It’s no secret: The holiday season means major spending, at least as far as U.S. consumers are concerned. According to Mastercard Economic Institute’s annual forecast, U.S. retail sales are expected to increase 3.6% year over year, and Retail Dive cited Deloitte data indicating growth of between 2.9% and 3.4% year over year — despite the fact that more respondents to an Experian survey indicated they would be curtailing their holiday spending this year as compared with 2024. Learn More: 6 Big Shakeups Com ...