It is Christmas Eve. The sales will soon be over.

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ, but behind it is a even more deeper truth.

It is time to bring family and friends close. Help those in need, and forgive those who we think have wronged us.  It is time to remember what is at the root of the Christmas.

We need to love those around us the way we want God to love us.

When it is all said and done, how we treat those around us reflects our relation with God, with the force, with the natural order of life, or as some would like to call it celestial harmony.

Next week I will have a couple posts on identity theft, and computer security.

For now, may you have a safe and Happy and Merry Christmas.

Happy Holidays

Yesterday, before I left the office, I had received an email that informed me that Kyle X was the individual who I was to be their secret Santa. Our gifts were to be under $10. The organizer suggested that a gift from the local 99 cent store would be appropriate. If we really like the person, maybe a regift something that we had received in Christmas past, that we really did not want.

This year I was determined to make more out of Christmas than just, pulling some old gift out of my gift box and wrap it. I hate giving gifts, that when people open them they have this fake smile and say Thank You.

Before heading out to look for that perfect Secret Santa gift, I decided to look at the origin of Secret Santa. I figured by looking into the history, maybe I could better understand my role.

It is a week before Christmas and shopping is in full swing. Gifts are brought home and wrapped. In a week friends and family will be franticly opening those carefully wrapped gifts.

It is estimated that 20% to 30% of all Christmas gifts will be returned for one reason or the other. The most common reason for returns are; “It does not fit” or “It does not work”.

The first step, everyone needs to do, when getting home, with those gifts, is take the receipts and file it. I have only heard of one or two stores that will take merchandise back without a receipt. So Save That Receipt!

Ten days to go until Christmas. Today, I thought it would be good to look at what is considered  the Top Ten Hottest Christmas gifts for 2009.

Now mind you I have arranged them in a rather unique way. They are arranged in reverse emotional/cost order. You see what cost the most in dollars and cents may have the least emotional value.

For today’s recon, my first stop was to look at what Festivals.iloveindia.com lists as the top ten. Then I jumped over to Yahoo Answers to look at what they said was the Top Ten Christmas gifts for 2009. I would be amiss if I did not look at Amazon.com for what they call the Top Ten Christmas Gifts. Then I found a list of Cool Stuff that is not really all that expensive.

A friend came to me in a panic. His family has just decided they wanted a Nintendo Wii for Christmas. He said, “I know that you are The Shopping Nazi. I need you to find the best price and deal for the Nintendo Wii.”

I told him that I would, but I would use any results from my recon as a post on The Shopping Nazi blog. He agreed and I went to work.

My first stop was the Nintendo website. It was there I learned the basic unit retails for $199.99. The Wii can be used as a portal to viewing content from the internet. I was impressed with all the family friendly games that is offered for the Wii.

Then I went to the local Hastings store. The salesperson was very friendly. He told me about what came with the basic console for $199.99. Hastings offered special discounts on other Wii games and accessories with the purchase of the console.