Since 1985, Deloitte & Touche USA LLP has commissioned an Annual Holiday Survey that gauges consumers’ outlook about the economy, expectations about the year-end holidays, and related spending and purchase patterns. The survey polls a sample of more than 10,000 adult consumers, a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population. In addition to a national view, we also analyze consumer sentiments and expectations in specific regional segments of the U.S., including metropolitan areas and states. The survey provides a consistent historical framework that allows us to uncover longer-term trends, while also gathering information on topical, timely trends. This combination has allowed Deloitte to uncover several important insights over the past two decades.