holiday season

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Guy Grumpy Over Christmas Greeting Thrown Off Plane

Would-be flier didn't like being wished 'merry Christmas'

(Newser) - You may not like it when people wish you "Merry Christmas," but if you're traveling today, you may want to try not to lose your temper over it. One man in New York couldn't quite do that Tuesday, and he got tossed off a plane as...

Today Will Be Busiest Day in UPS History

Shipping firms say there will be no repeat of last year's chaos

(Newser) - After last year's debacle left a lot of people without presents on Christmas Day, UPS and FedEx say they've spent a lot of time and money making sure there is no repeat this year. For UPS, today will be the busiest day in its history, with 34 million...

Holiday Deliveries Kept on Track by ... Weather Nerds?

Corporate meteorologists are 'secret weapon' during high shipping season

(Newser) - Santa had Rudolph's red nose to get him through the winter storm so he could deliver our holiday packages; we have corporate meteorologists. They're what the Washington Post calls "the secret weapon" of shipping companies trying to cash in during the hectic holiday season: "a motley...

Ugly Christmas Sweaters Are Making People Rich

Demand for festive garb shows no sign of slowing

(Newser) - It's time to raid your grandma's closet for all those bauble-covered holiday jumpers, because ugly Christmas sweaters are the coolest thing in festive fashion—and a booming business. Not only do many retailers carry the hideous getups—sometimes with a hefty price tag—the sweaters have their own...

Why Christmas Should Be on January 25
 Why Christmas 
 Should Be on 
 January 25 
OPINION
Nov 29, 2013 12:59 PM CST

Why Christmas Should Be on January 25

It gives us more time, less stress: Erin Gloria Ryan

(Newser) - Face it: Nobody likes the end of the year. You spend a ton of money on gifts and travel, plus you have to shove so many Christmas activities into the few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you barely get to enjoy any of them. Which is why, on Jezebel , Erin...

Fed-Up Lady Calls Cops on Bell Ringer
 Fed-Up Lady 
 Calls Cops on 
 Bell Ringer 
...happy holidays?
Nov 21, 2012 2:15 PM CST

Fed-Up Lady Calls Cops on Bell Ringer

Sarah Hamilton-Parker says Salvation Army ringers violate noise ordinance

(Newser) - Sarah Hamilton-Parker is sick of the Salvation Army bell ringers that set up shop outside the New Hampshire store where she works—so this year, she called the cops on the very first day of bell ringing. “I listen to this for 200 hours a year,” she tells...

Hot Christmas Gifts: Ferrari, $45K Ping-Pong Table
Hot Christmas Gifts: Ferrari, $45K Ping-Pong Table
NEIMAN MARCUS LIST
Oct 19, 2011 10:20 AM CDT

Hot Christmas Gifts: Ferrari, $45K Ping-Pong Table

Fantasy gifts for 2011 unveiled in 'Christmas Book'

(Newser) - It’s that time of year again: time for Neiman Marcus to say, “Recession? What recession?” and urge you to purchase a $250,000 mahogany speedboat for your beloved this Christmas. Yes, the Christmas Book was unveiled yesterday. To really get into the holiday spirit, read on for the...

Christmas Is Here... Way Too Early

Six signs that the holiday season has gotten too impatient

(Newser) - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... even though we're not yet past Thanksgiving. The Week pores through local papers to find six tales of Christmas coming too early this year:
  • It's never too early for eggnog lattes: In Seattle , at least one Starbucks started selling seasonal drinks right
...

Charities Hope for Last-Minute Donation Surge

In recession, gifts are down, but need is higher than ever

(Newser) - Charities and nonprofits are hoping for a whirlwind of last-minute donations to make up for a dismal year that saw donations fall while the need for services rose. “This is basically the most critical giving season since the Great Depression,” a representative for the Center for Nonprofit Advancement...

Your Won't Keep Those Resolutions: Try These Instead

Don't quit smoking, start e-smoking, and other easy outs

(Newser) - Gawker knows you can’t keep those virtuous New Year’s resolutions, so it’s come up with some substitutions. They won’t make you “a better person,” but are at least achievable. Herewith, from Brian Boylan:
  • Lose weight: That's too hard; "we live in a
...

