Real Christmas

The nation’s retailers got a much-needed sales boost during Black Friday’s traditional shopathon as consumers, lured by deep discounts, spent nearly 3 percent more than they did last year.

Sales on the day after Thanksgiving rose to $10.6 billion, according to preliminary figures released Saturday by ShopperTrak RCT Corp., a Chicago-based research firm that tracks sales at more than 50,000 retail outlets.

Last year, shoppers spent about $10.3 billion on the day after Thanksgiving, dubbed Black Friday because it was historically the sales-packed day when retailers would become profitable for the year.

While it isn’t a predictor of overall holiday season sales, Black Friday is an important barometer of people’s willingness to spend during the holidays. Last year, it was the biggest sales generator of the season.

But experts caution that this year’s sales growth may be hard to sustain for the remainder of the holiday shopping season, which has 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas instead of the 32 last year.

Still, the sales boost was surprising in light of data showing shoppers are scaling back on discretionary spending because of a recession fueled by uncertainty related to turmoil in the world’s financial and credit markets.

“Under these circumstances, to start off the season in this fashion is truly amazing and is a testament to the resiliency of the American consumer, and undeniably proves a willingness to spend,” ShopperTrak co-founder Bill Martin said in a statement.

Across the country, sales in the South were up 3.4 percent from last year while they climbed 2.6 percent in the Northeast as shoppers began scouring store aisles at midnight hoping to snag the best selection on early morning specials.

Patty Saal, 60, of Mogadore, Ohio, began her Black Friday shopping at 5 a.m. when she and her daughters went to a Sam’s Club to purchase iPods.

“We’re doing fine,” she said.

Fifth grade teacher Daphna Stepen, 42, spent Black Friday hunting for deals inside Macy’s and at the Limited Too clothing store and headed out again on Saturday. The Chicago resident said she was surprised by the discounts as well as how many coupons she’d received from stores, which helped her save even more money on already marked-down items.

“You can get almost 40 percent off stuff if you work the coupons,” she said.

Separately on Saturday, J.C. Penney Co. Inc. said business was strong in its sites across the country as customers responded to sales. Some of the department store’s best sellers were smaller electronic gadgets and practical gifts, such as sweaters, boots, coats and luggage.

But the chain said it wouldn’t provide specific sales figures.

“In light of the challenging and volatile economic climate, and shifts in this year’s retail calendar, we don’t believe that reporting sales data for any one day (or weekend), including Black Friday, would provide a meaningful barometer of our business,” the Plano, Texas company said in a statement released Saturday afternoon.

London’s West End has been awarded the title of best shopping destination in the inaugural European Retail Rankings by Experian.

The district beat off stiff competition from fashionable locations such as Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin to take the top spot.

Experian expects the West End to attract 6.17 billion euros (£5.2 billion) of spending in 2008, although it points out that economic troubles could threaten the area’s position at the top of the rankings next year.

The West End also faces local competition in the shape of the new Westfield shopping centre, which was opened in Shepherds Bush on October 30th.

Indeed, the Telegraph reports that the number of consumers visiting Oxford Street, Regent Street, South Molton Street and Bond Street fell by a quarter in the week after Westfield opened its doors compared to the same week the year before.

Red Letter Days offers a number of shopping experiences for those who fancy treating themselves to a spot of retail therapy or doing some shopping for unusual Christmas gifts.

Selecting the right Christmas presents can be exhausting and perplexing! Choosing to send a gift hamper is the ideal solution for Christmas presents and gifts for all adult members of the family, friends or work colleagues. Trudging round the shops becoming cold, tired and exasperated is becoming a thing of the past as more and more people are choosing to shop on-line.

On-line shopping offers great choices, gift packing and delivery right up to the week leading up to the Christmas holiday straight to your home or directly to the recipient of the gift without hassle and stress.

