by Li Xirui, Yang Shilong
NEW YORK, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Red and green lights wash over the sidewalks, holiday displays fill glass storefronts, and mistletoe hangs over doorways and subway entrances, while snowflakes swirl between Manhattan's high-rises. By dusk, the crowds thicken, and the city slips into full Christmas mode.
But that glow doesn't fall evenly.
Division is nothing new in New York, but the holiday season this year makes the city's K-shaped economy harder to ignore. As Christmas lights brighten shopping streets, inflation and a sluggish economy are squeezing purchasing power, forcing even relatively comfortable households to reconsider everyday expenses and holiday spending.
"IT HURTS"
In New York's prime shopping corridors -- from Fifth Avenue and Macy's to SoHo and the newly opened Printemps -- stores are packed, signaling that people are still spending. However, the wealthiest 10 percent of U.S. households now account for nearly half of all consumer spending, according to Moody's Analytics, the highest share since the late 1980s.
For many New Yorkers, the holiday season now involves a harder second look, with every gift weighed against higher bills, tighter budgets, and the quiet math of what can be postponed.
"You just feel it when you spend a certain amount and don't get what you expect in return," said James Figueroa, a 30-year-old real estate worker, who estimates he'll spend over 1,200 U.S. dollars during the holiday season. "I'm feeling it. It hurts, man," he repeated.
Many shoppers are trimming plans before even reaching the checkout counter.
"Gas, tolls, groceries, liquor -- even clothes," said Torin Alkins, a 31-year-old entrepreneur, who plans to spend less than 1,000 dollars on gifts this year as inflation and tariffs have added to the squeeze on everyday expenses.
"Everything is getting more expensive. I understand there's inflation," said Anthony Gomez, who expects to spend about 500 dollars this holiday season. But he said he's trying not to be negative and hopes things will get better.
"Consumerism is dying out," said Jonny Santiago, 29. "People are tired of the sales and just getting things that only last for a short time." Walking near Wall Street, she said she could feel the city's divide more sharply. Beyond her regular income, she tried investing in stocks this year. "I think it's important to have multiple sources of income."
"FOOD HITTING HARDEST"
For many, the holidays are not merely about spending, but about giving and creating memories.
"I have a little nephew, and I want to spoil him," said Trevor Cook, who traveled from Pennsylvania with his wife for a bus day trip to soak up New York's Christmas atmosphere. "Everything's so expensive, but at the end of the day, you can't put a price on a memory. Christmas is about giving and loving each other."
Cook noted the rising cost of hotel rates in Midtown Manhattan, which pushed the couple to opt for a day trip instead of an overnight stay.
"Even if you're 'high class' now, you still need almost six figures to be considered that way. We're trying to buy a house, so finding something more affordable is tough," he said.
"I don't think about inflation when I buy gifts for my loved ones," said Yvette Vargas, who works in the luxury jewelry industry. "A gift is about presence, not money. It's about the time you share."
Vargas explained that tariffs and logistics costs have raised prices for imported goods, and cross-border shipments of high-value products now face longer clearance times, "making luxury goods more expensive and harder to get."
After shopping at an organic grocery store in the Financial District, Alvin Stanpley noted the impact of inflation. "It has been getting pricey," he said. "Typical things were a certain price before, and now we're seeing them triple in price." Despite this, he prioritizes necessities, and when he can afford it, still treats himself to small luxuries.
"I have to be mindful of how I spend," said Stanpley, an entrepreneur in the beauty industry. "I've been hearing more about layoffs from clients. When they lose their jobs, they stop coming in for facials. That directly affects my business."
Beyond gifts, everyday expenses -- especially food -- are hitting New Yorkers hardest.
"You can see it even in food," said Tomas Stiegwardt, a film professor in New York. "A turkey that used to cost 10 dollars is now 13 or 14 dollars."
"SO MUCH DIVISION"
Just a few blocks from the festive window displays, lines form outside churches and shelters offering free meals -- a sign of the growing strain on the city's safety net, which now serves tens of thousands each night.
In October alone, more than 102,800 people slept in New York City shelters, according to the Coalition for the Homeless, with thousands more living unsheltered. Over the past year, food banks delivered roughly 86 million meals across the city, as nearly 1.8 million New Yorkers relied on federal nutrition assistance.
Zachary Brown, 33, who lives on the streets, said he's always loved New York's Christmas atmosphere and is content with his current situation. He's noticed, however, that more workers -- such as postal employees -- are now joining the lines as rising prices and policy changes stretch household budgets.
"There's so much division in the United States over politics, and it really breaks down people's lives," Brown said. "People are affected by inflation, and by a lot of immediate problems."
"It's not just people on the street," he said. "People are struggling all over this country." ■
