NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Consumers kept shopping as the year drew to a close, adding fuel to the fire of those who believe the economy is healthy and getting healthier.

For many retailers though, the end of the year was probably not as merry and bright as they hoped, because they had to slash their prices deeply in order to get shoppers to purchase.

It becomes clearer and clearer that the pattern of Christmas shopping has shifted, from heavy buying just after Thanksgiving, to strategic waiting and watching as the holiday draws nearer and the discounts get deeper. Good news for consumers, who reap the benefits of the bargains, and for the people who receive the gifts they buy.

For retailers, though, it may make profits leaner. As for the big monetary policy picture, to the extent that people are still price-rise resistant and bargain conscious, this should be somewhat reassuring to the Federal Reserve. The Fed's worry scope is tilted toward rising inflation now, and officials continue to infer that more rate hikes are coming to keep inflation from getting out of hand.

A bargain-hungry consumer could be one of the Fed's best allies.