Christmas

U.S. Stock Markets Closed on Presidents Day

The global economy is a perpetual motion machine, but U.S. stock markets do take breaks: In addition to the weekends, there are nine holidays on which the stock exchange is shuttered. Here's the list for 2013, as well as the surprising history of Presidents Day.

Despite Strong December Sales, a Mixed Holiday Season for Retail

The retail industry is reporting some much-needed good news in the form of stronger-than-expected December sales figures. But those numbers seem to have come as a result of desperate last-minute discounting, suggesting reduced profit margins and an increasingly hard-to-please American shopper.

Initial Jobless Claims Rise, But Distorted By Holidays

More Americans sought unemployment benefits last week, though the winter holidays likely distorted the data for the second straight week. The Labor Department says weekly applications rose by 10,000 to a seasonally adjusted 372,000 in the week ended Dec. 29.

Post-Christmas Deals Abound After Disappointing Retail Season

The day after Christmas is probably not a great day to be hitting the mall. But there are some good sales to be found today and over the next couple of days, and in many cases they're online sales that don't require you to brave the mall. Here are a few to check out.

Last-Minute Christmas Shopping Guide

The kick-off to the holiday season gets earlier every year, but that doesn't mean that consumers are getting better at finishing their shopping early. As the National Retail Federation notes, American consumers typically have about half their holiday shopping left to go in mid-December.

Missed Free Shipping Day? You're Not Out of Luck Yet

Monday was Free Shipping Day, and if you're not done with your holiday shopping, you could be forgiven for thinking you'd missed out on your last chance to get free shipping on gifts. But don't fret: There are still ways you can dodge those pesky shipping fees.

Free Shipping Day Is Today: The 10 Best Deals You'll Find Online

Today is Free Shipping Day, and almost 1,600 retailers are offering shipping deals to online shoppers. It's also the last day they'll guarantee regular delivery by Christmas Eve. We asked the folks behind Free Shipping Day to share their 10 favorite deals of the day: Here are their choices.

Don't Wait Until Super Saturday: This Weekend's Best Deals

Next weekend brings Super Saturday -- the last Saturday before Christmas, and one of the busiest shopping days of the year. If you don't want to get stuck in the mob scene, you should finish your shopping sooner -- like now. To help, we've rounded up some of the best deals on offer this weekend.

I'll Be Broke for Christmas: The Holiday Cash Quiz!

To get a better feeling for the curious flow of Christmas cash, we reviewed at some of the biggest-sellers, biggest-tickets, and most traditional holiday treats. If you've ever wondered about the money underlying the season, take a peek at this Christmas cash quiz!

How to Pick the Perfect Gift Cards This Christmas

U.S. shoppers will buy $110 billion worth of gift cards this year, and nobody's complaining about it: Gift cards are the most-desired present of the season. But you still have to pick the right gift card for each recipient, so we asked plastic experts for their best advice.

The 4 Rules of Regifting: Etiquette Guru Explains When It's OK

Regifting: Lots of us do it, and many of us feel a bit guilty about it, even though polls show people are generally OK with receiving regifts. But does regifting really pass the holiday season etiquette test? We asked Jodi R.R. Smith of etiquette consultancy Mannersmith.

Holiday Shopping Calendar: Your List of the Best Days to Buy

Black Friday has been around for decades, but in the last several years, the holiday shopping season has gained a number of additional "special" shopping days. So if you're looking for the right days for deals, (or when to avoid the crowds) here's a run-down of all the retail deal days worth knowing.

Extreme Shoppers Score $8,000 of Stuff for $1,300

How's this for holiday savings: Bringing home a haul of remote control cars, tablets, coats and boots worth $8,000 for just $1,300. That's what extreme couponer Joni Crothers and her "coupon-tourage" accomplished on a Black Friday shopping spree to fulfill the wish lists of 16 children in need.