WEBVTT >> IT IS THE MOST WONDERFUL TIMEOF THE YEAR!♪CYNTHIA: SHOPPERS STROLLING THESTREETS OF VALLEY JUNCTION>> THEY CATER TO CHRISTMAS INTHESE LITTLE SHOPS SO A LOT TOPICK FROM, CYNTHIA: ARE IN THE SPIRIT OFGIVING A LITTLE MORE THIS YEAR>> WITH THIS INFO WEATHER WEHAVE BEEN SEEING MORE AND MOREPEOPLE.CYNTHIA: IT'S NOT JUST THEWARMTH, IT'S WHAT'S IN THEIRWALLETS.>> YOU KNOW I'M AT THAT POINT IN, LIFE WERE I CAN SPEND ALITTLE MORE THAN I COULD WHEN IWAS YOUNGER SO IT'S A LITTLEHIGHER THAN NORMAL.CYNTHIA: WITH DISPOSABLE INCOME,INDIVIDUAL NET WORTH ANDCONSUMER CONFIDENCE ON THE RISE.>> THE ECONOMY IS GETTING BETTERALL THE TIME, I HOPE THEY'RESPENDING MORE TO KEEP MERCHANTSHAPPY AND KEEP THEM IN BUSINESSAND I'M DOING MY SHARE.CLICKS THE SEASON IS VERYCRITICAL FOR US.CYNTHIA: STORES SPECIALIZING INJEWELRY, ELECTRONICS, APPLIANCESAND CLOTHING DEPEND ON THESEASON FOR 20-30% OF THEIRANNUAL RETAIL SALES.>> I TRY TO SPEND ABOUT AHUNDRED OF DOLLARS ARE SORE FOREACH CHILD.CYNTHIA: SHOPPERS ARE EXPECTEDTO BUY 15 GIFTS, SPENDING $228MORE PER HOUSEHOLD THIS YEARTHAN LAST.HALF ADMIT GIVING A GIFT TOTHEMSELVES.>> I DID BUY ONE THING FORMYSELF.CYNTHIA: AND SPLURGING ONINDULGENT GIFTS FOR OTHERS.>> THEY'RE BUYING MORE AND NOTAS CAUTIOUS WITH HIGHER ENDITEMS THAT GENERALLY THEY WOULDHAVE NOT EVEN LOOKED AT FOUR.CYNTHIA: STORES HOPE TO WRAP UPTHE SEASON AND PUT A BOW ON ITWITH RECORD SALES.