It is not only the big retailers who can cash in at Christmas. There is also a huge section of retailers and stall holders who set up specifically for the festive season.

These near-cottage industries seem to pop up across Bermuda every year offering something very different from traditional shops.

And these peddlers in unusual goods do a roaring trade, often offering either home-made goods or items from far-flung lands.

One such small business is a stall on Serpentine Road called Unicas Bermudas owned by Debbie Lombardo.

There she sells a variety of Mexican and Malaysian goods, including flower planters, glass, rugs and knick-knacks.

She is only open from noon until 5 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday up until Christmas, but has already sold out of many of her items.

The best seller this year have been huge earthenware stove pots, which hold a fire to heat your patio.

Three feet tall and made in Mexico, 54 of the `chimineas' have been sold in just two weeks, and Mrs. Lombardo is already taking orders for more.

"People like them because they can sit them on their porch at night and keep warm outside. And they are very pretty,'' said Mrs. Lombardo.

Another top seller are the intricately painted hand basins from Mexico, which have matching hand rails, soap dishes and toilet roll holders. These come in from $195.

But there are stocking fillers, such as hand painted tiles for $4 and hand blown glasses for $8.

The shop will open Christmas Eve, and then Mrs. Lombardo will head south for the winter to Mexico, and re-stock her business.