TELL US: Is Your Holiday Shopping Done?

Or are you a last-minute gift-getter?

  This year, for the first time, I took advantage of Cyber Monday to get a few gifts knocked off my list. The sales on things I was looking at for family and friends weren't incredible, but the 10 percent off here or free shipping there certainly helped. What also helped me out this year was going as simple as possible when it comes to gift giving. Instead of buying my sister and brother-in-law individual gifts, I proposed that my husband and I get them one gift, and they get us one, with a $30 limit.  We also instigated a Yankee swap with my inlaws this year, so we don't end up with a ton of gifts that we really don't need. So it'll be a pared-down holiday for us. The best part of holiday giving, I think, is watching a loved one's …

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Burlington Mall Opening Very Early on Black Friday

The holiday shopping season will kick-off with a 12:30 a.m. opening.

Simon Malls, which owns the Burlington Mall, is giving dedicated holiday shoppers a chance to get a very early morning jump on their Christmas lists. Many of Simon Malls, including the Burlington Mall, will open at 12:30 a.m on Friday, Nov. 23, or Black Friday, according to Boston.com. Other Simon Malls that will open at 12:30 a.m. include the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, the Liberty Mall in Danvers, the Arsenal Mall in Watertown, the Northshore Mall in Peabody and the Solomon Pond Mall in Marlborough. The Mall at Chestnut Hill and the Copley Place Mall will open at 9 a.m. We want to know. After a day of spending time with family and eating a big Thanksgiving dinner, do you see yourself heading to the mall? Will you take advantage of …

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7 Convenient Last-Minute Gift Ideas

Gift ideas for procrastinating shoppers.

Most of us have been there, you look at the calendar and realize it's Christmas Eve and you still have a friend or loved one or two for whom you need to grab a quick gift. What to do? Buy a quick gas card, candy bar or bottle of anti-freeze at the gas station? No, there are better ideas and Burlington Patch has some of them here. We put out the call on Facebook for last-minute-gift ideas and readers came through. Here are their suggestions, along with a couple of our own, for gifts you can either buy locally or online:

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Crib Notes

Navigating the Toy Aisle This Holiday Season

The holiday season's toy haul can be overwhelming.

I have to admit I’m tempted to tell my friends and family not to buy any more toys for my daughter this Christmas. With so many already, many of which sit neglected in a corner toy chest, I don’t know where we’ll put another holiday haul. Especially since her birthday is in February, so a supplementary haul isn’t too far off either. That’s a lot of toys for one little girl. But I don’t want to be a total killjoy, either to my daughter or the people who love her. So instead, I started thinking about the benefits of getting new toys and what kind would be the best choices for my daughter at her age.  She’s just shy of turning 2, but even if your child is older or younger, these shopping tips can help you too. Why Toys Are Important Yes, it’s…

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Baby Steps

A Head Start on Holiday Shopping

Using technology and proper planning to get shopping out of the way

Perhaps I’m jumping the gun covering the topic of holiday shopping in early November.  But since the winter weather has already hit us with its first punch, I figure it’s time to get a head start on the holiday season too. There are huge advantages to shopping early.  One is avoiding the December chaos and constant crowds at every mall.  After you’ve already finished shopping, driving by a packed parking lot instead of fighting for a spot comes with a certain smug sense of pride.  Starting early also takes the edge off the inevitable budget strain of the season.  Spending money over a number of months is much less painful than dropping it all at once.  And when everyone is still cramming in their shopping the week before Christmas, those …

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