Nov 16, 2010

Shop local for ChristmasBy JacksonSun.com

The official beginning of the Christmas shopping season is next week, the Friday after Thanksgiving. But a stroll through local stores or the mall tells you the season is well under way.

Stores are decorated for Christmas. Christmas music is playing. Prime gift-giving merchandise is on display. To top it off, Santa Claus showed up at Old Hickory Mall on Saturday. Like it or not, the shopping season is upon us.

Early indicators show some good things as we continue to deal with a bum economy. A survey by the National Retail Federation in October showed the average consumer plans to spend a little more on Christmas this year. Slightly fewer people than last year said the economy would affect their spending.

A spot check of retailers in Jackson over the weekend also brought good news. Representatives of two major retailers said they expect sales to be up over last year. They are also hiring more help, making it a two-pronged victory.

We know times are still tough. Many people are out of work. But it is certainly good to see some positive signs.

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