There's no doubt that many consumers are feeling the pinch so Christmas might not quite be the spending orgy it has been in recent years, but it definitely won't be cancelled. More mums might go to Iceland this year rather than M&S but there will still be a feast come December 25. And shoppers' reliance on their local store will still be there.

We're all hoping that 2009 will bring us a long, hot summer.

The next few months are bulging with gift-selling opportunities, with Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter just around the corner.

Who can forget last summer? It was grim enough for most of us, but even more so for the thousands of people who suffered as a result of the floods. According to the Met Office, the main feature of summer 2007 was the "high rainfall experienced in many regions especially during June and July". You can say that again, as it was the wettest summer for the whole of the UK since the Office's rainfall series data began in 1914.