South Miami Pharmacy, Miami Beach, recently introduced gift cards including Home Depot, Sears, Best Buy, and Bass Pro Shops. Armando Bardisa, the pharmacy owner, said, "I believe these will do very well closer to the holidays. Because of the traffic and crowds around the holidays, we believe our patients will love our gift card services. We will also be offering the usual sweets, such as candy canes, sugar cookies, chocolate, and eggnog."

Scott Buda, president of Health Mart Pharmacies of Lynbrook and Freeport in New York, predicts Webkinz interactive stuffed animals will be a strong holiday item in the toy category, especially as newer Webkinz items are strategically released closer to the holidays. He also expects cash registers to ring up traditional ornaments, including glass balls and garlands as well as licensed ornaments featuring SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer, Family Guy, and Disney characters.

"What's funny is that no matter how hard we try, you never know if multicolor lights or clear lights will be more popular for the upcoming season. It changes every year. Icicle lights are always popular as consumers get more and more into decorating the outside of their home and competing with their neighbors," Buda said.

Buda believes gift-wrapping goods will fly out the door. "Consumers always wait until the last minute to purchase these items, and the convenience of the local drugstore takes over and we capitalize on this category as a result." He also anticipates picture frames, jewelry boxes, collectibles, candles, appliances, and electronics will find their way under Christmas trees.

Buda has implemented a new strategy to entice consumers to spend. The pharmacy is running a contest in which consumers earn bonus prize dollars for visiting the store and making purchases along with their friends and family.

"We have 10 fabulous prizes on display and keep a chart with the contestant's name and number, which we update weekly, so they can see what place they are in. The 10 customers with the most points at the end of the sale will win the prizes. We accumulate a mailing list at the same time," said Buda.

Dave Marley, owner of Marley Drug, Winston-Salem, N.C., is betting on a new gift line as well as a spa line of lotions and creams. Marley has stocked the shelves with Christmas carol-singing animals, including a snowman, an elf, and a dancing duck. He also has music boxes, lighted Santa hats, holiday gift wrap, tags, bags, and holiday pens. He's also counting on sales from spiritual gift items, including rocks with quotes, verse cards, ceramic angels, pewter bookmarks with quotes, guardian angel visor clips, greeting cards, and books with inspirational messages.