Santa Claus checking list twice after hurricanes

Some Louisianans may have a different list for Santa Claus this season. In addition to the traditional toys for children, diamonds for her and power tools for him; many consumers in Louisiana will be replacing home furnishings, clothing and other necessities that were destroyed by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
“Not all (purchases) were holiday purchases,” said Dawn Johnson, executive director of the Louisiana Retailers Association. “A lot of people were purchasing to replace things.”
Nationwide, about 145 million shoppers packed stores for the traditional Black Friday Weekend following the Thanksgiving Day, according to a National Retail Federation. The most popular items purchased were clothing, DVDs, CDs and video games.
Megan Perry, a junior English major from New Orleans, said she is not going to replace the many valuables and mementos she lost due to Hurricane Katrina.
“I am afraid to buy stuff right now because I don’t want to lose it again,” Perry said. “I am going to replace some clothes, but I don’t want to buy any more CDs to have to start all over again.”
Perry said she had a collection of novels and books about New Orleans that were destroyed by the hurricane. Some of her books are out of print and will not be replaceable.
“Whenever I need something at that time, then I will buy it,” she said. “I am not going to buy anything for fun.”
For the first time ever, a state “tax-free” day was implemented in November by state Legislature during the 2005 First Extraordinary Session, after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravished southeast Louisiana.
Louisiana is the first state in the nation to have a tax holiday in December. Most tax holidays occur in August for back to school shoppers. On Dec. 16-18, a four percent state sales tax will be omitted on purchases up to $2500. This does not include local taxes levied by parishes and other municipalities according to the state Department of Revenue.
Johnson said the tax holiday is expected to spike sales in home furnishings and other house wares.
Kirschman’s Home Furnishings, a company owned and operated in New Orleans with locations in Baton Rouge and other parts of southeast Louisiana, enlisted the help from vendors to provide specials on mattresses and refrigerators for patrons affected by the hurricanes according to its Website.
There are mattresses from $499 and refrigerators from $397. Kirschman’s is also promising the purchases delivered to homes after a 72-hour advance.
“Children want toys, and (parents will buy them) to bring some normalcy back in their lives,” Johnson said. “All of these elements will play into the final average of how our (retail) season will be. These elements will make for a decent and very productive season.”