the same amount as last year.

Results at Peniston Brown Co. Ltd. were also below expectations, said managing director the Hon. Grant Gibbons.

"The last shopping day this Christmas, Saturday, traditionally a good day for perfume sales, let us down,'' he said.

Sales for the last shopping day in 1993, a Friday, were much better than 1994, he added.

According to Dr. Gibbons, the overall poor results were especially disappointing considering perfume is one of the few items in Bermuda that has a"price advantage'' over US market prices, despite discounting efforts in the latter, he added.

Mr. Roger Davidson, president of H.A.& E. Smith said sales figures at the store "ran level with last year''.

"We were expecting a better year though it was not a disaster,'' he noted.

According to Mr. Davidson, the number of local shoppers was satisfactory but there was a marked decrease in the number of visitors normally seen at this time of year.

"In due course the Chamber of Commerce will put together some figures (from their members),'' he said. "Those numbers will serve as a management tool for planning and what direction to work toward.'' Chamber president Mr. Bobby Rego could not be reached for comment on retail sector results over the Christmas season.

The number of residents who leave are usually balanced by those coming to Bermuda to visit friends and relatives but this year, the four day holiday may have resulted in more residents traveling abroad to be with family as opposed to them coming to Bermuda, Mr. Davidson continued.

Men's wear accessories and perfumes remained popular Christmas items, he added.

Mr. Christopher Edwards, manager of the new section of Otto Wurz Jewellers, said the new space helped the store hold its own but he felt sales this Christmas were "average'' compared to last year. Inflation will likely result in numbers below last year, he continued.

"Because of the addition more people saw us and more people came in but the 1993 Christmas season was on a par with last year in terms of sales,'' he added.

Mr. Edwards said he noticed a subtle change in shoppers' attitudes -- "they weren't buying the gifts they wanted to but made purchases out of necessity,'' he noted.

Many shoppers may have gone away because of the long weekend, the impact of the recession is still being felt in Bermuda, he concluded.

Ms Rosemarie DeShields, manager at Carvel Jewellers, said this year lagged somewhat compared to last year.

"Last year people spent more. I think this year shoppers were hesitant to spend,'' she said.

But Mr. Edward DeMello, owner of the Music Box, said his store's compact disc sales were up from last year.

Cassettes and musical instruments did not do as well as 1993 but CDs -- especially Kenny G's Miracles and the Mariah Carey Merry Christmas disc, were hot items this past season -- even though Christmas shopping is over customers are still buying these two CDs for the next festive season, he said.

"We were happy with our sales figures, we certainly did better than last year,'' he commented.