January 4 is a special day for the Stiff family of Sylvania, Ohio, as four generations share the same birthday.
The holidays aren't even over yet and shoppers are racking up returns already.
Sixty-two percent of U.S. households have pets, according to a 2011 survey by the American Pet Products Association (APPA). For many of those furry friends, life is good. As the "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan likes to say, pets in the United States get to see Santa -- along with dermatologists, physical therapists and even pet sitters.
Michele McGraw used to give holiday gifts to nearly everyone who played a supporting role in her family's life: teachers, bus drivers, the mailman, the paperboy.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission demonstrates how quickly a Christmas tree can burn out of control.
I hate the holidays. Professionally speaking that is. This is the dangerous season when more family finances go off the rails than at any time of the year. From the opening gun on Black Friday through the last-minute grabs on Christmas Eve there seems to be a national moratorium on sound spending practices.
My best friend wants chickens for Christmas -- and maybe a goat.
This holiday season, hope for the job market comes from an unlikely place: More companies are giving employees seasonal perks this year, a new CareerBuilder survey reports.
PayPal has backed off an online spat with humor blog Regretsy after getting withering Web feedback for shutting down a drive to buy holiday gifts for children in need.
Kathryn's story: "Hey!" My 11-year-old daughter bounded out of the kitchen, swinging a miniature pocket watch from a chain. "What's this? Whose is it?" It was hers, and I told her so, but not that it was intended for her Christmas stocking. I had bought it between errands, then dropped it into the groceries, which I had asked her to unload and put away, having forgotten the tiny purchase that had settled to the bottom of the bag. One hundred and three days remained until December 25.
Are you looking forward to the season ahead? With Shivers of anticipation? Or just shivers? Robin Monheit gathered O's best gift buying advice and got even more tips from style experts Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo, authors of Life in Color (Chronicle).
It may not be in line with the spirit of Christmas, but consumers say they plan to spend less on gifts for others and more on themselves while doing their holiday shopping this year.
Even the wealthiest Americans plan on putting fewer gifts under the tree this holiday season but it's not because they can't afford it.
To help families who are struggling to buy gifts this upcoming holiday season, Toys "R" Us announced Tuesday it is extending its layaway program beyond big-ticket items to include most toys in its stores.
The reality star and NFL fiancé Jay Cutler are asking for cookie sheets and shot glasses
"Kim wanted to have all types of items down to inexpensive little kitchen accessories," a source says
The days of sliding a few coins into a vending machine and waiting for a can of soda to tumble down are now numbered.
The royal couple may ask guests for charitable donations instead of wedding gifts
Some call the Consumer Electronics Show "Christmas for geeks."
Amazon.com has patented a way for you to exchange Aunt Mildred's horrible Christmas gifts before they even get to your door.
Millions of Americans are shopping for last-minute gifts on Christmas Day. Where are they going? CNN's Josh Levs reports.
The sweater you wouldn't be caught dead in. The knicknack that doesn't match your decor. The Walkman (they still make those?) you'll never use. And it's always that same great-aunt/wacky uncle/out-of-touch grandparent that gives it to you.
CNNMoney: The ethics of givingupdated: Wed Dec 22 2010 12:44:00
Everyone wants to give the perfect gift, but things don't always go as planned.
You're having lunch with a friend when all of a sudden she pulls a gift out of her purse. "Here!" she says, gleefully, pushing the brightly-wrapped present in your direction. "Merry Christmas!"
When I was a little girl, my parents would take me every year to see "The Nutcracker." I remember practically drooling in awe as the massive Christmas tree grew out of the stage until it towered over the audience, and hiding under my seat whenever that hideous, sword-wielding, gazillion-headed rat wobbled out onto the stage.
If you want to feel twice as nice about holiday gift giving, try donating to a charity.
Julia Payne has two pet peeves: birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper and birthday cakes decorated with Christmas trees.
Let the countdown begin. Not to stress you out (ok, maybe a little!) but you officially have eight days to finish your holiday shopping -- less time if you have to ship your gifts, and even less if you're reading this the day after it was published.
