Deep-pocketed romantics who want to give a partridge in a pear tree and the other whimsical gifts from “The 12 Days of Christmas” may be in luck this year.

Deep-pocketed romantics who want to give a partridge in a pear tree and the other whimsical gifts from “The 12 Days of Christmas” may be in luck this year.

Frequent travelers may be having a harder time redeeming airline loyalty points for first-class seats, but apparently more are trading miles for holiday gifts.

It’s tricky to find the line between the celebration of ancient rituals and the immoderate American need for stuff.

The discounts that drove shoppers to stores were so steep that many ailing chains may be no better off in the long run.

The discounts that drove shoppers to stores were so steep that many ailing chains may be no better off in the long run.

In tough economic times, many families look for a way to reframe the season.

The contributors to The New York Times’s Gadgetwise blog have banded together to offer consumers this preholiday shopping briefing.

Parents, especially mothers, are putting off personal spending to buy their children the latest toys.

At a time when so many people have so much less than they did just a few months ago, there ought to be a way to lessen the gift-giving pressure.