December warm weather records weren’t all that fell in London over the holidays. Despite a slowing national economy, many retailers are ringing up a banner holiday run. Hank Daniszewski reports.

--- --- ---

The snow was missing and the national economy sputtering, but here in our little corner of Canada, Christmas sales brought cheer to retailers.

A make-or-break time for many merchants, the final frame of any year is always crucial.

But while 2015 gave Canadian retailers reasons to celebrate, like a swooning loonie whose 11-year trading low took the hop out of cross-border shopping, a national economy weighed down by the collapse in oil prices and growth in online sales meant smaller crowds at many stores across the country.

Don’t tell that to some independent London retailers. They say it was their best season in years, even though the ­freakishly warm weather held the ­holiday spirit at bay until the final ­shopping days.

“With the weather, it didn’t seem like Christmas,” said Jill ­Wilcox of Jill’s Table, a ­downtown London kitchenware store.

“The last week was very intense. We’ve never seen anything like it.”

What’s not to like, asks Gerry Macartney, general manager of London Chamber of ­Commerce.

London’s 6.8 per cent jobless rate is now lower than both Ontario’s and Canada’s rates, having climbed out of a deep trough following the 2008 recession.

Home sales are up 10 per cent this year, the local economy’s manufacturing engine is firing again and exports to the U.S. are being helped by the low loonie.

“Two years ago, things were pretty bleak,” Macartney said. “(But) manufacturing appears to be on the upswing and 2016 looks good.”

Meanwhile, much of Canada is sagging under low commodity prices, with oil down more than 60 per cent from its 2014 peak above US $100 a barrel — costing thousands of Canadians their jobs and wiping out billions in real and projected government revenue.

Bank of Montreal has downgraded Canada’s GDP growth forecast for 2015 to 1.2 per cent, and 1.6 per cent for 2016.

“The economy quiet simply struggled to grow at all this year, and any gains were of the most meagre variety and were well below expectations,” said BMO chief economist Douglas Porter.

But Ontario remains an exception, with the latest Statistics Canada figures showing retail sales up 3.9 per cent year-over-year.

One reason is the limping loonie, worth about US 72 cents, down from 86 cents this time last year. Not only has that helped make the province’s exports cheaper to buy, but it also largely plugged the usual drain of holiday retail dollars south of the border.

“I used to be able to tell you 100 people that went over to the States to shop at Christmas, I couldn’t tell you two this year,” said Macartney.

He said the only downside is that the prolonged warm weather — until Monday, London had had only 11 cm of snow in November and December — left some retailers with lots of winter gear that will have to be discounted.

But others, like Brahm Wiseman of Heroes Comics, were run off their feet in the year’s last days. It didn’t hurt that all things Star Wars were hot, thanks to the huge success of The Force Awakens.

Dec. 24 and 26 are two of the year’s top sales days, Wiseman said. “It’s always the nice topping on the cake for the year.”

--- --- ---

WE ASKED: How did the holiday run go at your business?

"It’s been a great season, despite the weather. People had a hard time getting into the holiday spirit without snow,” but last week was busy as shoppers realized Christmas was upon them even without snow."

Jill Wilcox, owner, Jill’s Table kitchenware store

“It was a bit scary until about halfway through December, but the last week before Christmas made up for it. We know we are going to be up for the year.”

Bob Usher, manager, Covent Garden Market

“We’re dealing with people who want to touch and see the product live instead of on a computer screen. Every holiday season has its own rhythm. We are quite happy with our season.”

Duane Bock, Gordons Gold Jewellers

"There was a time when men didn’t really take care of their clothes, but times have changed and they are coming in on a more regular basis, so there’s not the need to buy at this time of year like in the past. And people coming in did have a budget to stick to this year, and that’s OK."

Dan Hasson, owner, Dan Hasson Clothier