WASHINGTON - With just a couple of shopping days left until Christmas, last-minute shoppers are being rewarded deep discounts and extended hours, as stores try to make every last sale.

When all the sales are tallied, retailers are expecting their worst holiday season in decades. As a result, their message to shoppers is clear: shop early, stay late and enjoy unprecedented holiday sales.

Shopper Meredith Cymerman said there are many great deals out there, even if she hasn't taken advantage of all of them.

"There are a lot of really good deals; I'm not really taking advantage, if my husband is listening," laughed Cymerman. "But there really are great deals -- you don't have to wait until the day after Christmas anymore," she said. 

Even toy stores, normally chaotic before the holidays, are much quieter this year.

"Last year at this time it would be very crowded in here, noted Natalia Malagon of Anglo Dutch Pool and Toys in Bethesda. "It would be impossible to come inside the store, but right now, we're not complaining."

The economic downturn has forced retailers to extend their hours and dramatically increase their sales.

"I just heard Toys "R" Us is open until 8:00 p.m. Christmas Eve," said Marty Scherr, a D.C. resident. "In some stores, it doesn't seem like anyone in this area knows there's a recession and in other places, there's like nobody wandering around."

"There are tremendous bargains to be had," added Chevy Chase resident Naomi Felsenfeld. "There's no question, particularly with clothes."

Despite the recession, shoppers like Aurie Hall refuse to leave out the family dog during the holidays.

"She has to have a little something too really -- you can't completely skimp on the dog," Hall said.

Retailers note for the second year in a row the most requested gift remains the same -- the Wii by Nintendo. Many stores report they can't keep the home video game consoles in stock.

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