Holiday

If shopping is something like a sport to you, then you're probably already gearing up for after-Christmas sales. It's one of the more notable shopping events of the year, and you can expect stores to almost universally offer discounts. But how do the sales stack up to other major shopping holidays? And what should you expect this year? The editors over at dealnews have combed through their archives to offer a few predictions on what you'll likely see this December 26.

The other major shopping event of the fall and winter season is, of course, Black Friday weekend. Thus, dealnews compared last year's after-Christmas deals to this year's Black Friday offerings, and found that the post-Christmas sales of 2010 were notably less exceptional, in terms of top offers.

Last year, 35% of the deals posted on December 26 were Editors' Choice. That percentage is slightly less than what they saw on Black Friday this year (which came in at 39% Editors' Choice), and post-Christmas sales 2010 were way under Thanksgiving 2011, which clocked in at a whopping 48% Editors' Choice). This suggests that the overall caliber of deals is lacking. However, the New York Times argues that sale items on December 26 are generally in greater supply than they are during Black Friday weekend.Read more

Talking on a cell phone while driving is dangerous. But a mid-transit chat pales in comparison to the distraction of driving with one (or two!) children wailing in the backseat. Nothing increases adrenaline and quick recall of four-letter words quite like crying kids.

As parents, we can mentally cope with crying kids to and from the grocery store. But long-distance trips need more finesse. Careful preparation and a few necessities can prevent a few glitches and keep your travel going smoothly. As you prepare for holiday travels, make the most of your trip with these handy gadgets.

1. Snack Container
A signature trademark of a kid-friendly car is a Hansel and Gretel-worthy crumb collection on every surface. If you can overlook this completely annoying parenthood perk, I applaud you; otherwise invest in some creative cups. Munchkin offers an ingenious design with handles and no spill rubber top--two for under $7. Sporting a similar design but with an attachable rope (and additional solid top) is the Spill-Proof Snack Buddy Cup from One Step Ahead. Read more

No wonder the U.S. Post Office is having trouble -- FedEx is stealing all their thunder.

The global-shipping behemoth said recently they expect Dec. 12 will be the busiest day in company history, as more than 17 million packages make their way through the system. That's just a small portion of the 250 million shipments they anticipate handling between Thanksgiving and Christmas, for a total increase of 12 percent from 2010.

FedEx's good fortune may have something to do with consumers' increasing trust of e-retailers as more individuals turn to the Internet for their shopping needs, according to a recent article by Marketing Pilgrim. And, with holiday free shipping deals being announced by such stores as Sears, Kmart and Best Buy, shoppers have even more incentive to buy online. But that's just one interesting shopping trend popping up this holiday season. Here are 11 more for your consideration.

1. Less Time Spent Per Site
The same IBM Coremetrics study featured in the Marketing Pilgrim article found consumers aren't willing to dig deeper into a site unless they see the info they need on the homepage. In fact, many shoppers won't go any further if they don't see an ad with a free shipping offer. Read more

The holidays give us a chance to hear some of our favorite old familiar songs, and this year, in the spirit of all things tech, I've taken a stab at a few classics, in the hopes that throngs of joyous carolers will herd around, outside big-box stores, and in the glens and doorways of towns everywhere, to sing the tech-version of holiday standbys. Enjoy.

3D TV
To the Tune of O Tannenbaum or O Christmas Tree

3D TV, 3D TV,
How lovely are your glasses.
They show us A-vatar so blue
Where giant Smurfs - make dreams come true
3D TV, 3D TV,
How lovely are your glasses.

3D TV, 3D TV,
When will we have - more content.
Monsters and A-lice, we adore,
But still it leaves us wanting more.
3D TV, 3D TV,
When will we have - more content.Read more