The 12 Tariffs of Christmas

Tori K. Smith /

Thanks to U.S. trade policy, Americans will find themselves paying above-market prices for many Christmas gifts this year.

The United States has free trade agreements with 20 countries around the world, which reduce most tariffs on imports from these countries to zero. However, these agreements cover only approximately 36 percent of U.S. annual imports. To buy products from most other countries, Americans have to trade their five golden rings for higher priced imports.

In that spirit, here are 12 popular Christmas items whose import tariffs should become ghosts of Christmases past.

  1. A string of Christmas tree lights. Tariff rate: 8%
  2. Poinsettias. Tariff rate: 1.9%
  3. A cashmere sweater. Tariff rate: 4%
  4. Silk ties and bow ties. Tariff rate: 7.2%
  5. A sled to ride the snowy slopes. Tariff rate: 2.8%
  6. 4-wheel drive truck to trek through the snow. Tariff rate: 25%
  7. Bows to put the finishing touch on presents. Tariff rate: 5.3%
  8. Bells for Santa’s sleigh. Tariff rate: 5.8%
  9. A ham for Christmas dinner. Tariff rate: 1.4 cents/kilogram
  10. Walnuts to keep the nutcrackers busy. Tariff rate: 7 cents/kilogram
  11. A pair of snow pants. Tariff rate: 7.1%
  12. A Christmas wreath for the door. Tariff rate: 7%

Forget the presents wrapped under the tree—all I want for Christmas is free trade. Merry Christmas, America. Here’s to a happier, tariff-free future.

Theodore Ellis and Danielle Jack, members of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation, made valuable contributions to this commentary.

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