RETAILERS DONNING JOLLY GLOW.

Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Daily News Staff Writer

Southern California retailers expect to be awash in shoppers flush with cash and good cheer this holiday season, according to a survey by a national accounting company.

And the area's forecast is rosier than the national outlook, says the annual ``Mood Survey: Retail Holiday Outlook'' by Deloitte & Touche LLP and the National Retail Federation.

About 90 percent of retailers here and 83 percent nationally expect consumer spending to increase this season or remain on a par with last year, the survey said.

For Southern California, that's a big improvement over last year, when 75 percent of retailers predicted improved sales compared to 1994.

Deloitte & Touche also polled shoppers about their holiday expectations and found that they plan to increase spending by 12 percent over last year, the biggest jump in four years.

This year, consumer spending will average $746 in the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas vs. $658 last year.

Apparel tops the list as the most popular category for holiday gifts, followed closely by toys, sporting goods, jewelry and electronic items, said Richard Giss, managing partner of the Deloitte & Touche Trade Retail Services Group in Los Angeles.

``You cannot have a big Christmas season without a strong apparel segment. It's just too big a piece of the retail pie during the holidays,'' he said.

Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Economic Development Corp. of Los Angeles County, credits an improved economy for the bright outlook.

``It's going to be a good holiday season because we're having very strong job growth in the region. And it's a lot stronger than most people understand,'' Kyser said.

``It's going to be a very fun Christmas season.''

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