The numbers are in from the 2024 shopping season, and according to data from Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks payments including credit and debit cards, even though consumers struggled with continued higher prices for groceries and other essentials, holiday shopping went on undaunted, with sales rising over last year.  The particulars showed that although shoppers were willing to spend, they were looking for value in all their purchases.  A bigger picture report comes out next month when the National Retail Federation puts out its holiday report, and sales are expected to have increased anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5% over last year.