Christmas time means a lot of food and a lot of parties. There will be people having parties at work, at clubs, around the neighborhood, and along with the usual family gatherings. One of the main attractions to a party is the food and drink. Without food, drink and the right Christmas music, some people will show up. Others will just walk in the door, say Merry Christmas and leave. It is human nature.

The easy way to serve food at a party is just sitting it on a table in a tray. A good variety of food on party trays can please a multitude of likes and dislikes. A good party tray will have a variety of fruits, vegetables and meats. Hopefully not all on the same tray.

One of the most successful party trays I have found has been bread with spinach dip. It can be bought at Winco  for $4.95. I can make the same one for just under $3.00. Besides saving money, people are impressed with making some over running out and grabbing some pre-made.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday is over. All the reports show a 14% to 26% plus increase in sales over last year. This is great news for retailers. They are optimistic about having a profitable Christmas season, this year.

All the retailers are running their inventories low so they will not get caught with a large surplus in after Christmas. This will keep us from seeing to big of sales between now and Christmas day. It will also mean some of the more popular items will not be available during that last week before Christmas.

Another thing to keep in mind is we are going into an election year. So the currently officials that are wanting to get re-elected want the economy to look as good as possible. Those opposing them will want the economy to look as bad as possible.

We are less than two months away from Christmas Day. The holiday shopping seasons officially starts in less than three weeks, with Black Friday. Already we are starting to see hints about Christmas shopping, and where the best deals will be at.

Commercials from Wal Mart stating the best deals will only be from them. Kmart has ran some commercials about how we need to use their Lay-A-Way plan as part of our Christmas shopping. Many other stores have already started displaying Christmas decorations.

Websites like TheBlackFriday.com have been posting what items are being sold and for how much. Then retailers like Target are wanting you to create an online account to see their Black Friday deals. Even the online retailers like Amazon.com are offering special deals from Black Friday thru Cyber Monday.

Halloween is still a couple of weeks away. We have over six weeks until Thanksgiving. Why am I writing about Christmas? It is bad enough for store to put out their stuff earlier and earlier each year. The traditionalist don’t want to see any Christmas decoration in stores until the day after Thanksgiving.

I am part of those traditionalist who don’t want to see Christmas ads until after Thanksgiving Day. However, I am planning and maybe some Christmas well before the holiday season. This makes it easier to give what you want when you want it.

I remember some of the best Christmas gifts that our family was given when growing up. We looked forward to those boxes of mixed nuts, canned jams and jellies. They were canned the old fashion way in Mason jar at the end of summer. Breads and cakes were other treats that made the holidays even more special.

As time passed we all got busier. There was less time to make fruit cakes, knitted caps. Christmas gifts went from the homemade artsy crafty to store bought.

Summer vacation is over. The kids are back in school. Over the next few months we are going to have more and more indoor activities. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas make up the three great days holidays remaining in this year. These holiday make a perfect time to record memories with family and friends.

Still picture are okay, but they just give you a fraction of a second of that event. A video camera can capture that fraction of a second plus what led up to the picture and afterwards.

Who knows maybe the video of this Halloween party may be the video of the day on YouTube. You want the video you take that goes viral video look the best. After all the whole world is going to see it. It may even get featured on the Today Show.

To accomplish a great looking viral video, you are going to need something more than just the camcorder feature on your cell phone. You are going to want the picture sharp and clear as you can possibly.

It is December 21st. Christmas is on December 25th. If you are one of those people who wait to the absolute last minute to buy Christmas gifts or do anything. This is your time.

If you do not have set items you are going to buy. If you do not have a specific place where you are going to buy it at, you more than likely was your money and disappoint the recipient of  your gift to be.

If you have been reading The Shopping Nazi for any time you know that loath last minute shopping. Just going to from place to place to see what is available at the last minute leaves so much to chance.

Tell The Shopping Nazi what you want for Christmas. On Monday December 20th he will randomly select one of you who shared with us you Christmas wish list. The winner will receive a $20.00 gift certificate from Wal Mart.

All you have to do to be in the drawing for the $20.00 gift certificate is go to the Wish List Page. Give us you name and email address. In the message section list 3 things you want for Christmas. Then on Monday December 20th, we will select the winner at random. You will be contacted by email so we can mail you your $20.00 gift card from Wal Mart.

On the following Thursday, your Christmas wish list will be highlighted by The Shopping Nazi on the blog and Alternative Talk Radio KKNW Seattle from 5 to 6 pm Pacific Time.

*The winner will be chosen on Monday December 20th at 12pm EST. All entries must be submitted before then. Only one entry per email address.

Go to the Wish List Page now and enter in the drawing!

As you know there was snow across much of the United States, last week. Late one evening when it was snowing a friend left work early to get home before the heavy snows started to hit. His wife left her job only a half hour later. She was not so fortunate. It had already started snowing. The roads were slick and she slid into another car.

She was alright physically. But the damages  to her car was close to $3,000. Their car insurance has a $500  deductible. It has been a rough couple years for then with the recession and medical bills. There was not much money in savings for Christmas since having to put out $500 for the insurance deductible to get their car fixed!

I know for myself there has been Christmas’s that were no so Christmas because of lost of job or unexpected expenses. Christmas plans get thrown out the window. Then there is a scramble to make the best of bad situation.