The final rush of Christmas shopping seems to be with us, and as GRTU director-general Vince Farrugia put it: “people suddenly seem to panic” as Christmas is just two days away. Moreover, many people received their salaries during the second part of this week.

Valletta was jam-packed with people making merry after Christmas lunches yesterday, and other people just roamed Republic Street for the fun of it.

As happens year after year, however, a good number of people still seem to have quite a few presents to buy. And the trend only seems to get stronger as time goes by.

The high-speed life we live definitely contributes heavily in this aspect, which also contributes heavily to the type of gifts that people tend to buy the most.

In fact, Mr Farrugia told this newspaper that “easy” gifts such as gift vouchers and perfumes were particularly popular this Christmas, as were wine accessories and liquor gifts.

Small gadgets like electric toothbrushes were also among the most popular gifts, and a spokesperson from Miller Distributors Limited said that two new ranges of Remington hair straighteners were among the most popular of the items they sold to retailers this year, since they are “positioned as a fashion accessory and were extremely popular”.

In regard to children’s gifts, electronic toys only gain in popularity, although Mr Farrugia said that the response he has had is that the larger toys for toddlers are more popular.

A spokesperson from M. Demajo Group, operators of Pedigree toy shop, said that the most popular toys are the branded ones like merchandising from the animated film Cars, but “Barbie” is, as ever, still very very popular”.

The Malta Independent asked whether the park and ride system has improved business in Valletta.

While Mr Farrugia said it only seems to have increased the volume of people going to the city, it appears to have affected Pedigree toy shops.

“The Valletta outlet has been more successful than Sliema and Fgura this Christmas,” said their spokesperson.

Agenda book shops however, seem to have gone unaffected by the system and the type of books they sold this Christmas were rather typical – the usual hardbacks, coffee-table books and cookery books. As happens year after year, books featuring popular films – this year Eragon seems to have taken centre stage – are ever-popular among children.

Mr Farrugia explained that the variety of food available on the market is encouraging home entertainment and the fact that people received their salaries this week contributed to supermarkets reporting a strong increase in sales.

“People are after luxury, all that’s a little bit different – cheeses, special types of meat and wine,” said Mr Farrugia.