ST. LOUIS — As the countdown to Christmas entered single digits, St. Louisans got in some last-minute shopping — sales that, for some retailers, are critical to the success of their businesses.

Shopping tends to slow down around Christmas Eve, but because Christmas is on a Monday this year stores will be busy all weekend, said Dave Peacock, CEO at California-based retailer services firm Advantage Solutions. About 142 million people will shop on Saturday, more than usual, he said.

“People are waiting until the best deals are available,” said Peacock, whose firm is moving to Clayton this year. “Consumers have become educated or trained for when to shop around deal periods.”

For retailers, the days leading up to Christmas are some of the most vital and profitable. Holiday sales in November and December have averaged about 19% of total retail sales over the last five years, according to the National Retail Federation.

Many consumers started shopping earlier this year. Still,about 62% of Federation survey respondents said they won’t finish until December.

Michael Pope, of University City, was looking to beat the crowds as he scanned in Target’s toy section Thursday morning. He was shopping for his grandchildren and said he often procrastinates when it comes to holiday gifting.

“I have 365 days but it sneaks up on me,” Pope said. “It’ll come down to the last second and I’ll be at Walgreens on Christmas Eve because nothing else is open.”

Two in three small businesses said the holidays are important to their financial health, a survey by American Express found. Retailers find this especially true, with 89% of respondents saying they rely on holiday sales. 

“We’ll see small business coffers refill,” Peacock said of end-of-the-year business.

Tradd Street, a home décor and clothing store in Ladue, opened on Clayton Road last month, a purposeful move by owner Nina Engelsmann. 

“I did it quickly to get the holiday sales,” Engelsmann said. “It’s been so busy. There’s been a steady stream of gift-buying.”

Because Tradd Street has existed as an online store for years, Engelsmann said she knew to anticipate a rush of buying in November and December. 

“People are buying gifts for other people and shopping for holiday parties and gatherings,” she said. “I know it’s a big chunk of sales.”

Though Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day are Walter Knoll Florist’s highest revenue days, manager Linda Stapleton said that the winter months keeps the shop busy.

“We do rely on the holidays to keep us going,” Stapleton said. “It’s a busier time and business does pick up. We do lots of overtime.”

She said that half of the customers they see the week before Christmas are last-minute shoppers.

A few doors down at The Nook, a non-profit boutique that benefits St. Louis Children’s Hospital, store buyer Jane Lavey said most sales made in November and December are related to the holidays.

“It’s critical to the success of almost any business,” Lavey said Thursday. 

Lavey said nearly all the shoppers the store had seen that week were looking for gifts. And she hasn’t heard anyone mention inflation or express concerns about prices.

“It’s like the Christmas spirit takes over,” Lavey said.

A survey by employee software scheduling company Deputy found that Missouri consumers report spending $932 during the holiday shopping season. The national average of money spent each holiday season is $1,240.

Diane Hamilton of House Springs said that she spent over $1,000 on Christmas gifts this year, as she had to take into account her eight grandchildren.

Hamilton and her husband were doing some last-minute shopping Wednesday afternoon at West County Center in Des Peres. Hamilton said they were looking for hard-to-find items such as specific shoes and posters.

“We like the Christmas atmosphere and we’re both from here so we like to come back to the mall,” Hamilton said. “We haven’t had to wait in lines. It’s not as crowded as I thought it would be.”

At the mall’s food court, Dory Smith and her 5-year-old grandson, Beau, took a break from shopping to eat some ice cream.

Smith, of Elsah, said she was helping Beau buy a present for his father. Smith estimated that she spent about $1,800 on gifts this year.

“I’m not concerned with inflation,” Smith said. “I’m retired and I budget for this.”

And by completing her own Christmas shopping early, Smith said she doesn’t feel the same anxiety many shoppers are feeling in the days ahead of Christmas.

“I can enjoy Christmas and I’m not rushing around in the days leading up,” she said.

At the cosmetic store Lush, employee Addy Zukic said this week has been the busiest he’s ever seen. Half of the store’s December sales will be made in the one week before Christmas, Zukic said, and the store has been selling up to $20,000 worth of merchandise a day rather than the average of $1,500.

“It’s very lucrative this time of year,” said Zukic. “It’s coming down to the wire. People are more frantic. They’ll come in here and just grab 10 things to buy.”

Next door, Barnes and Noble has been “absolutely insane,” said employee Mara Tudor on the Wednesday before Christmas. People are lining up before the store opens. This year, the book retailer’s hot sellers have been 2024 calendars, the Taylor Swift edition of Time magazine, and David Grann’s newest work, “The Wager.”

“It’s the biggest sales week of the entire year, for sure,” Tudor said. “People procrastinate. Christmas sneaks up on you.”