Dallas-Fort Worth Outpaces Nation in Holiday Sales Increase.

Byline: Lila LaHood

Dec. 12--FORT WORTH, Texas--An increase in purchases by Metroplex shoppers this holiday season is helping push retail sales ahead of the national average.

Same-store sales were up 3.2 percent in the Metroplex and 3.7 percent in Texas, compared with a 2.9 percent gain nationwide, for the first 17 days of the season over the same period last season, according to the TeleCheck Retail Index, which measures sales paid for by check at more than 27,000 U.S. stores.

This year, two more days fall between Thanksgiving and Christmas than did last year. Since Christmas falls on a Monday, the preceding weekend is expected to be a blockbuster.

"I'm forecasting the 23rd will be the biggest retail day in history," said William Ford, senior economic adviser for TeleCheck Services, based in Houston and a subsidiary of First Data in Atlanta. "If you wait until the 23rd, if you're going to do your shopping in Fort Worth, you can plan on parking in Arlington."

This week's weather could play a role as well.

"Cold weather helps as long as it's not accompanied by impassable roads," Ford said. "In Chicago, where they're expecting 20 inches, it's going to be hard to get to the store."