according to store owners.

But most major retailers reported holiday sales were up on last year.

And store managers said there was a mad last-minute rush for Christmas goodies after storms kept shoppers away in mid-December.

Bobby Rego, general manager of Knick Knack, said: "I'm very pleased with our Christmas business.

"We are probably looking at being somewhere between three and five percent up on last year and that pattern was repeated throughout the shop, in our clothing, housewares and seasonal lines.

"We noticed that business picked up considerably in the last three days before Christmas and that may have been because of the bad weather we had the week before when trading was actually quite slow.

"But the last three days took us over the edge.'' Peter Cooper, managing director of A.S. Cooper & Son's, said: "Our Christmas business has also been very good.

"The Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday directly before Christmas were particularly good, and we also believe the weather may have been a factor in slower trade the week before.

"Business for the month is slightly up on last year and there are still a few days to go.'' H.A. & E. Smith also reported that the store was buzzing in the last few days before Christmas.

President Roger Davidson said: "We have been reasonably satisfied with what we have seen during the Christmas period and the last couple of days showed an upturn.

"Sales in the store are slightly up on last year but it's been nothing spectacular, especially with so many discounts around.

"There have been more people coming into town and more bodies around the shop but I'm not sure in the final analysis that much more money was floating around.

"Nevertheless, we are up and I'm happy to say that in view of the bad weather we've been having.'' Harriet Kenien, joint manager at Toys 'N' Stuff on Reid Street, said: "We are still evaluating our Christmas trade and at the moment it's too early to say how well we've done.

"We're probably on a par or a little bit ahead on last year. I think a lot of people started their Christmas shopping late.

"The week before, the weather was not so good and a lot of people thought Christmas was still quite a way off.'' And Tommy Nelmes, Manager of Annex Toys in the Phoenix Centre, said: "Sales have been good -- definitely up on last year but I can't reveal by how much.

"Sales were very, very brisk in the last two days before Christmas which is indicative of Bermudian shoppers. Just the same happened last year.

"Everyone sweats it out until the last minute and then they come into the stores.'' He said rain ruined every late Friday shopping night in the weeks before Christmas.

But shoppers still turned out in force to snap up the number one toy, Singing Snoring Ernie, as well as several other surprise sellers.