The “Twelve Days of Christmas” is a popular carol, but it also represents the busiest days in the retail industry.  Cash registers are ringing at a record rate this season, and the “Twelve Days of Christmas” also symbolizes the last minute holiday shopping rush.

According to the American Express Retail Index, an opinion survey of 800 consumers nationwide, listed below are 12 holiday statistics you may find interesting:

On the First Day of Christmas:  24% of shoppers will finish their holiday shopping in late December.

On the Second day of Christmas:  More than half of men shop at the last minute, while women begin shopping earlier and finish earlier.

On the Third Day of Christmas:  Holiday shoppers will make an average of eight shopping trips this season.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas:  Consumers plan to shop at a variety of retailers, and are expected to visit an average of 12 different stores.

On the Fifth Day of Christmas:  Shoppers in the West and South got an earlier jump on gift buying than other regions.

On the Sixth Day of Christmas:  Individuals will buy gifts for an average of 13 people, including two friends.

On the Seventh Day of Christmas:  Many shoppers would rather have someone else do the wrapping, with 26% of men and 8% of women taking advantage of gift-wrapping services.

On the Eighth Day of Christmas:  Children remain the focus of the holiday season, with 72% of shoppers planning to buy gifts for children.

On the Ninth Day of Christmas:  Women are much more likely to use mail-order catalogs for their holiday shopping.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas:  To avoid crowds, 10% of consumers are opting to shop online and 25% via catalogs.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas:  46% of givers plan to splurge on a special someone - usually their spouse or child.

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas:  47% of shoppers say they have shopped on Christmas Eve in previous years.

The American Express Retail Index found that shoppers expect to spend an average of $1,342 on gifts and other holiday-related expenses, an increase of 8% over last year. Despite volatility in the stock market, 90% of consumers do not expect to adjust their holiday shopping budget this year.

The holiday countdown begins.