and his family at the beginning of December, and the 78 foot tall Christmas tree at New York City's famed Rockefeller Plaza. It's at the Rockefeller Plaza Christmas tree where hundreds of thousand of Americans come to marvel at the thousands of lights which twinkle and sparkle when evening falls, and where the shadow of the tree on the ice rink below, provides hours of joy to families visiting the Big Apple during the holiday season. One sector of the US public, which isn't having much joy is the retail sector. This year, traditional winter items such as coats, sweaters, scarves and gloves haven't sold and warehouses are packed with merchandise. Famous stores, which usually see products fly off their shelves, are now worried. With the weather at record high temperatures, The New York Times business section wrote, "Retailers Feel the Heat of Lost Winter Clothing Sales." Macy's has already warned that it will need to offer big discounts, Gap, has reported a 3 percent decline in net sales in the third quarter, and sales of women's boots in New York plunged by 24 percent in the first half of December. The US Census bureau has calculated that a quarter of all personal spending takes place during the Christmas shopping season, with the average American spending an average of $800 on presents for Christmas. The numbers for last year certainly reflect that. During the 2014 holiday shopping season, retail sales in the United States increased to a total of over $616 billion, up from 2013s $602 billion. How things will unfold this Christmas is yet to be seen. Christmas Day falls on a Friday this year, which means most of the 320 million people in the United States will enjoy a long weekend away from offices, and schools. Traditionally it's a time for reflection, enjoyment and relaxation. But it's also a time for traveling. The AAA in the United States reports 100 million Americans will travel between Dec. 23 and Jan. 3, with more than 90% of those people driving over 50 miles or more to celebrate. It would seem whatever the weather, and no matter how slow retail sales may be, another famous song will also be playing in homes and hotels across the United States. "It's the most Wonderful Time of the Year," is a song by Andy Williams about meetings between friends and families. That's the joy of Christmas, and that's what hundreds of millions of people not just in the United States but also in other countries around the world will be doing today too.
