Copyright © 2008
Gallup Independent
By Elizabeth Hardin-Burrola
Staff writer

GALLUP — The economy may be fairly gloomy in some parts of the country, but in Gallup many people seem to still share a bright outlook for holiday shopping.

Eight individuals were interviewed on Tuesday just outside J.C. Penney’s at the Rio West Mall. If their opinions — and their spending power — are representative of the larger community, retail sales should be fairly comparable to last year’s holiday shopping season.

Only one person, Althea Boyd of Vanderwagen, said the slowdown in the national economy was affecting her own Christmas shopping budget. Because of economic concerns, Boyd said she was limiting her spending in comparison to previous holiday seasons. As a result, Boyd said, she would be buying for fewer people than in the past.

Renatha Chopito of Gallup said her holiday spending would be about the same as last year’s, and the national economic slowdown wasn’t affecting her. Chopito also said she has already done most of her Christmas shopping. “I’ve learned you have to shop early or there won’t be anything left,” she said.

Although she will be at the mall during the shopping frenzy of Black Friday, it won’t be as a customer. An employee of J.C. Penney’s, Chopito said she will be working her usual shift that begins at 6 a.m.

Shopping with several young children in tow, Genevieve Tsosie of Twin Lakes said she would be spending the same amount this Christmas.

A few minutes later, David Benallie of Tohatchi echoed similar sentiments. “I think I’m spending the same,” he said.

However, a couple of other men estimated they would be spending more money. Richard Cooke, a retiree from Piñon, Ariz., said he shopped for the holidays all throughout the year, and he explained he always looked for good sales to help him save money on his purchases.

Cooke, who made a quick purchase in the mall, said he was in Gallup on Tuesday for shopping. “We don’t come here too often,” he said, “but when we do, we shop.”

Darrin Notah of Gallup also estimated that he would be spending more money this Christmas than in previous years. Notah credited dropping gasoline and food prices for providing him some extra holiday purchasing power.

“Surprisingly, I’ve been spending more money than last year,” he said.

Notah also expressed optimism about President-elect Barack Obama’s ability to get the national economy back on track. He cited news reports of Obama’s recent administration appointments as inspiring confidence on Wall Street.

However, holiday gift buying won’t be very high on Lisa Roanhorse’s agenda. Roanhorse, of Gallup, said she had adjusted her budget to accommodate for the inflation of recent years, and she didn’t feel like the slowing economy was really affecting her. However, she explained, since her husband had passed away two years ago, she no longer celebrated Christmas much with gift giving. For Roanhorse, the upcoming holiday season would be more about getting together with family to share a meal and enjoy each others’ company, she said.

Jenny Situ, the youngest person surveyed, said she wasn’t affected by problems in the national economy either. As a student at Rehoboth High School, Situ said all her finances still came from her parents.