Will Christmas 2011 Economy Be Worse?

With less than 100 days until Christmas the early reports point to another difficult season for retailers, jobseekers and Christmas shoppers. Multiple reports predict another recessionary season of sub-standard Christmas economic performance.

According to ShopperTrak, a provider of retail foot traffic data, U.S. retail sales for the Christmas season 2011 could increase by as much as 3 percent year on year. However, ShopperTrak expects fewer shoppers will be visiting retailers in person with a projected foot traffic decrease of 2.2 percent. Just for comparison, the group concluded that 2010 Christmas season retail sales rose by 4.1 percent.

”The persistently high unemployment and fuel rates along with consumers’ conservative purchasing attitudes will affect spending this holiday season more than in recent years,” said ShopperTrak’s co-founder Bill Martin. ”Every shopper in a store will be more valuable than last year, and retail stores should be ready to convert their holiday shoppers into sales.”

Holiday hiring is expected to be less robust than in 2010. Employment placement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas reported this week that seasonal hiring will be flat or down slightly from last year’s 627,000 hires. In 2010, seasonal hiring nationwide was up 27 percent, compared with the 495,800 jobs added in 2009. Holiday jobs reached a 26-year low in 2008, when retailers added only 324,900 jobs, according to Challenger, as the economy collapsed after the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy.

Retailers are being cautious in the face of economic uncertainty and less-than-robust holiday spending forecasts. The International Council of Shopping Centers is predicting sales growth will be “more subdued” this year, forecasting an increase of 2.2 percent, compared with last year’s 5 percent gain.

John A. Challenger, chief executive of Challenger Gray & Christmas, said in the report that retailers are “seeing several signs consumer spending is declining just as they are beginning to make decisions about how many workers to add for the upcoming holidays. This does not bode well for job seekers,” he said.

Michael Buble Releases Track Listing for New Christmas CD

Michael Buble is getting his fans in the holiday spirit early this year with the October 24th release of his new album “Christmas.” His record label 143/Reprise Records confirmed today that the track listing for his highly anticipated new CD will include such classics as “White Christmas” with a guest appearance by fellow Canadian Shania Twain, “Jingle Bells” (with the Puppini Sisters), “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” In addition, Latin singing sensation Thalia joins Buble on “Feliz Navidad.” Also included in the CD is a new song “Cold December Night,” a Buble penned original written for the record.

Buble fans will also get to see Michael performing some of his favorite holiday tunes on his own upcoming NBC TV Special, which is scheduled to air in early December, along with a 60 Minutes profile, the NBC Christmas Tree Lighting (November 30th) and a return visit as musical guest on “Saturday Night Live” (December 17th).

“Christmas” was produced by David Foster, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica and was recorded in LA and Vancouver and follows up his multi-platinum “Crazy Love” CD which sold over seven million copies.

MICHAEL BUBLE CHRISTMAS

TRACK LISTING: 1. “It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas” 2. “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” 3. “Jingle Bells” featuring The Puppini Sisters 4. “White Christmas” duet with Shania Twain 5. “All I Want for Christmas is You” 6. “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas” 7. “Santa Buddy” 8. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” 9. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” 10. “Silent Night” 11. “Blue Christmas” 12. “Cold December Night” 13. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” 14. “Ava Maria” 15. “Mis Deseos/Feliz Navidad” duet with Thalia

Filmmaker Discovers a Legacy Amongst Santa Portrayers

For documentary filmmaker Larry Peter, the road to Santa Claus leads to Albion, New York.

Peter is working on a documentary about professional Santas. He expects to have “They Wore The Red Suit” ready by next March or April, and then he will pitch it to television stations. Peter said PBS is interested, and he is hopeful to find an audience with National Geographic and Discover.

He is focusing on three men who portrayed Santa. One of those, the late Charles Howard of Albion, developed a school to train people from throughout the country to portray Santa. Howard set a standard that continues to be used at the Santa school, which still bears his name and is now located in Midland, Mich.

“You can’t have a documentary about Santa Claus without including Charles Howard,” said Phil Wenz, a professional Santa from Illinois. He is a consultant on the documentary.

For about 30 years, Howard ran a school for Santas on Phipps Road in Albion. He also was a famous Santa, appearing in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1948 to 1965. He also was featured in several national magazines and television shows.

Peter filmed several professional Santas at the former Christmas Park on Saturday. He also captured other images of Albion, and he interviewed Howard’s granddaughter, Jane Holland. The family is thrilled Howard will be recognized in the documentary, she said.

Peter lives near Santa Claus, Ind. Last year he was at a Christmas store in the community, when he observed a Santa Claus in action. That Santa acted with similar mannerisms as the Santa from Peter’s childhood. Peter said that Santa, from more than four decades ago, was another famed Santa, Jim Yellig, who wore the red suit 300 days a year. He portrayed St. Nick at a Santa-themed attraction.

In observing the Santa last December, Peter said he realized there is a skill and standard for the Santa pros.

“These aren’t just people out there putting on a red suit,” he said. “There is a connection to a legacy. Something has been passed on.”

That something was developed by Howard in Albion from the 1930s to the 1960s at Christmas Park.

Peter believes the documentary will be popular with audiences.

“This is a universal story,” he said. “There is nobody who doesn’t love Santa Claus.”