North Wales — It’s just under four months to go until Christmas but the credit means that cash register bells are already jingling.
Sales of festive cards and decorations have rocketed 70% compared to the same period last year.
Businesses say families are stretching the cost of Christmas because the economic crisis is forcing shoppers to tighten their purse strings.
Cost conscious customers are already stockpiling for Yuletide, causing an unseasonably early surge in gift card and tree decoration sales.
Christmas trees have creeped into shop windows and festive goodies are filling shelves across North Wales.
Demand for cards and tree decorations has catapulted at The Big Discount Store in Rhyl throughout August and September.
Card sales have soared by nearly 70% and tinsel, baubles and lights sales are also up by 55% compared to the same period of August 25 to September 19 last year.
Elsewhere in Holyhead, new card and gift shop Ruth’s Choice has seen an “unusually early” demand for Christmas cards despite the fact that Hallowe’en and Bonfire Night are yet to come.
Part-owner Ezme Rutherford-Hallam said: “We’ve only been open for six months so we can’t compare any takings with last year but I used to work for a card shop and we never used to order Christmas cards any earlier than mid-late October.
