Holiday SHOPPING SPREE Register Now For Your Chance To Win! The Grand Prize winner will receive a $250 gift card, 2nd place winner will receive a $150 gift card & 3rd place winner will receive a $100 gift card. The gift certificates will be to participating advertisers. Visit any participating advertiser to register for your chance to win. Carter Framing and Art Kirkpatrick’s Pharmacy The Busy Bea Palmore Decorating US Gunworx Keep it Clean Name:
Molly’s Bicycle Shop Rainbow Parable Christian Store Massage Envy Expressions Jewelry El Arriero Voltage Vapin’ Phone:
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The winner will be chosen randomly on Monday November 30, 2015. Must be 18 years or older to be elegible. Employees of The Progress-Index are not eligible to win. Mailed entries received after Monday November 30, 2015 will not be eligible. 2 Holiday Gift Catalag | November 1, 2015
Gifts
to promote physical activity
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aking New Year’s resolutions is a popular tradition once the holiday season has come and gone. Such resolutions often serve as catalysts for something positive, whether it’s saving more money in the year ahead or spending more time with family. Resolving to lose weight is one of the more popular resolutions men and women make each year. But you don’t need to wait until the calendar turns to January to start helping a loved one achieve his or her goal of losing weight in the new year. If a friend or family member has expressed a desire to slim down in the new year, the following items can make great holiday gifts that help your loved ones get a head start on their weight loss goals. Yoga mat and DVD: Yoga has grown increasingly popular in recent years. According to a survey from the National
Institutes of Health, nearly 10 percent of adults in the United States participated in yoga in 2012, up from 5 percent in 2002. Yoga is a great way to relieve stress and get in shape, and it can help men and women feel more flexible. That increased flexibility can help men and women looking to lose weight, making a yoga mat and DVD an ideal holiday gift. Such gifts are even better for men and women who may feel intimidated by exercising after a long layoff, as they can dust off the cobwebs from the comforts of their own homes. Offer to come over and show them some basic moves and help them in their first few sessions if you’re already familiar with yoga. Swimming lessons: Many people learn to swim as children, but a refresher course can help loved ones who have not dipped their toes in any water in recent years. Such lessons also may ignite (or reignite) a passion for swimming, which is a wonderful
exercise that can promote weight loss and cardiovascular health while helping men and women develop toned muscles. Find a local swim club or gym that offers lessons, and go along for the first few lessons to help calm any nerves your loved one might have. Healthy cookbook: Effective, long-term weight loss requires both diet and exercise. A cookbook full of healthy recipes can prove an invaluable resource for men and women who recognize the role healthy foods play in losing weight and keeping the weight off. Many adults cite a lack of time as the primary reason they eat unhealthy foods, so look for a cookbook that offers healthy recipes that can be cooked up quick. Fitness tracker: Fitness trackers come in many shapes and sizes, but many allow users to count their steps and track the distances they travel in a typical day. More advanced models may even help men and women track the amount of calories they’ve
A yoga mat and instructional DVD make great holiday gifts for loved ones who want to get a head start on their New Year’s fitness goals. consumed, both on a daily basis and over time. Such devices can prove motivational to men and women looking to lose weight, providing detailed daily information they can use to track and see their progress. Holiday gifts that aim to help men and women looking to lose weight can pay dividends long after the holiday season has come and gone.
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Gifts no food fanatic should go without ood plays a big role come the holiday season, when friends and family tend to gather around the dinner table to share good meals and catch up on the year’s happenings. But while food plays an integral role at holiday gatherings, food also makes a great gift for that friend or family member on your holiday list who loves to savor a good meal no matter the time of year. Thanks in part to celebrity chefs and television shows that teach viewers how to make gourmet meals at home, it’s now easier than ever before for food lovers to expand their culinary horizons. Gifting such food fanatics can be fun and may even inspire a love of unique cuisine in holiday shoppers, especially those who consider the following gift ideas.
