holiday

Easter, longer month increase March retail sales

Increased mall traffic and strong consumer interest in seasonal Easter items bolstered March sales, according to a well-known economic indicator released Tuesday.

The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index for March rose an average 3.9 percent compared with the same period a year ago. March sales increased 1.2 percent over February's. Read more...

Retail experts see increase in Easter sales this year

Got peeps? How about chocolate bunnies, or Cadbury eggs?

Easter, a Christian holiday that marks new life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is an end to the long winter. And Easter celebrations - both religious and nonreligious - come with increased spending on candy and other goodies. Read more...

NobleWorks Does Christmas

Christmas just got merrier this year with the introduction of NobleWorks' new line of humorous holiday cards. Ranging from very funny to very naughty, these Christmas cards are far from traditional! Read more...

Jewelry giveaway turns Bergen into Bling County

A Wyckoff jewelry store owner’s plan to give away more than $27,000 worth of jewelry paid off Monday in a bonanza of free publicity, as at least three television networks and several radio stations aired stories about the promotion.

Store owner Nancy Schuring said the first day of giveaways accomplished her primary goal – to spread goodwill and some pre-holiday cheer in the communities that have supported her store, Devon Fine Jewelry in Wyckoff, for 30 years. Schuring plans to place 30 bags containing pieces of jewelry ranging in value from $100 to $3,000, and letters saying “This is yours to keep” in nine northwest Bergen County towns in a promotion ending Friday. Read more...

Holiday Help to Full-Time Hires

Every year around this time, thousands of workers are hired for jobs catering to holiday shoppers and usually ending in January. The work can be a short-term way to generate a paycheck. But for a select few—particularly recent graduates and prospective career-changers—the seasonal jobs could become even more.

A small percentage of these temporary recruits are offered staff positions in the months that follow—and not just behind a register, but also eventually in areas like human resources, management and finance. Read more...

Gift shoppers: Bag your best bargains early

New York, NY -- If you expect holiday bargains to get better as Christmas Eve draws near, you may be disappointed this year.

Retailers aren't as panicked about the upcoming holiday shopping season as they were last year.

That's bad news for shoppers because this could mean leaner sales, sparsely stocked stores and a run on the best deals for such sought-after items as smartphones, thigh-high boots, side-sling bags and ruffled cartigans. Read more...

Attend holiday craft shows for unique, custom gifts

Grand Rapids -- You won't find these kiln-fired, needle-stitched, hand-painted products at the mall.

For craft lovers, that's the fine-tipped point. Read more...

Retailers preparing for Christmas

Destin — With Halloween over, retailers are gearing up for their busiest time of the year with the fast approaching holiday season.

With the national economy just beginning a slow recovery, many retailers are hoping for a strong Christmas season to push them into the black.

“Everyone is feeling very positive about this year,” said Traci Stokes, marketing director for Silver Sands Factory Stores in Miramar Beach. “I feel like going into the holiday season, the stores feel more positive this year than they did this time last year. We’ve had a good year to date. Read more...

Retailers go Grinch on holiday jobs

Newark -- The holiday-season job of stocking store shelves, running a register or wrapping gifts used to be as reliable as Santa at every mall.

That was before retailers faced millions of frugal shoppers and months of dropping sales. In 2009, national surveys predict holiday store staffing levels will be well below previous years. Read more...

Fewer holiday gifts but more cheer in US, poll

Washington — More than half of Americans in a survey out Wednesday say they plan to spend more during the end-of-year holidays this year compared to 2008 as concerns about the economy subside.

The projected spending boost at Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanza won't come from more or more expensive gifts, but rather from spending on items like entertainment and home decoration, which traditionally account for a smaller portion of the holiday budget, said the annual Deloitte holiday survey of retail spending and trends. Read more...