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People expect to spend more on holiday travel, celebrations and 'big ticket experiences,' such as concerts or sporting events, a MassMutual survey found. It's the most wonderfully expensive time of the year, and people are expecting to spend big. A new survey from MassMutual shows that consumers are feeling optimistic about their finances -- and are planning to spend $1,243 on average on holiday-related purchases this season. For comparison, the national median rent was $1,312 in October, according to a report from Apartment List. The MassMutual Consumer Spending & Saving Index surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults online between Oct. 18 and...

Americans Spend More Than Expected as Holiday Season Heats Up November retail sales up 0.8% from prior month; economists saw 0.3% increase By Sharon Nunn Updated Dec. 14, 2017 1:40 p.m. ET 27 COMMENTS WASHINGTON—Americans are spending more this holiday season than analysts expected, fueled by income gains, confidence in the economic outlook, buoyant financial markets and modest inflation. That includes spending at brick-and-mortar stores such as Walmart Inc. and Nordstrom Inc., which clocked the largest year-over-year November sales increase in seven years. Home-furnishing stores, electronics and appliance stores also posted strong spending numbers, despite competition from online shopping websites,...

WASHINGTON -- As President Obama faced public criticism over his Oval Office address on terrorism this month, one lawmaker took a private moment during a holiday party at the White House to reassure the commander in chief. "That was a good speech you gave last night, Mr. President," Representative Steve Cohen, Democrat of Tennessee, told Mr. Obama as he stopped to have his picture taken with him in the photo line at the black-tie congressional ball last week. "It's hard to be the grown-up in the nation." It was one of hundreds of seconds-long interactions that the president and the...

A Facebook group criticizing the Staten Island Mall for canceling its Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and Santa parade has attracted tens of thousands of followers, energizing debate about the loss of holiday traditions. The mall later apologized, announcing it would host a holiday celebration on Dec. 4 featuring Santa, a tree lighting and a toy drive. "We heard the disappointment in your shopper feedback regarding the cancellation of the annual Santa Parade. At Staten Island Mall, we pride ourselves on being a community partner and take our shoppers' sentiments to heart -- good and bad," mall officials said in a statement.

Newt Gingrich’s Message is Anything But Political By Norma Zager “If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor.” Albert Einstein. 
 Some women and men never learn. When a relationship is in trouble and one of the parties has told the other to take a hike, they continue pursuit. What part of “drop dead” do they not understand? What part of “the Palestinians want to destroy Israel” does the world not understand? Newt Gingrich is the messenger everyone wants to shoot for stating the truth. No one likes the truth if it interferes with a...

The just-concluded holiday retail season continues to look strong, at least in top-line numbers provided by Spending Pulse. Sales increased more in 2010 than any time in the last four years, a sign that consumers may have found a comfort level despite the burdens of high unemployment. The data also shows that shoppers began returning to higher-end retailers rather than concentrate on discounters: Americans spent more on clothes, shoes, luxury goods and electronics in December than a year earlier, extending retail sales momentum that had been building since August, according to data released Wednesday.Figures released by MasterCard Advisors’ SpendingPulse, which...

It happens every year at this time: the battles of political correctness. When a community puts up a Christmas tree, one of two things happens. Either there is a battle to take it down totally, or someone fights to get a Chanukkiyah (that's the real name, not Menorah), Kwanzaa candles, or a symbol of some other religion's holiday placed right next to it. Then Fox News follows by running stories about the latest battle in the "war against Christmas," and the ACLU starts suing any town whose mayor ever went to a church, mosque, and/or synagogue. Hey, ACLU: Give it...

Online spending down as holiday season nears Recession puts brakes on fast-paced growth of e-commerce By Ylan Q. Mui Washington Post Staff Writer Saturday, October 24, 2009 Online retail's runaway growth has hit a wall as consumers have cut back on the discretionary spending that drives the industry's sales. According to research firm comScore, e-commerce sales have been steadily declining this year, with spending not including travel dropping 2 percent in the third quarter. That has set the stage for a tough holiday season, which can account for as much as half of annual sales. "It's not pretty at all...

