The Detroit Free Press reports that Thanksgiving weekend provided a strong start to the holiday shopping season but that shoppers in the Midwest spent the least ($269.53 on average). Clothing and accessories again topped the gift lists this year, with 49.2% of people surveyed saying they bought these items. Books, CDs, DVDs, videos and video games were second, with 46.7%, and electronics ranked third, with 36.7%.

The Daily Tribune follows the bouncing name of J.L. Hudson, which became Marshall Field's in 2001 and will become Macy's in 2006. The Lansing State Journal adds a report on "Cyber Monday" (which is apparently today) saying that 40% of consumers with Internet access at work plan to shop online using their office computer today.

Read Shoppers gobble up bargains, skip malls in the Detroit News
Read Shopping times are a-changin' in the Daily Tribune
Read Retailers upbeat after hot shopping weekend in the LSJ

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