College students have money to spend, and stores are going all out - they have wandered into a gold mine.

Garfield is beloved by millions, and we're thrilled that we're able to offer his products to our customers. Everyone loves Garfield and everyone loves our fruit bouquets - it's the perfect combination.

If you really want it, you better buy it when you see it. Last year, most consumers procrastinated. This year, retailers will try to get people in early with great deals and deep discounts.

If you look at the retailers that went all out on Friday, many of them opened at 5 a.m. You did not see a lot of malls doing that.

Small retailers don't have that kind of a luxury. That said, smaller retailers usually have a better pulse on their stores.

It's a misconception to think that businesses don't start hiring until November. Most want seasonal employees hired and trained by the end of October.

There's been a lot of speculation as to how consumers will react to higher gas prices, ... I think consumers really took us by surprise.

There's no secret that stores reach out to their customers when they're looking for seasonal help, because they like the discounts.

There's no question that gas prices will play a factor, but I don't think that the fallout will be as concerning as many analysts have feared, ... The holidays are something that consumers . . . plan ahead for. They tend not to be swayed by short-term economic circumstances.

Consumers want to celebrate, no matter what else is going on in the world.