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Cooking kit: Ingredients and other essential elements of good meals were once taken for granted. But more and more foodies are now creating their own foods from scratch. Bacon fans may fall in love with a kit that helps them cure and smoke their own bacon, while those who love fresh, homemade bread may appreciate a bread-making kit that includes flour, a pan, some recipes, and other items necessary to make the perfect homemade loaf of bread. Cooking kit options are vast so find a food your loved one can’t go without and purchase the appropriate kit. Gardening tools: While the holiday season might not seem like the ideal time to buy your favorite foodie some gardening tools, such items make the perfect gift for your loved one who wants to grow his or her own fruits and vegetables. Locally grown produce has 4 Holiday Gift Catalag | November 1, 2015
become increasingly popular among foodies focused on eco-conscious cooking practices, and it does not get much more local than home cooks’ own backyards. Cutlery set: Though it’s easy to overlook, cutlery goes a long way toward making home cooks’ jobs easier. The right cutlery set, which may include one or two chef’s knives, a vegetable knife, a santoku knife, a bread knife, and other knives home cooks will appreciate, can make preparing a meal easier and more efficient than cooking without a set. High-end cutlery sets can cost several hundred dollars, but shoppers on more limited budgets can still find quality cutlery sets for less money. Food getaway: Many foodies love to travel so they can experience cuisines popular overseas or in different regions of the country. Men and women whose spouses love food can plan a foodthemed getaway weekend to a locale that specializes in a type of food their significant others enjoy or have always wanted to try. For example, men and women who love lobster may enjoy a trip to Maine’s annual Lobster Festival, while those who can’t get enough barbecue may appreciate a trip to one of the country’s more notable barbecue spots, such as Memphis, Kansas City, North Carolina or Texas. Food-themed gifts make the perfect holiday present for food fanatics, and shoppers have an endless array of options to satisfy their favorite foodies’ appetites.
How to
he holiday season can be both exciting and expensive. The excitement stems from chances to see family and friends, while the expenses often stem from holiday shopping for those very same loved ones. Many shoppers run into financial trouble come the holiday season, when the temptation to overspend on holiday gifts can be tough to resist. But the following are a handful of ways shoppers can stretch their budgets and avoid going broke this holiday season.
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Agree to spending limits. Come the holiday season, many people overspend on gifts for their immediate family members. Before shopping season begins, speak with members of your immediate family to discuss spending limits on gifts, agreeing that you each won’t spend more than an agreed upon amount of dollars on gifts for any one person. Come to a consensus on a reasonable limit and urge family members not to exceed that limit no matter what. Determine how much you can spend. Many people find themselves overextended financially come the holiday season because they never bother to sit down before the season begins to determine how much they can afford to spend. Set some time
approach your holiday spending aside before your first holiday shopping excursion to examine your finances. Such an examination should give you a ballpark figure of how much you can spend. Keep a tally of all of your purchases with you whenever you go shopping, updating the list with each new purchase you make. Tracking spending can help you stay within your budget. Go shopping with a plan. Visiting the mall or a town shopping center without any idea of what you’re looking for is a recipe for overspending. Put some thought and research into your holiday shopping so you aren’t spending time wandering around and buying on impulse, which can increase your chance of overspending. The more thought you put into your shopping, the more you can comparison shop and find the best price for each gift. Start early. If your holiday shopping list is long or if you know money will be tight come the holiday season, begin your holiday shopping early. Doing so allows you to stretch your spending out over several months as opposed to several weeks. Shopping early also gives you more time to comparison shop and find the best price. Resist the temptation to put it all on plastic. Credit and debit cards are more convenient than cash, especially now
that you can buy everything from cups of coffee to big-ticket items with the swipe of a card. But cash can be your friend when holiday shopping, especially if you have a history of overspending during the holiday season. Leave cards at home when holiday shopping, spending only the cash you have in your pocket. While this may be a less convenient way to shop than you’ve grown accustomed to, it will save you the grief of large credit card bills come January. Holiday shopping can easily get out of hand. But shoppers who commit to spending only what they can afford before their first shopping trip can make it through the season with their finances intact.
Savvy shoppers can take steps to avoid overspending this holiday season.
Did you know? The 2014 holiday shopping season was the best for retail sales since 2011. According to the National Retail Federation, total holiday retail sales in November and December of 2014 reached $616.1 billion, a 4 percent increase from the previous year. Non-store holiday sales, which indicate e-commerce and online sales, increased by nearly 7 percent to just below $102 billion. The increase in spending did not appear to be limited to any particular area, as technology company First Data reported all 50 states experienced positive sales growth during the 2014 holiday shopping period. While spending trends benefited retailers in the United States, such was not the case in Canada, where Statistics Canada reported a 2 percent drop in sales in December, despite a small increase of 0.4 percent just a month prior. Spending on clothing and accessories, two sectors that often benefit come the holiday season, showed a nearly 6 percent drop for the holiday season.
