By Alison Smith BBC News, Oxford Street

Shoppers spend millions in the run-up to Christmas

It is the first Saturday in December; many consumers have just got their final salary of the year and they quickly realise they'll have to blow a sizeable chunk on Christmas presents.

And the seasonal stress sets in.

Oxford Street, teeming with shoppers at this time of year, is surely a place to be avoided if you find it all a bit overwhelming?

Everyone else seems to be ambling along while you are on a frenzied mission to get your presents and get home as soon as you can.

But the mood has been lifted here this Saturday by the absence of traffic - meaning those shoppers have more room to continue at their snail's pace.

Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street are closed to cars and buses for one day only.

Freebie

At Oxford Circus, quite a few bemused shoppers congregate at the traffic lights, only to realise they don't have to wait to cross the street.

One of the busiest days of the year for Top Shop

The tide of shoppers is free-flowing, leaving the pavements a lot less clogged up than usual.

This was a pleasant surprise for Anthony, a British businessman who lives in Iceland.

"I've been saying for years they should make this area permanently pedestrianised," he says. "I usually avoid coming into London at this time of year and do my shopping in the US."

Street entertainment, free drinks and gifts and plenty of people giving out information do seem to be making for a more civilised shopping trip.

But most people say they were unaware of the pedestrianisation, so they would have come anyway.

Amanda and her mother Trish emerge from a very crowded Top Shop on Oxford Circus laden with bags. Surely they must have got a free gift for their trouble?

Most found the pedestrianised zone a pleasant surprise

"I did get one, though I had to spend over �100 to get it," says Amanda.

She seems fairly pleased with her freebie - blue woolly mittens - and admits she might be thrifty enough to parcel them up as a Christmas present for somebody.

"But I spent �48 in there and I didn't get a free gift," says Trish, "so I'm going to go back in there and slap somebody! No, I'm joking!"

'Positive experience'

The store's style adviser manager, Tanya Sharpless, says every customer should get a free gift as staff are handing them out in the queues.

The store does seem well geared up for the volume of people, with no shortage of staff around, and chocolates and water on hand in case they feel dehydrated.

As for trade, Tanya says there has been "a higher footfall in the store today". More people through the doors, in other words.

"We try to make the experience as nice and as positive for them as possible," she says.

"It's good to offer customers one day at this time of year when everything is about them.

"People who come to London know it's the busiest time of year, but they do seem to be

The Christmas spirit descended on a more relaxed Oxford Street

having fun today and making the most of their pay packet."

Beth Hughes, who is 15 and from Northampton, is grabbing a drink between purchases. She says she is enjoying her first shopping trip to London.

"I thought the crowds would be a lot worse," she grins. "And I did get a free drink."

Jace Tyrrell, from the organisers New West End Company, which represents West End retailers, says businesses and consumers seemed to welcome the event. "The idea is to treat people like VIPs - and the crowds are coming in."

He says they are expecting shoppers to spend over �100m on this day alone.

He countered suggestions that it would cause traffic chaos outside the zone.

"This is the third year we've done it, and we work with Transport for London and warn taxi drivers to make sure there are no major transport issues as a result."