In the last recession, buying a pair of boots could be viewed as kicking back at the terrorists as President Bush urged Americans to spend normally to avoid letting fear cripple the economy.

This year, it's not clear whether true patriotism lies in spending or exercising frugality.

Consumers drive about 70 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, something that's been true for a while. That's why leaders in Washington, D.C., sent out those stimulus checks earlier this year.

"If nobody spends, we're only going to get worse," noted Peter Boatwright, associate professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University.

Consumers spent some of the stimulus funds the way that Congress and the president wanted. Some of it, however, was used to pay off debts.

Was that wrong? Is it Americans' duty to spend or is it irresponsible to spend money when you're worried about job security, the value of your homes, the cost of living and whatever direction gas prices may go next?

There are significant differences between the situation now and the months following the fall of the World Trade Center, according to economists and marketing experts.

For one thing, the 2001 attack galvanized Americans around a common enemy, said David Popelka, senior vice president, director of account planning at Strip District ad agency Mullen. A call to spending then seemed to offer something we could do to help the country, he said.

Now, there's a lot of fingerpointing going on as to who got the nation, and the world, into this mess. Consumers believe that irresponsible spending was a factor in the economic meltdown and don't want to continue down that path.

Maybe movie nights at home with home-cooked meals offer a way to exhibit fiscal responsibility while the markets are out of whack. A consumer may think, said Mr. Popelka, "I don't know what my 401(k) is doing, but I know what we're having for dinner tonight."

Marketers are nervous, he said, as they try to figure out how to ask people to buy while still appearing to be in tune with the recession mentality.

Mullen officials are advising clients to find emotional connections for their brands. A food company might offer coupons to satisfy the hunger for value, but also include recipes and tips on shortcuts that can help customers turn the raw materials into something for their family. Tortillas seen as a discretionary item could be marketed as the base for a fun taco night, suggested Mr. Popelka.

"We want to feel good as consumers," he said. "I think brands that provide that sense of hope should fare well."

Another difference between now and the post-9/11 economy was that people had easier access to cash then, said Scott Hoyt, senior director of consumer economics at Moody's Economy.com. Back then, many consumers had equity in their homes that helped fuel spending. Personal finances were being helped by rising home values and stock portfolios.

Now, even if people want to spend, many do not have the ability. "It's a real question of where does the money come from," said Mr. Hoyt.

Generally people don't listen to politicians or economists when making monetary choices anyway, said Anthony Liuzzo, professor of business and economics at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre. He noted President Ford's effort to curb 1970s inflation by producing "WIN" buttons -- Whip Inflation Now -- didn't seem to have much effect on the problem.

Similarly, "I don't think people spend because someone tells them to spend," he said. "I think people spend because they think things are OK."

With jobs and retirement funds evaporating, that's a difficult sell at the moment but, Dr. Liuzzo said, it would be helpful for the government to at least give the impression that officials know what they're doing and have the situation under control. So far, attempts to do that have not had the greatest success.

More than one observer said the completion of the presidential election should remove one bit of uncertainty. This would not have been the year to have spent weeks counting ballots, as voting officials were forced to do in 2000.

In the end, individual consumers won't help anybody by getting into trouble financially and trying to outguess the market, said Dr. Liuzzo. "You're being patriotic just by managing your finances in an intelligent way."

While some studies have shown consumers planning to either hold steady or trim Christmas purchases, Dr. Liuzzo predicted that children don't need to worry about getting less. He said people would cut off "marginal" recipients -- the second cousin, the letter carrier, the high school teacher who didn't give your son or daughter a good grade anyway.

Since it will be hard to keep the wallet closed entirely, Dr. Boatwright offered this advice to consumers: "Spend. Judiciously."