Holiday Consumer Spending Could Exceed $1 Trillion, Retailers Project NYT | Top Stories By: Kailyn Rhone 7 November 2025 at 05:57 Despite shoppers’ concerns about rising costs, inflation and the government shutdown, retailers predict sales will increase as much as 4.2% over the holidays. © Dave Sanders for The New York TimesShoppers leaving a Walmart in Albany, N.Y., during the season last year.