The Christmas tradition of sending wicker hampers and baskets crammed full of treats and goodies is seeing a huge revival in the UK. Christmas hampers are now available in a variety of different styles and designs each containing high quality products. The days of receiving a hamper full of food that no one eats are long gone, today the contents of hampers are carefully selected to bring traditional and unusual indulgences and treats from both local and international producers providing a gift which is delightful to both receive and send.

Themed Christmas hampers are seeing a whole new approach to addressing the problems of differences in individual tastes and eating habits to ensure there is a hamper to suit all preferences. Christmas hampers offer exceptional value for money with the wide range of sizes available.

Designed to treat individuals, a mini cheese hamper makes the ideal gift for singles of all ages, a wicker basket containing a bottle of port, two different quality cheeses and oatcakes makes a real change from night dresses or pyjamas! Once the goodies have been eaten the delightful basket provides a useful gift to treasure.

Uncles and men of sophistication will be overjoyed receiving a bottle of Special Reserve port and a ceramic jar containing Blue Stilton cheese to savour in the evenings rather than a pair of socks or a tie!

The perfect Christmas hampers for couples of all ages to share provides a taste of Christmas in traditional and contemporary gourmet goodies. Presented in a traditional lidded wicker basket and crammed full of sweet and savoury nibbles, slices of smoked salmon, white Stilton with juicy apricots, rich Christmas pudding with a choice of traditional brandy butter or contemporary chocolate fudge sauce to drizzle over the top and a bottle of fine wine to make a complete supper or lunch for two. Alternatively a striking wicker basket containing a variety of luxury treats, a bottle of both red and white wine, English afternoon tea and Columbia Arabica coffee, cakes and biscuits offers an exciting combination of tasty treats to share.

For those who prefer not to give alcohol as a gift the ideal Christmas hampers to have delivered is crammed full of luxury tasty treats and chocolates and also includes Christmas chutneys to accompany cold meats and cheeses for supper or Boxing Day lunch all beautifully presented in a red wicker and sea grass basket.

Sears Holdings Corp. is bringing layaway back to its namesake stores next week, nearly two decades after it was scrapped, after seeing a strong response to the pay-as-you-go plan at its Kmart locations.

The move comes as shoppers look for ways to save money during what’s expected to be the worst holiday shopping season in decades.

Layaway will be available beginning Sunday in virtually all Sears departments except home appliances and home electronics, following the success of the reinvigorated program at the company’s discount chain.

“Going into the holiday season with the economic uncertainties we all face, we just wanted to be very mindful and attentive and help support our customers,” said Sears chief marketing officer Don Hamblen.

Kmart has maintained the program for decades, but began promoting the option for the first time in years late last month. So far executives, who declined to release specific figures, called the results “tremendous.”

Layaway, which has its roots in the Great Depression, was largely eclipsed in the past two decades as economic prosperity grew and consumers lined their wallets with credit cards. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. discontinued the practice in 2006, citing falling demand and rising costs, leaving the option at a smattering of discount chains, independent retailers and Web sites. Since 1989, Sears had offered the option only for fine jewelry purchases.

When Kmart began promoting layaway three weeks ago, some experts scoffed at the idea, saying it might resonate with the company’s budget-conscious shoppers, but likely wouldn’t take roots throughout the rest of the retail sector.

Since then, the nation’s economy has only gotten worse. And now, some experts say other retailers may be eyeing the strategy with renewed interest.

“This is a tool that people are going to use quite heavily this Christmas in those stores that have it available,” said George Rosenbaum, chairman of retail consulting firm Leo J. Shapiro and Associates. “And then retailers will see whether this was a great thing they missed and whether they should install it next year.”

Sears’ new layaway program will be available on everything from clothing and toys to tools and home fitness equipment on items bought for Christmas. The items must be picked up no later than Dec. 23.

Executives at the Hoffman Estates-based company said they expect to extend the program if it proves to be a success.

Kathy Grannis, a spokeswoman for the National Retail Federation, said layaway accounts for just a small fraction of overall retail transactions and doubts other large chains will add the option — at least right now.

