it can be a modest gift, a gift card. it's free. >> a lot of times people don't use gift cards. a teacher, maybe you're much more likely to use it because you know they're coming in the front door. what, $10? $15? >> $20 is plenty, $25. >> $20 or $25. yeah. something where you can actually buy something. these days, $10 won't get you very much nowadays. >> should you be the class parent that pulls in -- >> you're you aggregating your pottery barn gift cards into one, it's a nice idea. >> if you're going to a holiday party, let's talk about the etiquette of that, sarah. you say no flowers. they're more work for the host and when it comes to coworkers, it can be awkward. >> right. so when you go to a holiday party at a friend's house or whatever, you don't want to bring flowers, they'll have to put them in water and run around. you also maybe don't want to do the bottle of wine. split the difference. go with a potted plant. it's nice and will brighten her day the next day, but she can set it down. and a pot would be really pretty and a nice way to brighten her day. >> that's a rea

people are returning gifts and spending gift cards. but we found out it has to do with more than that. >> reporter: certainly does. you know this parking lot is so full i am at an outer lot looking back into the shopping mall. the traffic has been steady here all day. they talk about a fragile economy and how people are careful about spending, people are actually weight for the after christmas sales to do their shopping. staggering discounts and after christmas sales could only mean this. jammed stores and malls throughout the bay area die hard shoppers wasted no time sleeping in today. >> we slept until like six and then rushed. >> reporter: retail researcher shopper track predicts 60% more people bargin hunting today compared to last year because christmas fell on a sunday and most have today off. stores weren't missing a beat grabbing shoppers by five. >> rushing in -- i love to shop here in northern california is -- i don't need the coffee. >> reporter: at valley fair mall the cash registers were busy. > looking sales and return so

shopperring were looking to return gifts. and hoping to make the most out of gift cards. the driving force behind today's sale surge. the day after christmas and all through the malls discounts galore, just look at them all. 50% off, 60% off. sales everywhere, some up to 75% off. why are so many shoppers here the day after christmas? there's a lot of theories, one they are exchanging. others are spending gift cards. retailers are hoping that these shoppers are actually spending more than they are returning. >> admittedly this mother and daughter came to spend. >> actually spending more money. she's spending her christmas money. >> it's estimated $28 billion in gift cards were sold nationwide. a record. factor in good weather of a three-day weekend the day after christmas is as much about buying as returning. >> spending wisely. >> yes. what do you want. >> clothes, shoes, perfume. >> by the end of this holiday season shoppers will have spent $118 more than last year. >> today you're splurging. >> after yesterday? >> for some the day after christmas shopping is finding tha

what do you do when you get a gift that you don't like? do you ask the person for a gift receipt? >> no. >> they say yes. that is the rudest thing in the world. hey, hey, thank you for the gloves. is there a receipt with these? >> i know. >> that's terrible. incredibly rude. you say thank you and then you give it to somebody else. yes, you give it away. >> i think it's fine. you be gracious, write a thank you note and you know somebody that's going to love them and you give them away. nothing is wasted. >> if you don't want more stuff but cash would help, how do you say that to someone? >> you say, i don't want more stuff but cash would help. >> they said that is something you should do. >> i agree with that. one thing i have trouble with and i had it all along since my kids were born. i can't not believe that's 21 and 18 years ago. i don't want people giving my children stuff. i've always tried to keep stuff at a minimum with my children. there are certain people you just can't stop. >> i think what gets sticky -- >> and they shall remain nameless, eva. eva, stop giving away gift

gift card.com, cardpool.com and cardwoo.com, selling each a $25 walmart gift card.d to wait for the first one to mail us a check. the other provided a convenient instant cash option. but it cost us more than 4 bucks. and unlike the others, cardwoo.com wouldn't give us a bid online. we had it mail in the card then wait for our check about a week later we got 22.50 for a $25 card. there are sites that let you donate cards like donatemycard.com and others. better than letting it go to waste. >> i have a gift card that i probably received last year for my birthday. >> i forgot i had one. >> reporter: forgetting them is a common complaint. but thanks to strict california laws, gift cards don't expire. other regulations you should know, stores can't charge service fees and you're entitled to cash back when of a gift card balance is less than $10. >> they're cool but i prefer cash because you get whatever you want. >> reporter: on the consumerwatch, julie watts cbs 5. >>> those california laws don't apply to all the gift cards you may have received. multiple retailer cards

gifts. if people get a gift they don't like, if it's perfectly new and it's in good shape, donate it. >> the survey said that's what one if knife americans plan to do with a gift they don't want. >> the best gift i ever gave. my dad likes a certain cartoonist in the newspaper. i got one of the old proofs. i think that was the best i've ever done. and the worst -- nobody has told me what the worst is. >> all your presents are great. >> thank you. well, there's nothing like a good christmas song to get you into the holiday spirit. number three "happy christmas: war is over." number two, wonderful christmastime. number one, madonna's version of "santa baby." i can do that one in my head. i've heard "santa baby." >> it turns sexual. so forget it. it's madonna. it's 4:55 right now. time to look at the forecast. yesterday there's a potential that we could break some records in the north bay. we're looking at 70 degree temperatures. do you know if we did that. so we are going from near record highs

