by local stores this year.

The Gibbons Company has installed a long-term money saving plan, called the Advantage Plan, which will continue after the Christmas season.

Ms Kathy Gibbons, director of marketing at the Gibbons Company, said: "The Advantage Plan was designed, not just as an Christmas project but, as an on-going plan, that would reward loyal customers''.

Last Christmas, the store organised the Holiday Value Plan, a scheme which involved customers retaining receipts, returning them after Christmas, and receiving a 10 percent refund of the total in the form of a gift certificate.

The Gibbons Company commissioned a survey to grasp customer reaction to the plan, and found that it appealed as a way to save money.

The recently instituted Advantage Plan is very popular, according to Ms Gibbons, who said the store keeps running out of application forms. "It seems to appeal to all our customers, and gives them an incentive to look at the Gibbons Company first,'' she said.

All purchases at the Gibbons Company are recorded and those spending more than $100 in a quarter will receive a Gibbons Company certificate worth 10 percent of total purchases.

The store is offering a holiday bonus of a $500 certificate. Ms Gibbons said local stores are each designing Christmas programmes that appeal to their particular customers.

"Every one is eager to look at 1993 as the year business started to pull out from the recession.

"This year, especially, there is strong participation in the promotion of Christmas in order for stores to recoup from the severe recession,'' she said.

"We want Bermudians to know that we aren't the enemy, but are trying to offer something of value to the customer in a lasting way,'' said Ms Gibbons.

Mr. Roger Davidson, president of H.A. & E. Smith, said: "Rather than give customers something personally after a draw, we decided to donate $200 every day during December to a chosen charity.

"Christmas is a time of Christian charity, and if in the process of earning, the store can help, this is good,'' he said.

For the first time ever, Smith's held a night of Christmas shopping in November. "Retailing is a dynamic business, and we have to change to test the waters. It was a good evening and we will do it again,'' said Mr. Davidson.

Another first for the store will be opening on Wednesday, December 22 in time for "the notoriously late Bermudian Christmas shoppers,'' said Mr. Davidson.

Mr. Peter Cooper, managing director at A.S. Cooper & Sons, said varying Christmas promotional schemes had been devised by the store for many years, and the promotions were unaffected by the recent recession.

This year, customers are offered a prize draw with the winner receiving two round trip air tickets to London, and a weekly gift certificate draw of $200, available to any customers who make a purchase of any value.

In the children's department, children are guessing the daily mileage of a achieved by a toy train suspended from the ceiling and also the number of gummy bears in a jar for gift certificate prizes.

Mrs. Dawna Ferguson, merchandise manager at Trimingham Brothers, said the store is also holding a Christmas grand draw with the prize of a trip for two to the International Festival in Edinburgh. The main differences to Cooper's draw is that customers must spend $25 or more to qualify to enter.

"I think some do spend a little extra in order to enter,'' said Mrs.

Ferguson.

The Sunshine League benefits from the proceeds of sales of Christmas decorations made by Trimingham's staff and sold in the store's Christmas shop.

MR. ROGER DAVIDSON -- The president of H.A. & E. Smith, said his company will donate $200 every day during December to a chosen charity.