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Holiday Shopping 2012

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Shopping for the 2012 Holiday Season

An early Thanksgiving this year means more shopping time.

Have you seen the holiday decorations starting to appear all around Anne Arundel County? Retailers are already getting out the Christmas trees, Hanukkah menorahs and Kwanzaa candleholders, prepping for the longest holiday shopping season possible. For decades, now, Black Friday has heralded the "start" to the month-long holiday shopping season. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November since 1941 when Congress passed a law. This year, it falls on Nov. 22: There are a whopping 32 days of shopping, assuming you are not the type who buys gifts of lottery tickets and beef jerky from the convenience store on the way to your Christmas celebration. In that case, you have 32 days during which to procrastinate. According to the …

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Layaway Makes a Comeback for 2012 Holiday Season

Try layaway plans at one or more of these retailers in Anne Arundel County.

In this economy, some shoppers are fretting over being able to afford that special toy, bauble or other item that they know will bring a smile to their children, spouse, friend or family member. Consider layaway as a way to spread payments out over time, and be able to check things off those holiday lists. Popular during the Great Depression in the 1930s, layaway fell out of fashion in the 1980s as credit card usage became widespread. Many companies are once again offering the service, which allows customers to make installment payments on an item, sometimes with a small fee added to the item’s price for the company’s administrative costs. In Anne Arundel County, try one of these retailers’ 2012 holiday layaway programs (see stores to …

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