Yahoo! Answers

Photo by Peter Hilton

It’s down to the wire: there are only a few more days until Christmas.  As Wednesday, December 16^th, the National Retail Federation said the average shopper has just 46.7% of their holiday shopping done.

With so few days left, the holiday panic begins to set in for many as shoppers begin realize there are a few people left their list who they still haven’t purchased (or made) gifts for. Since we know the Answers community is full of brilliant gift givers (and receivers!) we’ve pulled together a list of the toughest people to buy gifts for, and have posted a series of questions for each.

Now, using the collective wisdom of the Answers community, (that’s you!) feel free to stop by each question and share your own expertise, or, pick up a tip or two from a fellow community member. We’ll leave the questions up until Christmas—by then, the lists (and ideas!) will grow.

Feel free to suggest gift ideas for:

• The person who has everything
• Your office mate and/or boss
• Your neighbor
• Your mother-in-law
• Your significant other

Good luck, and happy shopping! Whatever you decide to buy, be sure to come back here and tell us how it worked out!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Photo by istorija

It’s the time of the year when the stores become flooded with shoppers and families begin to gather to start celebrating the holidays. While many of us are lucky to have friends and family near to celebrate with, it’s important to remember that there are many who are less fortunate.

This holiday season, ask yourself how you can not only spread goodness to the ones you love, but throughout your community:

• Can you donate a toy to Toys For Tots or similar local toy drive?
• Do you have a few extra cans of food in your cupboard that you won’t eat? Why not drop them off at a local food bank ?
• Do you have a few extra hours to spare? Try volunteering at a local community center, soup kitchen, children’s center, or hospital.
• Donate blood– 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives. Learn more
• Lend a hand to a local animal shelter (or donate blankets, towels, or pet food)

Sites like “Volunteer Match” are great resources in pairing up volunteers with their interests—and, making them fun.

And, if you want to share your goodness with the world, you can share your “purple acts of kindness” with the world by posting them on http://kindness.yahoo.com –  here, you’ll also find links to the Global Giving project and the DonorsChoose project.

So with all of these resources at your fingertips, what gift do you plan on giving your community this holiday season?

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Photo by uggboy

As Thanksgiving approaches, stores are beginning to gear up for their big holiday sales and “Black Friday”—one of the biggest (if not the biggest) shopping days of the year. With the economy slowly starting to recover from the recession, retailers are hoping for a prosperous shopping season, and shoppers are looking for a great deal.

If you’re not interested in battling the throngs of shoppers that flock to the stores on Black Friday, perhaps waiting for “Cyber Monday” is more your speed. Similar to Black Friday, Cyber Monday refers to the first Monday following Thanksgiving, when many shoppers return to their offices and click online to continue their holiday shopping. Many e-tailers offer free shipping, online discounts, and other deals on this day to lure shoppers to their websites.

With just 22 days until the start of Hanukkah and 36 days ’til Christmas, the holiday shopping season is nearly here. (Looking for a Black Friday Survival Guide? Stop by Shine for a few tips on how to weather the sales!)

Do you typically go shopping on Black Friday? If so, do you make it out for the early sales or do you visit the stores later in the day? Or, do you avoid the stores altogether and wait for Cyber Monday? Tell us your holiday shopping habits by leaving a comment!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!