Holiday Violence: Not Just for Celebs

As Tiger Woods and Charlie Sheen prove, this season can be stressful

(Newser) - Elin Nordegren kicked off this year's holiday season on the wrong foot, reportedly chasing Tiger Woods with a golf club in the wee hours after Thanksgiving. Charlie Sheen piled on, allegedly assaulting his wife on Christmas, writes Mary Elizabeth Williams in Salon , and it's worth noting that the holidays can...

How Skinny Chefs Stay That Way
 How Skinny 
 Chefs Stay 
 That Way 
HOLIDAY EATING
Dec 16, 2009 4:21 PM CST

How Skinny Chefs Stay That Way

Focus, routine, exercise...and also just running around a lot

(Newser) - Rotund chefs like Mario Batali and Paula Deen have given way to a crop of stick-thin kitchen wizards who clearly know a thing or two about how to stay slim while being surrounded by food. The Daily Beast gets the skinny from the skinny culinary elite, and won't take "...

Prepare Your Kids for Disappointing Presents
 Prepare Your Kids 
 for Disappointing 
 Presents 
A HOLIDAY HOW-TO
Dec 13, 2009 10:00 AM CST

Prepare Your Kids for Disappointing Presents

Keep the inner spoiled brat at bay with these tips

(Newser) - With buildup for the holiday season at fever pitch by Halloween, it’s easy to see how kids are set up for disappointment when it comes time to open gifts. From Julie King and Joanna Faber , some tips to keep the inner spoiled brat at bay, not to mention avoid...

Illegal? No Toys for You, Kid
 Illegal? No Toys for You, Kid 
HOLIDAYS IN HOUSTON
Dec 2, 2009 8:16 PM CST

Illegal? No Toys for You, Kid

Texas charities playing Santa check immigration status

(Newser) - A handful of Houston-area charities tasked with giving toys to children this holiday season are checking would-be recipients’ immigration status first—and denying goodies to kids in the US illegally. Though one such group says the measure is aimed at parents, immigration advocates are appalled.

Beware 12 Scams of Christmas
 Beware 12 Scams of Christmas 
Nov 21, 2009 3:12 PM CST

Beware 12 Scams of Christmas

Online schemes take advantage of the holiday spirit

(Newser) - The holiday season brings out the best in online scammers. CNET runs down common schemes to beware of, courtesy of McAfee:
  • Fake delivery invoices: They look like legit emails from UPS, Federal Express, and the like, asking for address confirmation and credit card info to ensure delivery.
  • Holiday e-cards: Make
...

Holiday Fares Headed for Stratosphere

Recession doesn't seem to be dampening travel enthusiasm

(Newser) - If you haven’t booked your holiday airfare yet, stop reading this and do it. Unlike last year, when airlines dropped prices at the last minute to fill unusually empty planes, prices this fall are on a decidedly upward trajectory, the New York Times reports. Last week, overall Thanksgiving fares...

Christmas in September Leaves Shoppers Cold

No, you're not crazy, it is still September

(Newser) - Look around your local department store, and you might encounter a ridiculous site: a Christmas display. Yes, retailers are already decking their halls, desperate to get a piece of consumers’ dwindling holiday budgets before their competitors do. Consumers aren't buying it. “You can’t get in the Christmas spirit...

It's a Stressful Day—Have You Tried Shouting?

Survey ranks today as most trying of the year

(Newser) - Today is the most stressful day of the year, as back-to-work blues meet the cold weather and economic gloom, the Telegraph reports. And a survey by RNLI found that co-worker behaviors such as noisy eating, sniffing, and talking loudly on the phone rank as the most annoying things to endure...

Gift-Givers Get Crafty In Tight Holiday Times

Sales of craft supplies and handmade items shine

(Newser) - Although the economic downturn has nearly everyone pinching pennies, craft stores are watching theirs stack up as holiday gift-givers are saving money by making their own gifts or buying handmade items from others, the New York Times reports. While overall retail revenues in November were off 7.4% from last...

Downturn Naughty, Not Nice to Seasonal Santas

Recession killing to holiday cheer

(Newser) - If you dress up as Santa Claus for extra holiday holly, you may need a miracle on 34th Street to make it through Christmas. The recession has spread to the North Pole, reports the Boston Globe, as Santas-for-hire find less work due to scaled-back Christmas party budgets and report rising...

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