THE ECONOMY AND CHRISTMAS

THIS CHRISTMAS, MANY HOLIDAY SHOPPERS, WE ARE TOLD, ARE THINKING OF GIVING GIFT CARDS AS PRESENTS. WE ARE TOLD SOME COMPANIES ARE ONLY OFFERING CARDS THAT EXPIRE AFTER JANUARY 1, 2009. OTHER CARDS, WE ARE TOLD, ARE BEING SOLD BY COMPANIES THAT MAY NOT BE AROUND AFTER THE HOLIDAYS (IN OTHER WORDS THE CARDS WILL NOT BE ANY GOOD). TO HELP SHOPPERS MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ON THEIR PURCHASES, I HAVE COMPILED A LIST OF SOME MAJOR RETAILERS AND THERE CURRENT PLANS FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THE FORESEE-ABLE FUTURE.

ANN TAYLOR, 117 STORES NATIONWIDE CLOSING.

BOMBAY, CLOSING ALL STORES.

CACHE CLOSING DOWN SPECIALITY SHOPS.

CIRCUIT CITY, IN CHAPTER 11 (BANKRUPTCY) CLOSING FOREVER.

DILLARD'S TO CLOSE SOME OF IT'S STORES.

DISNEY CLOSING 98 STORES, AND MORE AFTER JANUARY.

EDDIE BAUER, TO CLOSE 27 STORES, MORE AFTER AFTER JANUARY.

ETHAN ALLEN CLOSING 12 STORES.

FOOTLOCKER, CLOSING 140 STORES, MORE LIKELY TO CLOSE.

GAP IS CLOSING 85 STORES.

HOME DEPOT IS CLOSING 16 STORES.

J. JILL CLOSING ALL STORES. (OWNED BY TALBOT'S).

K. B. TOYS, CLOSING 356 STORES.

LANE BRYANT, FASHION BUG, AND CATHERINE'S TO CLOSE 150 STORES NATIONWIDE.

LEVITZ (FURNITURE STORES) CLOSING DOWN..

LINEN AND THINGS, CLOSING ALL STORES.

LOEW'S CLOSING SOME STORES.

MACY'S CLOSING 9 STORES AFTER JANUARY.

MOVIE GALLEY CLOSING ALL STORES.

PACIFIC SUNWEAR CLOSING ALL STORES (OWNED BY TALBOT'S).

J. C. PENNEY CLOSING A NUMBER OF STORES AFTER JANUARY.

PEP BOYS CLOSING 33 STORES.

PIERCING PAGODA, CLOSING ALL STORES.

SHARPER IMAGE, CLOSING ALL STORES.

SPRINT/NEXTEL, CLOSING 133 STORES.

TALBOT'S, CLOSING SPECIALITY SHOPS.

WHITEHALL, CLOSING ALL STORES.

WICKE'S FURNITURE CLOSING DOWN.

WILSON LEATHER, CLOSING ALL STORES.

ZALES, CLOSING 82 STORES, AND 105 AFTER JANUARY.

THERE IS THE LIST. PLEASE USE IT WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS PURCHASES, AND IN PURCHASING YOUR GIFT CARDS. THESE RETAILERS MAY HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD DEALS, HOWEVER YOU MAY NOT HAVE A STORE TO RETURN THEM TO AFTER CHRISTMAS. HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY.

EDITORIAL FOOTNOTE: THANKS TO THE READER WHO SENT ME THE LIST. IT SEEMS TO BE ACCURATE AND NEWSWORTHY. THE INFORMATION PRESENTED SHOULD HELP MY READERS REALIZE THE SEVERITY OF THE ECONOMY NATIONWIDE.