“But with economic conditions the way they are, it really is going to be creativity and heavy discounts and unique promotions that get consumers into stores,” she said.

“Closer. Closer!” I say to my husband, motioning in the direction of the French-laced leg and fringed hemline. “Would you just touch it already?”

Who would’ve thought, after all these years, I’d have to beg him to get near it?

Christmas after Christmas, my husband’s family has gathered around the television and laughed hysterically through repeats of the movie A Christmas Story.

Now here we were at the actual house where parts of the movie were filmed, standing in the living room an arm’s length away from the famous leg lamp (won in the movie by “the old man” as a “major award”), and my husband Ish was acting like he wanted nothing to do with it.

Even if, like me, you have never seen the movie in its entirety, chances are someone in your home considers it a classic.

This holiday season marks the 25th anniversary of A Christmas Story. In the film, Ralphie – a precocious misfit played by Peter Billingsley – wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas, but his mother fears he will “shoot his eye out.” Hilarious hijinks ensue (cue: eye rolling) and in the end Ralphie gets the gun and proves his mother was right … sort of.

The house we’re standing in was the one used in all the exterior shots in the movie (including the classic final scene). And judging by the 60,000 visitors who have passed through its doors since they opened in 2006, my in-laws aren’t the only ones who find the movie funny.

Count Brian Jones among the movie’s fans.

The 32-year-old San Diego native turned his childhood love of the film into a lucrative business. When his dreams of being a fighter pilot were dashed after he failed the sight requirements, Jones began making and selling replica leg lamps (www.redriderleglamps.com).

In 2005, when the two-family apartment house in Cleveland went up for sale on eBay, Jones paid $150,000 for the property and then spent 10 months and $250,000 more to renovate the house to match his all-time favourite movie.

The rest is history.

Lest you think my husband, his sisters and the two men who run this shop are the only die-hard fans, you should know that every November over the American Thanksgiving weekend (Nov. 28-29), an A Christmas Story convention brings people from around the globe out to the simple yellow house with green trim.

This year, in celebration of the 25th anniversary milestone, original actors will be back in town, two documentaries about the film will debut and rides will be offered in the original Canadian fire truck used in the film.

Year-round tours offer visitors a chance to take photos throughout the house while a guide explains the various rooms and special touches, as well as access to the museum and gift shop across the street (where mini replicas of the leg lamp in night-light form sell for $15).

“I find people who are of the retiring age like (the house) because in many ways it is similar to what they grew up with,” says our tour guide. And because the house is a renovation, not a restoration, guests can go to town re-enacting their favourite scenes.

“Everyone likes to climb under the kitchen sink,” she says, referring to a popular scene from the movie.

The items in the museum across the street are less hands-on. All have been purchased, collected or donated to the museum. The walls are lined with Warner Bros.’ archive shots of the film and actors have donated their own snapshots of fun in between takes. Original costumes from the Chinese restaurant chop suey scene, Randy’s “I can’t get my arms down” snowsuit and anything else that could be damaged or stolen are protected behind glass.

While many of the cast members have already made a visit to the museum, “Ralphie” remains a holdout. What, you may be asking, ever happened to that pudgy little guy with a penchant for guns?

Turns out he did all right.

“He went on to be an executive producer of some small movies you may have heard of,” museum executive director Steve Siedlecki says with a grin, “like Iron Man and The Break-up.”

Not bad.

And yet, despite what everyone has gone through to make this moment possible, my husband is standing stone-faced, a full foot away from the lamp others would kill to touch.

It takes a few minutes of begging and cajoling but I finally make it happen: the husband and the lamp in one shot. His fears that I’ll somehow expose his obsession to the world subside as I snap another shot by the Christmas tree and yet another by the film-family portraits on the stairs.

“See?” I say as I shut down the camera and pat him comfortingly on the back. “That wasn’t so bad.”

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Millicent Jordan vividly recalls the first aluminum Christmas tree she ever purchased.

She was 22 years old when she saw the sad-looking little silver tree at a garage sale.

