Holiday sales during November and December increased 5.5% over the same period in 2016 to $691.9 billion as growing wages, stronger employment and higher confidence led consumers to spend more than had been expected, according to the National Retail Federation. The number, which excludes restaurants, automobile dealers and gasoline stations, includes $138.4 billion in online and other non-store sales, which were up 11.5% over the year before. The results exceeded NRF’s forecast of betwee...