Festive holiday decorations are brightening city streets and every store window. Shopping malls are cluttered with busy people and holiday merchandise.
Seasonal music is abundant.
Everyone is in the Holiday spirit. It is the season of giving. And fortunately, it appears that people will be giving only a little bit more this year for a traditional Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, set near a Christmas tree and floral decorations. The main course of turkey, beef or pork will be higher than inflation, but most of the fixings will keep pace with inflation. The overall price of food this year is up 4 percent from one year ago, about 1 percent higher then the general inflation rate.