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What to get the movie buff in your life
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any movie buffs can instantly rattle off extensive lists of their favorite films, sharing information such as when the movies were released, who directed them and, of course, who played the leads. Holiday shoppers on the hunt for the perfect gift for the film buffs in their lives might be a little intimidated by their loved ones’ encyclopedic knowledge of movies. Such knowledge can make it difficult to find gifts that friends or family members will truly appreciate, but the following are a handful of ideas to consider gifting to the movie lover in your life. Box set: Box sets make great gifts for film fans, whether those fans prefer a particular genre of film or appreciate the work of a certain director. Fans of horror movies may appreciate the “Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection,” a comprehensive collection of classic horror films that includes the likes of “The Indestructible Man,” starring Lon Chaney, Sr., and “Night of the Living Dead,” starring Judith O’Dea. Fans of director Quentin Tarantino may enjoy the “Tarantino XX 8-Film Collection,” which includes some of the director’s most beloved films, including “Reservoir Dogs” and “Pulp Fiction.” If you can’t find a box set to your loved one’s liking, consider making your own by buying several individual DVD’s and wrapping them together. Streaming membership: Streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime are growing more popular by the day, and film fans would no doubt appreciate having instant access to the hundreds of films available to subscribers of these services. A 12-month
subscription to Netflix or Amazon Prime, which offers additional benefits when shopping on Amazon.com, won’t break shoppers’ budgets but will provide lots of bang for their gift-giving buck. Gift certificate: Gift certificates to the movie theater are another great gift for the old school film fan who still prefers seeing all the new releases in the theater. Movie tickets can stretch film fans’ budgets, especially for those film lovers who need to see every big-budget blockbuster or Oscar® candidate in the theater. A gift certificate may be just what your favorite film fan wants to see in his or her stocking this holiday season. Sound system: For those holiday shoppers working with big budgets, a sound system that enhances the experience of watching movies at home might be just the thing to light up your favorite film fan’s smile this season. Surround sound systems give movie watchers at home an experience similar to that enjoyed by moviegoers in the theater. Such systems can vary considerably with regard to price, with smaller systems costing far less than larger, more advanced systems that can cost several thousand dollars. If you think a sound system is all your loved one needs to make the most of his or her movie watching experience, speak to him or her before buying the system, footing the full bill if you can or offering to contribute a certain amount of dollars toward the sound system of his or her dreams. Film fans can be fun to shop for come the holiday season, and shoppers have a host of options at their disposal to make their favorite film buffs happy.
Did you know? Many people begin their holiday shopping around the end of summer, when retailers first begin to roll out new clothing lines and mark down existing items to make way for new inventory. Beginning holiday shopping near the end of summer or the beginning of fall may seem a little early, but early shoppers often find that starting earlier affords them more time to find the right gifts at the right prices. Early shoppers can comparison shop without the specter of the fast-approaching holiday hanging over their heads, and comparison shopping helps consumers feel more confident that they are getting the best deals possible. Starting early with regard to holiday shopping also allows shoppers avoid the financial crunch that shoppers who wait until the holiday season begins often feel. Spreading out spending over several months as opposed to the handful of weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a great way for shoppers to avoid buying too many gifts on credit, which can make for a penny-pinching start to the new year when bills come due in early- to mid-January.
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The benefits
to buying local this holiday season oliday shopping dominates many people’s free time between the day after Thanksgiving and the final days before Christmas. While many people may shop ‘til they drop on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, those days still account for a relatively small amount of the hundreds of billions of dollars that are spent each holiday season. Shoppers now have a bevy of options at their disposal as they embark on holiday shopping season. Traditional in-store retailers are still around, and online shopping continues to grow in popularity with each holiday season. But many holiday shoppers are looking to buy local this holiday season, and such a decision can pay a host of dividends for both shoppers and the communities they call home. Buying local benefits your local economy. Studies from Civic Economics, an economics and strategics planning firm, found that independent, locally-owned retailers return a far greater percentage of their revenue into their local economies than national chain stores. One such study examined the disparity between revenue recirculation among independent, locally-owned businesses in Raleigh, North Carolina, versus four major national chains in the city. The former recirculated 51.1 percent of revenue into the local economy, while the latter recirculated less than 14 percent. Similar results were discovered in many cities, indicating that buying local not only benefits local business owners, but also the communities those owners and their customers call home. Buying local creates jobs in your community. One of the biggest ways local business owners in Raleigh recirculated their revenue in the local
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Shopping local this holiday season can benefit your community in various ways. 8 Holiday Gift Catalag | November 1, 2015
economy was job creation. While national chains also create jobs, such jobs only benefit your community if the chains are located within your community. If your local mall is a considerable drive away, chances are the chains within that mall are not employing many of your fellow community members. Local businesses in your community are more likely to employ residents of your town. Shopping local may provide access to more unique gifts. In addition to the economic benefits of buying local, shoppers may find merchandise made by local craftsmen is more unique than mass-produced items found on the shelves of national retailers. Recipients may cherish more unique items that they cannot find on their own, and that appreciation may even spur them to visit more local retailers after the holiday season has come and gone, benefiting their own communities in so doing. Local business may provide a more personal touch. Buying from national chains has its advantages, but customer service is not always one of them. Should your loved ones encounter problems with their gift that requires assistance, they might be forced to wait on the phone for extended periods of time as they and thousands of others wait for customer service representatives to answer their calls. Local businesses do not deal with nearly the volume of customers as national retailers and, therefore, are capable of addressing concerns more quickly and personally than large chains. Buying local not only benefits small business owners, but it also pays dividends for their customers and the communities they call home.
