Papers eyeing the Christmas sales

Like much of the population, Britain's papers are obsessed with last-minute Christmas shopping.

The Independent on Sunday heralds what it describes as a "moment of truth for credit crunch Britain".

It says Sunday marks the first of four "economy-saving" belated binge-spending days until Christmas.

The People reports that retailers are slashing prices in a desperate bid to coax shoppers through the doors for festive bargains.

And the Sunday Mirror says the estimated £6bn being spent this weekend may not save many retailers, with 323 high street names "on the critical list".

It calls on readers to spend up to an affordable limit to help keep firms in business and workers in jobs.

The Sunday Telegraph says the Visa credit card firm was processing 700 transactions a second on Saturday.

But it says at least 10 famous retailers expect to go into administration in the new year.

Some papers ponder whether Gordon Brown - whose ratings have been boosted by his handling of the economic downturn - will opt for a spring general election.

The Sunday Times says that he is relishing his present role.

The Prime Minister thinks he is a wartime leader, a latter-day Winston Churchill, it says.

But the Mail on Sunday says Mr Brown is still scarred by the events of last autumn when he appeared to baulk at the last minute over going to the polls.

The Observer reports on the number of British expats forced to give up new lives in France, blaming "le Credit Crunch and the falling pound".

When an English language newspaper in the Dordogne closed, its final headline read "French dream turns to nightmare," says the Sunday Times.

Finally, the Sunday Mirror says a pirate DVD seller was caught red-handed when approaching a group in a London pub.

They turned out to be trading standards officers at a works party.