Retailers planning old-time Christmas theme
Published 12:08 am Sunday, October 11, 2009
NEW YORK — Stores are turning back the clock, conjuring images of hearth and home as they stock their holiday merchandise.
Retailers hope embracing holiday traditions from cozier times will tempt recession-weary consumers to open their wallets in a season expected to show flat sales at best.
That means shoppers will see more gingerbread houses and peppermint crunch cookies, and fewer exotic teas and flavored olive oils; classic ball ornaments instead of offbeat cowboys or cartoon-themed character figures; and an emphasis on simple festive wear like shimmery tops instead of elaborately beaded gowns.
Traditional Christmas colors — red, green and gold — are also back.
That’s a big departure from recent years when stores pushed the whimsical and splashy, from the upside-down Christmas tree fad in 2007 to stockings adorned with mermaids and elephants. Stores, wary after the sudden, deep drop in spending late last year, seek to tap into an American psyche that wants comfort and affordability after so many shocks.
Home shopping network HSN was already starting to create an elaborate peacock-themed Christmas, when the financial meltdown spurred it to scrap the designs in favor of an old-fashioned approach: tartan plaid on everything from throws to ornaments, and stockings adorned with classic icons such as angels and Santas.
“The peacock had stood out like a trend, but it wouldn’t have been the safe tradition,” said Chris Nicola, HSN’s home director.