Cost -saving Make a child’s first holiday special
measures when gifting a large family
Thoughtful gifts can make this first holiday season one of joy for new children in the family.
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baby’s life is filled with milestones. First smiles, first steps and first words are just a few of the moments parents will treasure. A baby’s first holiday season is another special time to cherish. Shoppers seeking gifts to make a baby’s first holiday special have many clever, cute and functional items to choose from. Several of these gifts can become keepsakes to be tucked into memory boxes for growing kids to look at later in life. Christmas pajamas: What better way to await for the arrival of Christmas than in a pair of snuggly pajamas? Send pajamas ahead of Christmas Day so that new parents will have plenty of adorable photo opportunities as their baby boy or girl tears open the gifts. Stores stock several different fun and festive prints, or look into pajamas that can be personalized. Photo print package: Photography packages can involve the entire expanding family and will catalog special moments in time. Purchase studio or onlocation time with a private photographer, or use one of the popular photography chains found in malls and department
stores. Personalized framed print: Commemorate the first holiday season with your child by getting a print made with his or her name and age. Leave a space on the print so that the child’s parents can customize it even further with their son or daughter’s footprints. Include a matted frame and child-safe ink or paint to complete the gift. Keepsake ornament: Some families embrace the tradition of adding a new ornament to their Christmas trees each year. Purchase an ornament for the new baby with the year so he or she can join in the tradition. Crochet or knit blanket: Crafty individuals can make a blanket that the newest addition to the family can enjoy during the chilly days of winter. These blankets often become treasured keepsakes that may be passed down throughout the family or kept tucked away for kids so they can give them to their own children once they start their own families. Rocking horse: Babies don’t wait long before they start to run around and climb. A classic rocking horse makes for a fun baby gift, and rocking horses come in many different styles. If you are the family carpenter, you can even purchase some unfinished wood from a craft store and then make this into a homemade gift your favorite little guy or gal will always cherish. Piggy bank: Foster good saving habits by gifting a personalized piggy bank. Get kids off on the right foot by depositing a few dollars into the bank before giving the gift. A new baby brings many changes and fun experiences. Gift-givers can make a baby’s first holiday season one filled with joy and whimsy with creative gift ideas.
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xchanging gifts with loved ones is one of the joys of the holiday season. But it can be challenging to reign in holiday spending when your shopping list is especially lengthy. Fortunately, there are many ways for holiday shoppers to cut costs this season. Create a limited gift exchange. Speak with other family members who also may be feeling the pinch of holiday spending to establish a gift exchange system. Rather than purchasing a gift for everyone in the family, split the list accordingly. Maybe everyone will only be expected to purchase gifts for the children, instead of buying for kids and adults. Propose that you only exchange gifts with immediate family members and not your extended family, such as your cousins, aunts and uncles. Develop a system that works for everyone so no one feels like they need to break the bank this holiday season. Host a holiday grab bag. Grab bags are great ways to exchange gifts without going broke. In a traditional grab bag, everyone brings a gift that does not exceed a predetermined value and puts it in the bag. Each family member then
pulls a gift out of the bag. Allow everyone the option to swap with one another if one gift is more fitting for a particular person. Set a price limit. Decide in advance that gifts should not exceed a certain price. This way if you are budgeting for the holidays you will have a better understanding of what you can expect to spend if every gift should be around $30. Pool your resources. Rather than giving many little gifts, pool your resources with some relatives and give a single bigticket gift. Each person can contribute the same amount, or family members can contribute as much as they can afford. Give an experience. Sometimes the gift of an experience, such as tickets to a sporting event or a night at the theater, can make a thoughtful and impressive gift. Again, other family members can contribute, and collectively you can enjoy a night on the town or another adventure. Having a large family can be expensive come the holiday season. However, there are ways to curtail your spending without taking any joy out of the holidays.
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Gift ideas
Books and other literary-themed gifts can be ideal for avid readers.
for avid readers
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ift giving is made easier when shoppers are in tune with their loved ones’ interests. Knowing a friend’s or relative’s likes and dislikes can provide a starting point as you begin your holiday shopping. Reading is one interest or hobby that has never gone out of style. People who enjoy reading tend to devour book after book and are always eager for the next installment from their favorite authors. Books and other reading materials can make perfect gifts for anyone with a love for literature.
