After nearly two years of recession, we are starting to see signs of a turnaround. As we head into the holiday period, we expect negative growth trends to reverse, and are forecasting GAFO growth for the season of 0% to 1% over last year. Retailers are better prepared for the holidays than they were in 2008: Inventories are leaner, value trends are no surprise, and savvy marketers are basing decisions on the needs, wants and behaviors of local shoppers. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide relevant information about holiday sales trends and strategies for success in this critical period. Updates will be distributed every two to three weeks throughout the holiday season to help you monitor both trends and results as the season unfolds.