Holiday shoppers gearing up to deck the halls at local malls. Shop owners thankful for predictions of strong sales this holiday season, with an expected six-to-eight percent increase in shoppers over last year. Florida Retail Federation President Scott Shalley says thanks to inflation, people are being picky and searching for the best deals. The holiday shopping season is the biggest time of the year for stores, with shops making 20 to 40 percent of their annual sales the month before Christmas. More than two thirds of consumers plan to shop between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday.