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As the Southern Christmas Show kicked off its 42nd season this week, early returns are leaving merchants optimistic — but still wary of the economy beyond the red, green and glitter-bedecked hub of holiday spirit.

“A lot of exhibitors came into this show a little apprehensive about what it was going to be like buy tiffany, and I think they’re finding their sales are as good or better than last year,” said David Zimmerman, president of Southern Shows, producers of the event, which opened Wednesday. “That’s what we’re hearing, at least.”

Another good gauge of sales, Zimmerman said Friday evening, is looking to see how full the package check area in the lobby is, and what’s being sold. “It’s as full as ever,” he said.

With its loyal, intent shoppers, the event at the former Charlotte Merchandise Mart is arguably more recession-resistant than much of the rest of the retail landscape. The show’s 700 vendors tend to generate sales results above the general holiday retail trend because they draw a self-selected crowd from across a wide geographic area, said Southern Shows CEO Joan Zimmerman.

Nonetheless, the show also speaks to the power of offering a distinct shopping experience, with the power to lure buyers even amid economic uncertainty. It attracts about 100,000 visitors per year, and attendance so far this year is up compared with the same days last year, David Zimmerman said. This year, the show is running for 12 days — ending Nov. 22 — instead its usual 11.

At the booth for A Taste of West Virginia, which sells products from over 50 West Virginia silver key rings agribusinesses, sales on Thursday were up 8 percent over the same day last year, and the trend was continuing Friday, said Cindy Martel, marketing specialist with the state’s Department of Agriculture. The booth is not expecting a big increase for the year and would be happy to be on par with 2008, she said. “We’re definitely holding our ground,” she said.

The producers, she said, were concerned about what 2009 would bring. And the economic climate has forced them to plan and track their businesses more carefully, she said.

Shoppers are focusing on the fundamentals and stocking stuffers, Martel said, and the busiest categories so far have been specialty condiments and honey. People have also been redeeming about 10 percent more coupons this year, compared with 2008, she said. “They’re still buying impulse treat items, but not as many,” she said.

Several merchants said that though they’d seen sales fall at other shows this year, the trend seems to be silver necklaces improving. Business at home shows was particularly off, said Ken March, the owner of Florida-based Helmut’s Strudels, a 32-year presence at the Southern Christmas Show.

March said he was anxious given the N.C. banking climate, and that he knows business can flatten out anyway after years at the same show. But he expects to be up about 15 percent this year tend to be a reliable indicator.

“I think (shoppers) are realizing the hurricane has passed,” he said. “I don’t think people give up on Christmas.”

“We’re die-hard,” joked Pam Thomas of Lenoir, who traveled to the show on Thursday with a group of friends, most of whom have been going to the show together for 20 years. Around dinnertime, they relaxed on a bench near the cafeteria, bags at their sides.

“This is to get us in the Christmas spirit. … I brought my spending money today, and I’ll worry about the rest later.”

Thomas said she wasn’t planning to cut back her Christmas Show spending. On Thursday, she bought two decorative wall signs, a variety of food and two “splat balls” for grandchildren — toys designed to be thrown and go “splat,” albeit neatly.

But, she said, the rest of her shopping season may be affected. Her husband recently found out that he won’t bangles receive a Christmas bonus this year at the trucking company where he works, after getting them for the last 38 years.

Sitting next to Thomas was Tracey Carriker of Morganton, who’d bought a cookie jar, jewelry and a UNC Chapel Hill snowman. Next up: A pimento cheese stop. Though the group’s usual challenge is figuring out how best to pack the trunk, Carriker said, this year she isn’t buying as much for herself, while still looking for family and friends.

At Rita’s Special T’s, which sells colorful shirts and jackets, sales dropped in 2008, but results at the Charlotte show are up over the same days last year, owner Rita Beard said. Based in Florida, she hopes to be up 10 percent over last year.

Shows that she’s attended elsewhere this year, including in recent weeks, she noted, have been down.

Still, where people used to buy two or three jackets, Beard said, they now buy just one.rings And she lowered the price on a popular set to $40 from $49.

“We had to adjust to what the economy is going to allow you to sell your products for,” she said.