where's the gift card?> they don't believe you. >> they don't believe you. >> that's weird. >> keep the gift card as long as you've got something you bought with it. number two -- by the way, we believe in giving the receipt. when you give a gift card to the recipient, give the receipt. keep the receipt in case you lose the card. look what happened. i put it on my desk. the last one is -- >> getting back to that 25% of $97 billion that will never be spent. the retailers love you guys who forget. for heaven's sakes, if you get a gift card, use it as fast as you can for two reasons. you put it away, you're going to forget it or you're going to lose it. >> one quick thing, fred. the federal mandate says most gift cards have to have a minimum life of five years. you don't have to go out next week, but keep it in mind when the dust settles from the holidays. use it or maybe lose it. >> and remember too, there's going to be bigger sales after christmas. >> of course. >> you may want to go right away with that gif

>> do people buy a lot of weird gifts gift? . >> yes. i had a couple say i don't think they will like it but it's fun any weapon. . >> reporter: it was also full of people who just like to shop. getting bargins and enjoying the gift card. >> i buy them for a lot of people. >> unfortunately i work in retail so i don't have a lot of time so i just by gift cards because it's quick. >> reporter: the stores love them because everybody always spends more than what's on the card. especially the ones from the big spenders. >> you wouldn't put a ten dollars in an envelope but a ten dollar gift card and they will be happy, yes. >> not a power shopper, this might be a good day. they have lots of good deals but the people seem more relaxed, like black friday without the caffeine. >> everybody is happy to shop today. it's no mean people. no pressure. >> they aren't frantic to find that great buy. they know -- they are on sale, what's left is what's left. . >> reporter: some shelfs have running thin. they have so few christmas items left the

i love taking the gift wrap off it. it's simple, gift wrap app.for the oops moments you are going to have. come on, you know you are going to have one. it's free. >> barbara, i got this for you. >> all right. okay. i want to see what's in there. >>> when news 4 at 4:00 comes back, what do you do if you have received an awful gift? tips on turning lemons into lemonade. doug is back. tonight on nbc washington nonstop, check out food di-s at 9:00 p.m. we have turkey burgers and a helping of reality stars. then, stay tuned for the scene at 9:30 and hear from a local singer/song writer. singer/song writer. he's making a nam we were so blessed when we had triplets. if by blessed you mean freaked out about money. well, we suddenly noticed that everything was getting more expensive, so we switched to the bargain detergent, but i found myself using three times more than you're supposed to and the clothes still weren't as clean as with tide. so we're back to tide. they're cuter in clean clothes. [ laughs ] thanks, honey. yeah. you suck at folding. [ laughs

most-asked for gift this year was a gift card. second most given was a gift card. so here is important thing you must know. once the card is worth less than $10 you have the right to ask forest in cash. here in the state of california. the store must comply with the request so. spend your card down to $9.99 then ask for the change back in cash and end of the year report has women doing a better job watching their finances than men saying half of the women paid bills ontime versus 39% of san francisco men. and 37% of the women paid down their debts this year as open dwrosd just 28% of san francisco men. and yes when it comes to long-term planning women at least nationwide are missing the boat. >> most women salary professional women about 45% are not currently participating in any kind of retirement plan through employers or by setting up an ira. >> that is a huge number. this financial planner with mairl edge says that the take away for women and men is saving more and look for financial help and guidance. theory is that if you get help, then you'll take it. >> sur

>> more than that. >> gift getting the gift they've been dreaming of.or the kids the hugs are like holiday miracles. in california, 4-year-old stephanie randall was at her dance recital when her dad brett stole the show. >> daddy! >> it wasn't just stephanie who was shocked. mom jennifer had no idea either. the surprise became one of the most popular presents this year. it could take weeks to plan and pull off. even santa couldn't do it better. after months away from home -- the moments are just as special for the men and women in uniform. >> just cloud nine right now. >> more and more ending their overseas service with a surprise. >> daddy! >> there's no other words to describe how amazing this is. >> and in the process bringing holiday magic into all of our lives. nbc news, los angeles. >> how quickly santa becomes insignificant. >> you can watch that 100 times over. those guys have been waiting for a long time. >>> well, a baby managed to get past secret service for an up close and personal visit with the president. >> some kids grow up and want to b

gift cards as donations. swap!websites like plastic jungle and amazon dot com allow you t trade gift cards from one to store...for one from another store you actually shop at. at.so now there's no excuse to leave your gift carr lying around unused.here are the top four reasons people don't use their cards. cards.1. 58 percent- don't have time to shop2. 35 3 percent- couldn't iid anything to buy at the store3. 32 percent forgot about it4. 7 percent lost it! coming up on good day baltimore... need a fresh start after being laid off?the ssx best cities.. to start your life over. ((okay go!)) mix a dog.. a pair of pants... and a set of stairs.you won't want to miss it.you're watching fox 45 mooning news.. all local.. all morning. ((break 8)) 3

