What We Already Know About the Holiday Season

Itâ??s still only September, and there are many unknowns about the end-of-the-year holiday shopping period. We donâ??t know exactly how aggressive retailers will be in terms of starting price wars with the competition, for instance, nor what the chances are of a surprise â??itâ? toy emerging as a must-have gift for legions of American children. Still, even at this early date, it doesnâ??t take a crystal ball to see the way much of the season ahead will play out.