While the final tally is still underway, it looks like a last minute rally by shoppers saved the otherwise dismal 2001 holiday shopping season. American consumers charged about $122.1 billion between Thanksgiving and Christmas to their credit cards, a slight increase over the projected $121.4 billion in credit card volume. Based on checkwriting, retail sales increased 2.1% over 2000. The top five shopping days, in descending order, were Saturday, December 22; Friday, the day after Thanksgiving; Saturday, December 15; Friday, December 21; and Thursday, December 20. The 'TeleCheck Retail Index' reports that holiday sales climbed 2.5% in the Southeast and 2.4% in the Southwest and Northeast region. Sales in both the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions grew 2.1% while retail sales grew 1.8% in the West region.