Conventional wisdom says that the weeks leading up to Christmas are the most important time of the year for retailers in the United States. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans are going to spend between $957 and $967 billion during November and December this year, with average spending for gifts and other holiday-related items expected to amount to $875 per consumer.

But, as Statista's Felix Richter asks, how reliant are retailers on a successful holiday season? Can two to three months really make or break an entire year?

Well, it depends.

According to retail sales figures published by the U.S. Census Bureau, some types of retailers are more reliant on holiday season sales than others.