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The final weekend before the holiday is almost just as big as the opening weekend of shopping on Black Friday, says Rebecca Flach, vice president of membership and communication with the Retail Council of New York State in Albany.
"The final push before Christmas Day, and we expect stores to be crowded, particularly because we know at least 30 to 35 percent of consumers still have some shopping left to do, according to some national surveys," Flach says.
And just as retailers were active in the weeks between Black Friday and Christmas, the period between Christmas and New Year's is also part of the holiday shopping equation.
"It's very busy as consumers go in to make returns, first of all, and to cash in and redeem those all-important gift cards that were very popular this holiday season, as they've been popular for the past few years," Flach says.
New York retailers are also hoping that maybe consumers will do some extra shopping, too, as the stores will have clearance items on sale, she adds.
The organization surveys its members three times during the holiday shopping season -- for a gauge on how well they attracted the consumer dollar.
The Retail Council of New York State will conduct its final survey of members just after Christmas.