holidays

Layaway plans making a comeback for holiday shopping season

Nostalgic shoppers are more likely to find something in stores this holiday season that hasn't been widely available for a long time -- layaway programs. Driven by the credit crunch and sagging economy, Toys R... more »

Signs building that holiday retailing will be brighter

Washington — From Intel Corp. to TJX Cos., the outlook for the U.S. retail holiday season is becoming more optimistic.Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, cited stronger consumer demand in projecting that its sales in the... more »

Holiday-season retail jobs expected to be flat

Washington — Competition for holiday retail jobs could be fierce this year, according to several recent surveys, as stores cautiously hire in the face of flatlining sales and budget-conscious customers.Stores typically begin bringing on temporary... more »

Downtown holiday shoppers get the gift of time

If the looming presence of the AutoChalk hybrid and the ticking clock of the two-hour parking limit have kept you from doing Christmas shopping in downtown Fredericksburg, there's hope.Fredericksburg's City Council voted on Tuesday night... more »

Holiday Hiring Blitz Begins

With unemployment at an all time high, the holidays may bring some good news. Many retailers say they still plan to hire for the holiday season.Christmas is two months away, but this time of year... more »

Stores plan old-style holiday

New York — Stores are turning back the clock, conjuring images of hearth and home as they stock their holiday merchandise. Retailers hope embracing holiday traditions from cozier times will tempt recession-weary consumers to open... more »

Many have fewer openings, but work is available

All you want for Christmas is a job? That's a real possibility in the Louisville area — at least for temporary work, as employers such as UPS and department stores begin looking for holiday workers.But... more »

Autumn sales are scary good for some Central New York businesses

Syracuse, NY -- The first signs of Halloween — the candy, the costumes, the pumpkins — used to emerge in early fall, sandwiched safely between the back-to-school season and the Christmas rush. During the last... more »