By JOHN THOMPSON

Business Editor

Shorts and sandals may have replaced sweaters and scarves as the fashion de riguer this holiday season, but Fayette's retailers are still saying this has proven to be a good shopping season.

Experts around the country are lamenting this season's unusually warm weather and saying it could cut down on the Christmas shopping frenzy. But a sample of Fayette's retailers indicate the weather has not hurt them.

At the Fayette Pavilion shopping center, the parking lot is crowded with shoppers from Fayette and surrounding counties. Home Depot manager Chuck Thomas said this year's holiday shopping season that started the day after Thanksgiving is ahead of projections.

"We don't release numbers, but we're ahead of where we thought we'd be," he said.

The warm weather has actually helped some of the store's sales, especially outdoor items.

"The extended season has allowed people to stay outdoors and work on their homes and yards," he said.

But when the weather turns cold, Thomas is confidant shoppers will flood the store to buy such cold-weather items as heaters.

A little further down the shopping center, a parking place is hard to find at Wal-Mart. The country's largest retailer is doing a booming business and manager David Thompson said the early part of the shopping season has been kind to the giant retailer.

"We're meeting or exceeding our projections in all areas, except cold-weather items, such as clothes,' he said.

Thompson said the warm weather has not kept people from shopping, and items such as Christmas trees and ornaments are flying off the shelves.

Traditional Christmas gifts such as toys and electronics are moving rapidly and Thompson said the first cold spell this year should send more shoppers to the store looking for jackets and sweaters.

The National Weather Service is calling for a return to more December-like temperatures later this week which should help such seasonal retailers such as firewood sellers and put even more shoppers in the Christmas spirit.