This year’s calendar has retailers expecting a big push for last- minute holiday shopping, but it’s causing uncertainty about what will happen the day before Christmas.
Hanukkah begins on Christmas this year, marking the first time since 1959 that the eight- day Jewish festival of lights has exactly coincided with the Christian holiday. As a result, retailers are expecting a stronger- than-usual surge of late-season shopping.
Meanwhile, the Saturday before Christmas – often the biggest shopping day of the year – falls on Christmas Eve. That has some experts thinking the traditionally frenzied shopping day could be slower than usual.
“A lot of people attend religious services on Christmas Eve, and a lot of people are traveling,” said Patrice Duker, a spokeswoman for the International Council of Shopping Centers, a Washington, D.C.-based trade group.
Additionally, a football game Dec. 24 between the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders could keep die-hard fans from the malls.
Many malls and big-box retailers including Wal-Mart and Target will close at 6 p.m.
“Typically, if the Saturday before Christmas is a week out, stores would be open as late as 11 that day,” said Scott Krugman, a spokesman for the National Retail Federation.
Some experts predict the biggest shopping day of the year may shift to the Friday before Christmas or Saturday, Dec. 17.
The weeks before and after Christmas account for 10 percent of annual retail sales. This year, they are expected to make up slightly more than that, Krugman said. Much of that is attributed to the late start of Hanukkah.
Also, because Christmas falls on a Sunday, many businesses will give employees Monday off, freeing many to hit after-Christmas sales. The popularity of gift cards also has pushed holiday sales later into the season.
Holiday sales are expected to increase 6 percent from last year to $439.5 billion, according to a revised forecast from the National Retail Federation. The trade group had earlier forecast a 5 percent increase in sales but raised its projection following the release of positive economic indicators in late November.
Generally, local shopping centers are reporting strong holiday sales. At Littleton’s Aspen Grove shopping center, sales are up more than 5 percent from a year ago, general manager Jill Kobe said.
“I’m thrilled that we’re up over last year, because for a while they were calling for this season to be not as strong,” Kobe said.
Staff writer Kristi Arellano can be reached at 303-820-1902 or karellano@denverpost.com.