Buying gifts for co-workers can be pretty tough. You have to draw that line between "fun" and "appropriate" so you don't offend anyone or come across as unprofessional (especially to your boss).
The government's air defense system tracks Santa's progress on Christmas Eve. The United States Postal Service even accepts letters to the North Pole.
Prop stylist Elizabeth Press traces her gift-wrapping prowess to her mother, whose creative, budget-conscious ideas -- like wrapping boxes with painted newspaper comics, pasting gift certificates inside hollowed-out books, and making decorative stamps out of eraser carvings -- proved that a little thoughtfulness goes a long way.
Chances are you probably know quite a few people who are smack in the middle of a job search, and if any of them are on your holiday gift list this year, you may want to pay a little extra attention to what you stuff their stockings with.
This holiday season is expected to be tough on a lot of people's budgets. But cutting back on gifts when you've been extravagant in the past isn't always easy.
It's the season for giving, but most kids can't stop thinking about what kinds of gifts they will be getting.
It's great to be in a relationship around the holidays, except when it comes time for the dreaded gift exchange. Whether you've been dating a month or 25 years, holiday shopping for a significant other is hard. So we asked our holiday experts for their tips on selecting the perfect present.
Microsoft has now sold 2.5 million units of the Xbox Kinect in less than a month.
Some Americans are giving homegrown food and specialty items as presents this holiday season and spending a fraction of what they'd pay in a store.
Larger-than-expected crowds jammed the nation's malls and discounters on Black Friday, elbowing each other in the race for the biggest deals on one of the biggest sales days of the year.
Online sellers kick off the coming week with one of their biggest sales days of the year - Cyber Monday.
For serious shoppers, the Friday after Thanksgiving is game day: Kickoff is early (sometimes at midnight), and those on the front line can score the best deals. For retailers, it signals the start of the holiday shopping season.
The talk show queen's magazine launches a holiday giveaway sweepstakes
The deals are aggressive -- and early -- this year. Retailers want your money and are working hard to get you to reach into your pocket and fork over your hard-earned cash. They know the recession is over and consumers are tired of being frugal. They've adjusted to this New Normal.
Readers offer small-budget holiday-gift ideas and other insights on cheap holidays.
When you're a kid, it's easy. You write a letter to Santa. You tell your mom, dad, grandparents, friends and dog what you want for Christmas.
Although Thanksgiving is not a traditional gift giving holiday like Christmas, Hannukah or even Valentine's Day, if you are invited to someone's house for the holiday dinner, you won't want to show up empty handed.
Maybe you're strapped for money in the recession -- there are bills to pay, mouths to feed. Maybe you're sick of receiving sweaters you never wear.
As the holiday season draws near, shoppers take a stand on whether or not to give presents, gift cards or cash.
'Twas three months before Christmas and Becky Gaar was on the hunt for a Disney Princess Magic Rise Oven for her 6-year-old granddaughter.
Don't be one of the millions still paying for Christmas next year. Christine Romans on how you should pay this holiday.
Are you filling Santa's bag this year using paper or plastic?
Meredith Barnhill says her favorite part of the holiday season is giving gifts.
Sears has the perfect appliances, electronics and fashions for the zombies in your life.
Q. If I'm flying to a wedding in the Caribbean, is it okay to spend less on the gift than I normally would due to my travel expenses? -- B., Simpsonville, S.C.
Got a gift card from Wal-Mart, Best Buy or American Express this holiday season?
Holiday gatherings can be rough. You have a sneaking suspicion Uncle Joe is going to have a drink or five too many, and you're still wincing about that great gift your brother's girlfriend gave you last year, when you didn't get her a thing.
Nothing quite expresses love and joy like gifts of food -- especially for those loved ones on your list who may be at higher risk for heart disease.
Thanks to the Web, buying holiday gifts has become much less of a drag than it used to be. In fact, online shopping has made it possible to avoid setting foot in a shopping mall ever again, for which I'll be forever grateful.
'Tis the season...for long lines and frayed nerves. Here's how to cope.
If you ask someone if they want something green for Christmas, they're likely to ask for tens and twenties. But some of us wouldn't mind getting gifts that are good for the planet as well as our lifestyles.
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