The biggest spike in holiday hiring in 10 years injected some cheer into Minnesota's monthly jobs report, as the state added 10,800 jobs in November.
Unemployment dropped to 5.7 percent, well below the national 7.7 percent rate.
Consumer spending drove the improvement. Stores and delivery companies boosted hiring to handle the holiday rush, according to figures released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.
"Not only are consumers spending ... but retailers this year, in contrast to the last few, are responding to that by actually hiring people," said Steve Hine, labor market economist for the state.
Holiday retail hiring happens at the end of every year, but this November's lift -- 9,323 new jobs -- was the largest in 10 years, according to state data.
Macy's has hired more than 1,800 people in Minnesota, the Dakotas and western Wisconsin, said Kamal Bosamia, a spokesman for the department store. Also pointing to the strength of consumer spending were hiring gains in leisure and hospitality, a category that's suffered most of the year. Restaurants, hotels and arts and recreation employers added 3,200 jobs in November.
But the trend in the state job market has been gradual, halting recovery, and economists expect that that is the best Minnesotans can hope for in early 2013.
"It's been a long, slow slog here," said Larry Wohl, who teaches economics at Gustavus Adolphus College. "I don't see any big signs that it's going to suddenly take off."