The holidays real feel zip

When the coronavirus pandemic erupted in , consumers had to switch gears. That meant ordering items online and retrieving them curbside and having groceries dropped at their doors rather than running the risk of entering supermarkets. That trend continued into the holiday season, which saw a major surge in online orders.

And this year's holidays are shaping up to be no different. The news isn't all bad for physical retailers. But the reality is that brick-and-mortar retailers could still lose out on a lot of business during the holiday shopping boom, and that's something real estate investors have every right to be concerned about. Following the start of the pandemic, saw a record number of retail closures. Thankfully, that pattern has died down substantially in But there's always the underlying fear that as e-commerce gains popularity, physical retailers will become less relevant and added closures might ensue.

As it is, malls and shopping centers were grappling with vacancies in some markets before the pandemic began. And if this year's holiday spending patterns largely favor digital sales, retailers may opt to switch gears in and shutter underperforming stores not out of desperation, but as a strategic move. After all, why spend the money to staff and pay rent on a location with poor performance when those resources could be spent investing in distribution centers to support online orders?

Of course, it's too soon to tell how holiday shopping patterns will shake out in the course of the upcoming season. Some consumers may intentionally visit physical stores after having shopped online last December out of necessity. And with COVID booster shots just greenlit for the general population, more consumers may feel comfortable shopping in person this season.

Plus, it's no secret that there's a truck driver shortage that's currently lending to supply chain woes. Consumers may be less apt to have gifts delivered for fear that they won't arrive in time, and may, in turn, take advantage of options like BOPIS, or buy online, pick up in store.

That, too, could drive more people to physical retail locations in the coming weeks. But if online orders really dominate this season, an uptick in store closures could ensue once rolls around. If that were to happen, it would leave a lot of shopping centers and malls -- and the people who invest in them -- in a pretty tough spot.

Discounted offers are only available to new members. Stock Advisor will renew at the then current list price. Investing Best Accounts. I had just put my kids to bed and I was just going through it, having a really hard time, and it's been a really tough year for a lot of us. She continued, "And I wrote this song for me, but also because there aren't many holiday songs for people feeling alone or lost or just plain sad other than Dolly Parton 's classic 'Hard Candy Christmas,' which we all love.

The musician explained that Dolly's hitmaker is "about getting through a tough holiday," adding, "I absolutely love that song and it allowed me to write this.

She added, "But instead of looking at everything that's gone wrong, we should be looking at all the things that have gone right. And that's what my therapist tells me anyway, so that's who I'm singing to! But no matter what people try to take from you, nobody can cancel Christmas, y'all. The American Idol alum hasn't shied away from discussing her heartbreak since she filed for divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock in June after seven years of marriage.

They share two kids, River , 7, and Remington , 5. Last December, Kelly explained just how "horrible" it has been to go through a divorce.