The winter weather has brought Christmas early to the nation’s major department stores this year, as winter apparel boosted their sales growth to double digits this month, data showed Sunday.

The trio ― Lotte, Shinsegae and Hyundai ― saw their sales increase between 14.1 percent and 13.7 percent from Nov. 1 to Nov. 22, compared to the same period last year, according to data compiled by Yonhap News.

Market analysts said the sales of overcoats and other winter jackets seemed brisk due to the early onset of cold weather.

The department stores expect the sales growth to continue until the end of this year despite the nation’s overall economic slowdown.

(From news reports)