Several hard-to-predict factors will influence consumers' spending, as they deck the halls and look for the perfect gifts. That's a more modest increase than the 3.9% year-over-year jump from the 2022 to 2023 holiday season, when spending totaled $955.6 billion. Shoppers expect to spend an average of $1,778 on the holidays this year, 8% more than last holiday season, according to consulting firm Deloitte's survey. SharkNinja CEO Mark Barrocas described the election as the "biggest unknown" that will shape the holiday season. A shorter holiday season

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Persons: Michael M, Stephen Rogers, Mario Tama, Rogers, Matt Shay, it's, Lance Allen, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Scott Olson, Mark Barrocas, It's, Jen Acerra, Ed Bastian, Evan Gold, Gold, Jack Kleinhenz, Allen, they're Organizations: Herald, Santiago, Getty, Deloitte, National Retail Federation, Shoppers, Deloitte's Consumer Industry Center, Walmart, Catering, Home Depot, Democratic, Republican, Amazon, Delta Air Lines, CNBC, Hurricane Milton, Anadolu, Planalytics, Depot Locations: New York City, Burbank , California, Traverse City , Michigan, Florida, Clearwater, Philadelphia, San Francisco, North Carolina