With UK inflation finally cooling down, consumers are finding their wallets a bit less pinched heading into the holiday season. That extra breathing room in household budgets is translating into more aggressive spending patterns—holiday shopping traffic is picking up noticeably as people make their last-minute purchases. When inflation eases and purchasing power recovers, consumer behavior shifts markedly. This seasonal surge in discretionary spending reflects broader economic softening, a trend worth tracking as it influences market dynamics and asset allocation strategies across different economic cycles.