presents

When Cupid slings his arrow, it can hit you right in the wallet. What's the economically challenged lovebird to do? Well, luckily, a sense of humor is still free. Here are some tips -- and some what-not-to-do's, including some of Ed Begley's ill-fated money-savers.

When it comes to holiday gift-giving, I love to make gifts that are not just unique and expressive of my creativity but can reflect the recipient's personality. But knitting a dozen-and-a-half pairs of mittens for my boys and all my nieces and nephews would keep me busy from July right up to New...

Holiday shipping deadlines are approaching faster than you'd expect with many cutoffs coming in less than two weeks. If you like to procrastinate or are just waiting for a new deal before ordering your presents online, Dealnews and other sites are compiling lists of shipping cutoff dates to make...

Bummer, dude. Not only are people spending less on gifts for new college grads, but the gifts they're buying are decidedly practical in nature -- a true sign of these recessionary times. According to PriceGrabber.com, 36% of Americans plan to give a graduation gift this year. Among these, a...

The time of year has come when shoppers spend as much time hunting for parking places as they do for presents. Unfortunately criminals see these packed parking lots as an excellent opportunity to help themselves to your presents.Despite their annual appearances in the Darwin Awards, thieves aren't...

Want to give your family some of its history this year for the holidays? It's probably easier and cheaper than you might think. Earlier this year I joined ancestry.com, the huge genealogy website. I know there are plenty of other sites and programs out there. But as a complete novice I went to the...

I wish everyone I sent Christmas presents to celebrated Boxing Day or Kwanzaa instead. That's because most of the time my presents truly do arrive a day too late, on December 26. But now deadlines keep rolling in on when packages need to be mailed in order to get to their destinations on time. The...

There does seem to be something sleazy about the idea of buying someone a "thrift gift." How cheap can you be? Here's a different spin and all it takes is a bit of thought and creativity. Like any kind of gift buying, gift shopping at thrift stores is easier and more fun for people you know well....

As the holiday season approaches, we thought you might appreciate some gift suggestions with a twist, appropriate for those on your list who aren't satisfied with the same old, same old. Most of the gifts we've recommended in this series are meant to add a little well-intentioned, if off-kilter,...