Friday's report also showed consumers stepped up spending at furniture stores, building supply and garden centers, bars and restaurants and online retailers.
Other recent data has suggested Americans may be starting to open their wallets as their incomes continue to pick up.
A separate Commerce Department report released last month showed consumers boosted their spending in November. Personal spending, which measures how much Americans pay for everything from shelter to shaving cream, rose 0.3% in from a month earlier, while personal income rose 0.3%.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department's monthly employment report released last Friday showed wages rose 2.5% from a year earlier in December.