Sales at the North End Gallery on First Avenue this Christmas are pretty much on par with last year, says gallery owner Art Webster.

It appears there have been more customers in who are spending less, he said Thursday, during an informal Star survey of how this year's Christmas sales in local businesses have gone.

It could be the product line, or his inability to secure the normal amount of stock of various art from his list of small producers across Canada who have all seemed to have been busier this year.

"So it just took me longer to get my inventory built up,” Webster said. "And in some cases, I was out of some lines two weeks ago, some of pottery and some of the wood work.”

Sales of Yukon pottery and woodwork have been solid, and there appears to have been a move towards more local jewelry this year, he said.

"It's been almost identical in terms of sales, but I think more people have been in,” Webster said.

"Don't get me wrong – I am most happy with the way things have gone, because every year there is more competition.”

Grocer Scott McCarthy of the Riverdale Super A said Thursday sales at Christmas naturally rise over the previous couple of months, particularly since there's generally a bit of a lull in November in anticipation of the holiday season.

This year is no different, McCarthy said , noting there's been somewhere between 10 and 20 per cent more spending at his store in the last two weeks.

McCarthy said residents like the idea of having a locally owned grocery store, and they show it.

There has been, however, something a little out of the ordinary this year.

Nasty weather has put pressure on the California growing season this year. As a result, the supply of certain produce like broccoli and Brussels sprouts has been affected, he said.

McCarthy said he received a recent shipment of broccoli, for instance, but didn't have any Brussels sprouts on the shelves Thursday, and he wasn't sure he'd be getting any before the store closes this evening.

But there are always the Yuletide favourites, the turkeys and the hams.

"We sell items like mince meat, cranberries sauce, fresh cranberries, and this year, frozen Brussels sprouts,” McCarthy said.

Overall, territorial statistics are pointing to favourable retail sales this Christmas.

Gary Brown of the Yukon Bureau of Statistics said Thursday that so far this year, to the end of October – the last available retail statistics – sales were up $38.5 million, or 8.8 per cent over last year.

That doesn't mean Christmas shopping will automatically rise too, he pointed out.

In 2006, for instance, retailers enjoyed a boost of four per cent for the first 10 months compared to 2005. And sales that year jumped a full nine per cent during December alone, compared to the year before.

But while retail sales to the end of October in 2008 climbed by a brisk a 8.5 per cent, they fell by 5.5 per cent in the month of December compared to 2007.

"So you really can't necessarily say if sales are up in the first part of the year that they'll be up in December,” Brown said.

He did note, however, that everything suggests a bright climate for spending this Christmas.

Unemployment last month was the lowest in Canada at 4.4 per cent.

The territory's population grew by 827 or two per cent to the end of June compared to June 2009, and the average weekly earnings were up by 2.8 per cent to the end of October.

"All the indicators are pointing to a strong economy,” Brown said, suggesting a strong economy generally bodes well for retail sales.

"Everything is pointing that way.”

Mark Hureau, manager of Intersport on Main Street, said as a shoe store primarily, Christmas is not its dominant season for sales that it is for many other businesses.

The spring and the back-to-school days of late summer are the peak periods for Intersport, he said.

"But I would say we are down overall this Christmas but nothing to worry about,” he said. "Nothing that can't be explained by the weather.”

Hureau said it doesn't seem to matter how the weather changes, whether it goes from calm days of winters to blowing snow, or if moderate temperatures turn frigid as they did recently, changes in weather seem to hit sales.

Beatriz Pinto of the Body Scents shop down on Main next to the CIBC agrees that weather is a factor.

She suspects the cold snap has dampened sales somewhat, as there's a little more motive to brave the elements, but like the others, she suggested the decline in sales is slight.

"We are still trying to hit our target,” a jovial and optimistic Pinto said first thing Thursday morning. "It is not as good as last year, but we still have a couple of days left.

"That is what we are expecting today and tomorrow – people rushing around at the last minute.”

And there's always the post-Christmas day shopping to keep in mind, she pointed out.

Mike Pemberton of Erik's Audiotronic is also thinking there could be a large number of people waiting for Boxing Day sales.

Last year, the store saw record sales on Boxing Day and it seems that could be the case again this year, he said, noting the Christmas season hasn't been "as crazy as years past,” though sales remain strong.

There isn't one item that's proving to be the top seller this year. Rather, shoppers are buying a mix of electronics.

Flat-panel TV sales remain strong with the new 3D TVs selling much better than Pemberton had expected.

He had thought it might take a year for 3D TVs to catch on as more products come out for the technology.

The store has been showcasing the TVs using Panasonic's 3D version of the blockbuster movie Avatar, which seems to be proving a hit.

Many of the purchases are family gifts, such as TVs or home theatre systems.

iPods and iTouches are nearly sold out, and Pemberton said the iPhone 4 is proving difficult for his store to even get though customers can purchase it online. Many disappointed customers have been turned away and told to search online.

Another strong seller is the store's gift cards, which Pemberton pointed out is a good option for those wanting to purchase a cell phone for someone. As he noted, it's impossible to surprise someone with a new phone because they have to be present to sign the contract for it.

Meanwhile, at the territory's liquor stores, Yukoners appear to be stocking up on the approximately 40 new wines the Yukon Liquor Corp. has brought in following the Rotary Wine Festival earlier this year, said corporation spokeswoman Nathalie Ouellet.

"Those are selling really well,” she said, noting how receptive people have been to the new products.

A number of new beers are also on the shelves, giving locals more selection of beer from a variety of places.

Though wine and beer appear to be among the biggest purchases by shoppers, it won't be until after the holidays that the merry season's exact sales numbers will be known.

Last year saw a record day of sales for the Whitehorse liquor store on Dec. 23 at $191,000, coming in $8,000 over what the store saw on the same day in 2008. Lineups on Dec. 23 last year stretched to the back of the store.

Down Second Avenue at Home Hardware, shoppers are mainly buying tools and housewares sold at the front end of the store.

"It's been pretty busy,” store manager Rob Champagne said Thursday afternoon, noting with a laugh that customers aren't into renovating this time a year, but do seem to like the "toys” – tools and such.

Store officials have done well knowing what the "hot” items would be, making sure to over-stock those items for the Christmas season, he said.

By Chuck Tobin

and STEPHANIE WADDELL