“Best bet is that retailers believed government forecasts for more holiday spending, increased consumer confidence and an expanding economy instead of believing their own lying eyes. Judging fromt he parking lots and store activity over the past week, I’ll bet Christmas for a lot of folks happened after December 25th.”
As an increasing number of people give gift cards, I’m suremuch of that shopping is happening after Christmas Day. I know I’ve used them in the past to buy as much of my normal staples (to help pay down credit card debt) - light bulbs from Home Depot, groceries from Target, etc. The AmEx cards are great because you can use them in a supermarket.
The days of Christmas with adults buying adult toys are over for most Americans; welcome to the “new normal”.
I know that, that is what I do with my two adult daughters. We wait for a couple of days after Christmas, and then I take them for clothes shopping. Neither lives anywhere near hubby and I, so I don't know what they like or need; so, it is just easier to let them find things for themselves. What my youngest needed this time were new shoes.