IS EVERYBODY GETTIN' NUTTIN' FOR CHRISTMAS? YULE SHOPPING LAGS AS HOLIDAY CREEPS NEARER.

Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer

Like mariners battening down for a storm, stores are preparing for a last-minute crush of holiday shoppers.

Even with modest sales projections, the season has been a disappointing one for the retail world, with even titans Wal-Mart and Target reporting disappointing results. A late Thanksgiving that brought six fewer shopping days than last year failed to shock shoppers into buying, so stores are hoping the dwindling days until Christmas will push them out in force this weekend.

``Because of the short season, you've got more shoppers with less time, less patience and less money, so this (weekend) is absolutely crucial,'' said Edie Clark, a spokeswoman for the trade group International Mass Retail Association. ``If you're a retailer, your reputation is at stake. If they walk into your store and can't find the product or someone to help them, they'll walk right out and may not come back.''

Retail expert Brent Schoenbaum, a partner with Deloitte & Touche's consumer business practice group, termed the final days ``the make-or-break weekend.'' Without a significant jump this weekend, he said, many retailers will miss their sales goals for the season.

``Since the big bang following Thanksgiving, sales didn't continue at the pace they started at,'' he said. ``The last week is always very busy, though. It'll start this weekend and go all the way to Christmas Eve. But if retailers don't see it this weekend, though, they won't see it on Monday or Tuesday. Things kicked off with a great start, then fizzled, but there's still hope.''

Even after nearly two months of holiday promotions and nonstop Christmas carols, consumers have been slow to realize the end of the season has nearly arrived. Most local malls reported sales were picking up by Friday, spurred on by a break in the inclement weather and payday for many people.

``Everyone else was going along, woke up and said, wow, there's only a few days left,'' said Cris Bremner, marketing manager for The Oaks. ``We're so caught up in everything else at this time of year, the date just sneaks up on you.''

In the off chance the date still doesn't register with procrastinators, stores will sweeten the deal even more this weekend. With some anchor stores staying open grueling 17 hour shifts, they'll crank up the promotions even more in an attempt to remove any remaining barriers blocking budget-minded consumers.

``If you read this Sunday's paper, you'll see a whole slew of offers and incentives,'' said Joey Char, marketing director for Northridge Fashion Center. ``If they're spending the money to advertise at the last minute, they're really loading up their guns. The anchors get the word out and then the traffic filters into the mall.''

Which makes for a long string of headaches for mall managers.

With security forces at the ready and teams of cleanup crews deployed, malls are braced for the controlled chaos that comes with a busy shopping day.

``Any time you have a big crowd like that, it definitely stresses the maintenance and security staff to keep up,'' said Brian Gartland, marketing director for Burbank's Media City Center. ``It's a good stress, though, so we're definitely not complaining.''

At the Valencia Town Center, only one extra employee is needed - a position general manager Charles Gill regrets he can't fill.

``Retailers are geared up for it and we have additional help in, too,'' Gill said. ``We have extra people selling gift certificates, answering phones and wrapping gifts. I just wish I had two Santa Clauses. People get very frustrated if he has to leave to take a break.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 3 -- color) Gary Kadar, 12, of North Hills, left, rests with a bag of purchases while waiting for his mom to finish shopping at Northridge Fashion Center, where the rest of the mall is a frenzy of activity, despite retailers worries that shoppers haven't realized that Christmas is just a few days away.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

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MERRY MALLS

SOURCE: Daily News research