“It was marvelous,” says Jordan, 38, of Forest Hill. “It came with a rotating color wheel that changed the hue of the tree. I was fascinated by it.”

She purchased the tree - which she still owns - and 16 years later, it is part of a collection of vintage Christmas trees. Today, she is opening an exhibit at the Liriodendron featuring about 30 aluminum trees that are a kaleidoscope of colors, including green, blue, silver, blue and green, and pink. For the exhibit, the trees, ranging in height from 2 to 8 feet, are set up in color-themed rooms.

Aluminum trees were first made in 1958 by Modern Coatings Inc. of Chicago. From 1959 to 1969, more than 1 million aluminum trees, mainly the flagship tree called Evergleam, were produced by Aluminum Specialty Company, of Manitowic, Wis.

The trees were made using a thin painted wooden trunk with holes drilled into it at angles. When the branches made of colored aluminum foil were placed in the holes, they formed a tree shape.

These first trees could not be decorated with electric lights because of fire safety concerns. Although the aluminum foil branches shimmer brightly even without lights, the colors were enhanced with rotating color wheels.

To decorate the trees in the exhibit, Jordan uses vintage beaded ornaments and solid-colored balls that were popular in the 1950s. She also uses Jewel Bright plastic ornaments that she describes as hideously beautiful.

“The ornaments are just as aesthetically challenged as the trees,” she says.

“To me, the aluminum trees were little marvels of technology,” says Jordan, who founded an IT consulting company in 2001, called Z Squared. “The wheels were the microcosm of what people were striving for in the 1950s.”

Today, her collection of trees includes olive wood, German feather and aluminum trees, she said.

Mary Mares, Jordan’s mother, says she was with her daughter every step of the way as she built her collection.

“Her collection is eclectic, but once it’s up, it’s very beautiful,” says Mares of Bel Air.

On a recent afternoon, Mares helped her daughter set up the exhibit. She pulled the branches out of the paper sleeves they are packed in and placed them in rows on the floor according to their height. Each tree took about 15 minutes to assemble.

While her mother prepped the branches, Jordan sorted through original boxes, placing the trees in rooms based on their color.

“I want to put large and small trees in every room,” said Jordan as she walked from room to room looking at the trees. “The goal is to make it look like a forest of space age glory.”

Most years, she begins setting up trees at her house around Labor Day, she says. She showcases new acquisitions as well as trees she’s had for a long time. She puts up 10 to 100 each year, she says.

One year, she caused quite a stir when she set up a 9-foot white aluminum tree that she decorated with red lights, she says.

“It looked like my house was on fire from outside,” says Jordan, who earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

The average cost of a vintage silver-colored tree is about $15 per foot, and the pink trees are the rarest, she says. Jordan purchased her most prized tree - a rare 8-foot tall pink one - on eBay for about $1,400, she says.

It started with A Charlie Brown Christmas, a children’s cartoon written in 1965 by Charles M. Schultz.

Although more than 1 million aluminum trees were made in the 1960s, sales began to decline in 1965 when Americans took to heart Charlie Brown’s refusal to get a pink aluminum Christmas tree. In the story, Lucy tells Charlie Brown to “Get the biggest aluminum Christmas tree you can find. Maybe painted pink.” But in the true spirit of Christmas, Charlie Brown refused.

Lucy’s request sparked a desire in Jordan to do the same, she says. She searched for the biggest pink tree she could find and she bought it. The tree is one of the highlights in the pink room of the exhibit.

Through the years, Jordan says, she has paid between $2 and $1,400 for her trees, though the value of some is substantially more. Jordan purchases them from antiques shops, garage sales and eBay.

Everyone has a different response when they see them, she says.

About five years ago, she exhibited some of the trees at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

“Some people saw the trees and got nostalgic,” she says. “Other people see them and laugh. It doesn’t matter to me how people respond. You can’t pick your passion, it picks you. Although some people see the trees and want to forget them, I want to show them to a new generation of people who have never seen one.”