Consumers might be tempted to put coal in the Christmas stockings of economists who think the recession officially ended last June. But then, it's not as though many shoppers intend to spend lavishly on gifts for their near and dear ones this year, to judge from a batch of holiday-shopping forecasts that have emerged from research firms in recent weeks. And if marketers hope that upmarket consumers will give holiday shopping a big boost this year, they're in for a disappointment.
