It's that time of the year again. 

For children, White Sunday is one occasion they look forward to all year. 

With the exception being the struggle to learn their skits and memory verses, it's a time for new clothes, new shoes and new everything. 

And businesses in Samoa are gearing up to meet the demand.  Many of them are projecting increased sales, especially days before Sunday.

Shops in Apia have begun displaying white dresses, shirts, ie lavalava (male skirts) and the puletasi on their window displays, hoping to capitalise on the significance of the day among Samoans.

George Feesago, 40, told the Samoa Observer that his business Big & Small – which sells shoes and apparel – anticipate an increase in the demand for children’s shoes.

“We are more like a shoe shop," he said. "This time of the year people buy shoes for their kids, and we have a variety of sizes."

He added that most types of shoes that the customers buy are made to be worn in church, while the Samoan dress the puletasi is also in high demand.

“As long as we see that we are taking a step forward every year, but we have to try to pick our game up,” he said.

Big and Small has operated as a business for 20 years, according to Mr Feesago and they are aware of the increasing competition in the retail sector. 

The shop owner said they hope to eclipse their 2018 White Sunday sales record at the end of the year. 

Another shop manager, Siliilagi Saolotoga, who runs the Farmers Coin Save, told this newspaper that they will be displaying new items for White Sunday customers.

“Every time we get asked by our customers about it, we also have special sales for this year’s  White Sunday,” she said. 

Girls and boys shoes as well as white shirts dresses are customers’ favorite, she said, and further added that it will be a busy weekend for businesses.

"The most items that customers purchase are young girls clothes like dresses, shoes and other items for their young girls for White Sunday, also white clothes for kids in the ages of 5 and 10 years of age," she said.

The White Sunday weekend will be celebrated this coming Sunday with the following Monday declared a public holiday.