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Thousands of soldiers hoping to receive a holiday package from home may be disappointed this year. Troops support programs report that fewer packages are being sent this year than ever before. Popular online package provider Treats for Troops says the number of soldiers being sponsored through their Foster-A-Soldier program has fallen by nearly 25 percent from last year. "People are struggling to pay their bills and worried about making it a Merry Christmas for their own families," says TFT founder Deborah Crane. "But I am heartsick thinking about the thousands of soldiers who have registered with...

In the shopping malls of Moscow, the only relic of Soviet times could be the lines that snake around the counters. The rest is glittering displays, unsteady men in Santa suits, and the bustle and noise of eager shoppers, which came to fever pitch this month. The holidays are here. "It is only the shortages that people cannot understand," said Galina Vishnyakova, 28, a shopper at the Ramstore mall on Sheremetyevskaya Ulitsa whose cart was loaded with champagne and expensive treats. "But they adapt very quickly to all these little luxuries." During this holiday season, Russians will shell out 13...

The pendulum swings both ways. Last year in Denver, it was Mayor John Hickenlooper proposing to replace the city's traditional "Merry Christmas" sign with one that said "Happy Holidays." The mayor wisely backed off in response to the public outcry, as did the Parade of Lights, this year, reversing its policy barring religious floats. Earlier this month, Speaker of the U.S. House Dennis Hastert, issued a directive instructing the architect of the Capitol to drop the name "Capitol Holiday Tree" - adopted in the late 1990s under the authority of no one who's now willing to admit to it -...

(AgapePress) - You win some -- and you lose some. That adage seems to apply appropriately to one group's ongoing efforts to keep "Christ" in Christmas, at least on the retail front. According to the founder of Mississippi-based American Family Association (AFA), it is apparent that at least one retailer -- Walgreen's -- has gotten the message that it is not in their best interest to continue avoiding use of the phrase "Merry Christmas" in its advertising campaigns and in-store promotions. Speaking earlier today (Dec. 1) on American Family Radio, Donald E. Wildmon said an AFA supporter had heard from...

Grace before meals will bring families together this holiday season Kevin Fobbs Every holiday season families confront the age old problem: How do we restore our old traditions to the dinner table especially when it seems, more and more, that dysfunction rears its formidable head instead. Families will see Uncle Peter or Aunt Rita or even cousin Mike just forego the polite pleasantries and just dig right into the turkey, dressing, or candied yams, without even a blink of moral guilt. Well this scene is probably all too familiar and it is why Hollywood in the Heartland Report with Cheryl...

BEVERLY HILLS -- Today, I will let other people talk about politics and economics. I am going to talk about something more important: peace. By total coincidence, my 60th birthday recently fell on Thanksgiving. It is perfectly apt though, because my whole life is about giving thanks, especially for still being alive and hearty at 60, and full of fight. But as I was asked over and over again what really makes me happy in my life now that I am no longer a young hippie, I only had to think for about two seconds. Yes, of course, I am...

Do this, Democrats. Announce you will apply pressure to antireligious zealots throughout the country. You have nothing to lose but a silly and culturally unhelpful reputation as the party that is hostile to religious expression. What you could gain is respect and gratitude. Pick up that Christmas tree, Terry, take it outside and put a star on top, stand next to it, yell Merry Christmas and ring a bell. That's a manipulation of symbols that would actually make sense.

Twas weeks before Christmas, and across this great country, ACLU lawyers were busy, stuffing their pockets with money. Filing law suits everywhere, intended to frighten, those who believe, but no one is bitin’. In the name of tolerance, they attack our foundation, spreading the word, of their own revelation. That Christmas is not, about Christ anymore, our country, not about freedom or liberty, for sure. No longer appropriate, is One Nation Under God, in a country so blessed, now isn’t that odd. As most of America, plans celebration, the ACLU, plots its own form of salvation. Their hope is to...

One of the best things about living in America is if you have a sufficient amount of money, you can buy just about anything on the planet legally. You might have to make some phone calls and wait for a while, but eventually you can purchase anything you want. But as anyone who has ever picked the name of the person who wants ''nothing special,'' in the office gift exchange, or has the child who does NOT want the ''Super Plus Dragon Head Crushing Mega-Poke-Zord-o-Saur'' can tell you, some of the hardest things to find are the simplest Such was...