“For many of our retailers, it’s been quite a tough year due to COVID-19 but Australian shoppers have really supported our retailers and have come out in droves this season and it looks like it’s going to be no different on boxing day,” she said.

“For us we knew there was a lot of stimulus in the economy floating around and because we have been unable to travel … they are really spending money domestically at this time.”

Ms Lamb said retailers had COVID-safe plans in place with limited numbers of people in stores, regular cleaning and providing hand sanitisers and temperature checking.

“If you are going shopping make sure you plan where you’re off to, make sure that you could potentially be waiting in lines and can I just say there’s likely to be extra discounts in those lines,” she said.

“Our retailers are very much engaging with the theatre of having you wait and making sure you can get into a store.”

Ms Lamb said Boxing Day was the busiest and biggest retail day on the calendar withc onsumers making the day a “family affair”.

“We know that consumers will wait for boxing day sales,” she said.

“So for many of our retailers who have been closed, they’ve been waiting to put a lot of their stock on sale to get it out the door.”

Ms Lamb said the sale of lottery tickets that had doubled this season as well as clothing selling fast.

“Apparel has suddenly gone up because we are able to have events,” she said.

“These are some of our discretionary categories that haven’t done so well like jewellery, shoes, clothing but also things like homewares.

“We know Australians are nesting, preparing their houses for visitors and really just making sure the home is comfortable.”

Ms Lamb said she hoped the holiday spending would be enough to keep businesses afloat and moving forward.

“The real test will be when JobKeeper and JobSeeker is reduced in March but I think many of them are preparing for that,” she said.

“We have seen many of our retailers pivot at this time and certainly some have absolutely benefited from becoming digital or creating new innovations or having new conversations with their consumers.”

Major store trading hours:

The Myer Centre Brisbane – 9am until 6pm

David Jones Queens Plaza – 9am until 6pm

Carindale Westfield – 9am until 6pm

Indooroopilly Westfield – 9am until 6pm

Chermside Westfield – 9am until 6pm

Garden City Westfield – 9am until 6pm

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