UPDATE: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - It's almost time for those holiday lights, snow, music, and most importantly, shopping. It may be a good idea to stock up on tape and wrapping paper because retailers expect sales to rise. "Nine out of 10 think its going to be better than last year, the majority of that, 54% think its actually going to be better," said Tom Scott, the vice president of Michigan Retailers Association. "And when you take all of their plus and minus projections, it comes out to an average increase of 6%." Some businesses are actually expecting to have a decrease in sales this year. "You're always going to have some that are going to be doing great and expect to do great, and some that aren't doing as well for a variety of reasons," said Scott. More people are getting in the spirit to spend more money on personal gifts. The National Retail Federation expects about 60% of shoppers to make non-gift purchases, for themselves and family members. Shoppers will be searching for the best deals, but not everyone will be watching for weekly add books. The National Retail Federation's survey expects about 30% of people to use the Internet and about 5% to use their Smartphone to find holiday bargains. This years projections for holiday sales are expected to be up 2.8% nationwide from last year. This season, the average person is expected to spend about $400 on gifts for children, family, and parents.


ORIGINAL STORY: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Snow, sales, and holiday spirit is coming your way. But what can you really be expecting for your shopping season? Check it out on HOMTV's episode of Changing Seasons.