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According to the International
Council of Shopping Centers, Black Friday isn't the busiest shopping
day of the year. That famous day-after-Thanksgiving hassle is giving
way to a new king: the Saturday before Dec. 25. Stores raked in
$9.4 billion during opening hours that day in 2007, says the Chicago-based
research firm ShopperTrak.
In other words, it's a jungle out there. But
there are alternatives to mall parking lots and an endless sea of people. Stressed-out
shoppers are beginning to embrace these trends:
Holiday marts
The Junior League's holiday bazaars sprang up in local units across
the country more than a quarter of a century ago as a fundraiser
for the organization. In 2006, the Junior League of Jackson, Miss.,
pulled in around $980,251, making this shopping option a profitable
path, according to the league's 2007-08 annual report.
This three-day holiday mart, called Mistletoe Marketplace,
drew 35,000 shoppers and 165 merchants from around the Southeast.
"It blends holiday shopping with merchants from around the
country, so guests find more unique items," says Cindy Dunbar,
president and adviser of Jackson's Junior League.
But that's only a part of it. These organizers pride
themselves on changing the decorations annually to reflect the hot
interior fashion trends of the season. Forget the tired old garland
pulled out of a box in storage. These volunteers research fashion
design markets as far out as 18 months to determine exciting, eye-catching
themes.
Junior League also offers organized events for children
(glorified baby-sitting services) to give moms a break. A preview
evening gala features dancing and live auctions, while the public
hours are filled with the sounds of children's choirs from across
the region.
"We
want to make it entertaining as well as a shopping experience," says Dunbar.
Amusement parks
Who knows entertainment better than America's amusement parks? The
privately held enterprises in particular offer festive activities
and tasty treats to accompany you along your journey of their gift
shops. Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, Pa., transforms its streets
into a cornucopia of rides, cookie decorating, storytelling and
visits with Santa.
Places like North Pole, Santa's workshop at the foot
of Pike's Peak in Colorado, break out the llamas, magic shows and
revamp their rides with Christmas twists to keep the family happy
while adults load up their sleighs with gift-shop goodies.
Crave parties
Melody Biringer created crave parties from her Seattle base several
years ago as a way to give girlfriends an excuse to spend time with
each other doing what girls love to do: get facials, massages, manicures and shop themselves silly.
In 2005 she expanded this idea to cover holiday shopping
in Seattle; Portland, Ore.; Vancouver, Wash.; and Washington, D.C.
Since then she has licensed Crave parties in Denver, Toronto, Montreal
and Rotterdam.
While you don't shop in your slippers, the sentiment
remains. The four-hour evening is all about fashion shows, deejays,
give-away drawings every 20 minutes, hairstyling tips, makeup,
fashion and pink drinks. Oh yes, and there's the added bonus of
crossing a few gifts off your holiday list.
"The
atmosphere is opposite from mall shopping," Biringer says. "I only invite
boutiques and women-owned businesses so this isn't the same old stuff on display."
It's also not a holiday bazaar's emphasis on merchandise,
she adds. "It's a party, and people love it because shopping
is only a portion of what you go to do. You sip a martini, socialize
and stay the entire time."
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