First edition texts Collectors very often are interested in the first edition or first printing of classic books. Publishers may offer only a limited number of books in a first edition or first printing, and such editions tend to be rare. A first edition of a favorite book can make a cherished gift. These books often can be identified by a unique numbering system or even by the words “first edition” or “first printing” on the copyright page. Work with a reputable bookshop or dealer to find expensive and rare prints.
Digital reading device Some book purists stand by their decisions to only read paper copies
of their favorite books, feeling there’s something special or more enjoyable about holding a hardcover or paperback in one’s hands and making progress through paper pages. Others are enamored with the convenience and portability of having an entire library saved on a digital device. E-readers come in different sizes and offerings from various manufacturers. The Kindle® from Amazon and Nook® from Barnes & Noble are two of the more popular standalone reading tablets. E-reader apps also are available through Apple and Amazon to work on various mobile devices. A tablet can be a welcome gift, especially for a reader who appreciates on-demand reading material.
Protective case Help readers protect their tablets with protective cases. These run the gamut from the utilitarian to the decorative. Some tablet cases are designed to look like books themselves, with a soft interior cushion for the e-reader and a hard shell to keep it safe.
Book accessories Readers need their own collections of accessories that cater to their love of the written word. Look for clocks made out of literary volumes, lamps that look like a
Did you know? What would Christmas gift-giving be without a tree under which to place the presents? Tree shoppers have plenty of variety to choose from when selecting that ideal tree. Approximately 21,000 Christmas tree farms exist in the United States, and these farms sell between 30 and 35 million real trees each year. Those who prefer artificial trees can shop for everything from trees that appear to be natural to pastel-hued boughs. The first printed reference to a Christmas tree was made in 1531 in Germany. Since then, Christmas trees have grown in popularity through the centuries.
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stacked book collection or framed photos of favorite book covers. Some publishers offer printed works reissued in decorative covers to make the books an eyecatching addition to any home’s décor. Someone who lends out favorite works may like a personalized library embosser, which will imprint a book page with the name of the person loaning out his or her collection of books.
Book tote Whether they are carrying books back to the library or traveling with an e-reader in tow, avid readers might appreciate a functional tote bag. Order pre-printed literary tote bags or customize a tote based on the tastes of the gift’s recipient. It even can feature photographs or the jacket of a favorite book. When gifting readers, there are many ideas that can make welcome presents.
Protect
your purchases during the holidays
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oliday shoppers spend billions of dollars during the holiday rush. Although the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day make up a season marked by giving and sharing joy with others, criminals are well aware that the holiday season can be a prime time to rip off consumers. Shoppers need to remain extra diligent to safeguard against theft and other not-sojolly crimes.
At the store
Remain safe when shopping this holiday season.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times while at the mall or other stores. Packages, wallets or purses should never be left unattended. Take notice if anyone is standing too close to you, asking them to respect your personal space if necessary. Try to reduce distractions while you do
your holiday shopping. This may mean leaving the kids at home so you can focus better on the task at hand or letting incoming calls go to voicemail while you shop. Make frequent trips to the car so that you can free yourself of cumbersome packages. Being laden down with bags or boxes can make you an easy target for a thief.
In the parking lot Parking lots are notoriously crowded during the holiday season, so you may not be able to get an ideal spot. However, make every attempt to park near the entrance of the store or at least in a well-lit area of the lot. It gets dark early during the holiday season, and you want to feel safe bringing packages to your car. Store all items out of view, such as in the trunk. If you have an SUV, invest in a cargo bed cover that covers packages. If ever you do not feel comfortable walking to your vehicle alone, shop with a friend or ask a security guard to accompany you to your vehicle.
Purchasing power Paying cash for purchases can alleviate debt come the new year, but credit cards also have their advantages. Credit card companies do not hold cardholders accountable for unauthorized purchases made with a stolen card. This peace of mind can make it safer for shoppers to use credit cards over cash or debit cards when making their holiday purchases. If shopping takes you online, restrict buying to well-established businesses whose reputations can be verified. Make sure that purchases are made through a secure website or server to reduce your risk of falling victim to hackers.
Buddy system Packages left outside of empty homes can be ripe for the picking by thieves. Establish an agreement with neighbors that you will take in each other’s packages so they aren’t left unattended on front porches or in doorways. The holiday season should be a joyous time, but shoppers should still exercise a certain level of caution when buying gifts for their loved ones.
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