Hopefully, you are having a happy holiday season.

Technology is changing how I prepare this year.  A major portion of my gift purchases happened online, rather than in-person.  What about you?

I did go to the malls; and what I found was lots of parking spaces and deals that I could easily better with an internet connection.

It will be interesting to see how consumers spent, and which retailers were naughty and nice.

Here are a few of the other things I noticed recently.

The Christmas Lights Economic Indicator?

In past years, my neighborhood was a flashing Wonderland of Christmas lights.  This year, the displays are much more down-to-earth.  Are people feeling less jolly?  My guess is that fewer people chose to pay someone to hang the lights for them.

The Blockbuster Indicator?

When I went to see Avatar, on its opening day at the theater, a quarter of the seats were empty.   Box Office Mojo reports that the opening numbers were respectable, though not phenomenal.  The reviews have been great … so perhaps fewer people chose to pay the $3 per ticket premium to see this movie in 3D because they are more in touch with their budgets and spending limits.