and look at some &pof the gifts being ent this .ne of our lucky viiwees is choosing aa pift from underrour tree.we you're watching fox 44 good 3 [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet. spend the holidays saving money. just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-60

the give a gift received along with the gift card. if they lose the car, they can go to the store or arrest card -- or a restaurant with the receipt and get a . >> it is best to use the card as soon as possible to make sure that that the vendor does not go out of business. some vendors may declare bankruptcy. in that case, one of the first things to go is gift cards or gift card value. >> according to the ftc, gift cards cannot expire for at least five years after their purchase date. that goes for all get cards. inactivity fees can only be charged after a car has not been used for at least one year and can only be charged once per month. the expiration date of the card must be clear on the card and nes seceded fees shown on it. >> a different flavor weather today. we do not have the clout for the incessant rain. although the temperatures have changed a little bit. what is left from the storm? some like the fact -- some lake effect. a few clouds in western maryland showing up. there is a little snow on the ground. some of it may be vi

gift cards for $500. i use this with -- i bought these with my american expression, and i bought the gift cards. i like to keep these in my wallet. i have great service, i give my gift card. >> they come in tons of great colors. >> a pack of stationary. >> it is a classy thing too do to bring a hostess a gift. >> it could be a bottle of nail polish. >> thank you. >> you can find more gift ideas at www.sarashirley.com. thank you for joining us. we'll be right back after these messages. >> and we'll have your insta-weather plus forecast. a lot of sun and cooler temperatures. >> welcome back to 11 news saturday morning. thank you for joining us. >> first a check outside with lowell. we'll see the eclips in 45 minutes? >> yes, a partial lunar eclips. it is all abuzz on facebook. a lot of people woke up early to see it. >> i'll show you an eclips. >> what? what did she say? we might have to bleep that out. [laughter] >> a best chance of seeing the eclipse will be 7:15 this morning. that's when a shadow is cast

gifts! gifts. gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts. you wanna know what happens to your gifts?come to me... in your garbage. you see what i'm saying? in your garbage! [ crowd murmurs ] i could hang myself with all the bad christmas neckties i found at the dump. and the avarice. the avarice r ends! "i want golf clubs." "i want diamonds." "i want a pony... so i can ride it twice, get bored and sell it to make glue!" look, i don't wanna make waves. stupid, stupid, stupid! but this whole christmas season[ gasping ] there is, however, one teeny-tiny... christmas tradition... i find... quite meaningful. mistletoe. now, pucker up and kiss it, whoville! [ jeering ] [ shrieks ] [ crowd gasping, shrieking ] [ whirring ] [ yelps ] uh-oh. somebody's fabulous! all right, your turn! go on! that's right. - [ screams ] - [ scoffs, grunts ] yah! [ growls ] let's go! no! excuse me, old-timer. mind if i wet my whistle? well, uh-- [ gulping ] that's my good stuff! [ bottle shatters ] burn, baby! burn! [ gasping ] [ cackling ] oh, wow. oh, the who-manity! - let's go! come on! - no! wait! do somethi

buying gift cards... just got e. easierri-phone sers an now pend out gift cards...ithh the push of a button.when &pyou'reeready to give it to someone... you just seed them a text with the barcode... and thhy can instantly ssart &pttrget or the grocery store...just to be able o pull t out rather than carrying cash or anything else cause it s very secure. kind of where thh future's oing." caation... if buyiiggan o use - thaa you revvew the terms and -3 conddttons... ake sure the giit ccrd account is protected pith a security code... aad is reliaale. that the business - e-books... tablets... and the kindle fire are some of christmas lists this year.on - yeer.now.. one new library in our area is embracing the high techhtrend. trenn.kathleen cairnn joiis us now live from a libbary that'ss more than just a lace for book. 3 3 out of the wiid... and into the big ciiy. city.a blaak bear hitches how it ended up in the ck... poncrettejungle cooing up. up. you're watthing fox 45 good day baltimore. ((bump out)) ((break )) 3 3 3 p-meteorologist emill gracey is live in columbia w

gift they do not like, donate it. >> that is what nearly one in five americans plan to do with a gift they do not want. >> 5:27. 45 degrees on tv hill. a pair of thrill seekers are in trouble with the police for a stunt. of them landed in the hospital. >> a huge fight between two boys basketball team is caught on video. >> a plant is in the works to pull the baltimore grand prix out of debt -- a plan is in the works. >> the temperatures will be dropping down. >> we have one accident in carroll

>> the worst gift?d them. >> right. [ light laughter ] i'm a bit of a cook. >> jimmy: it doesn't even have to be for you. something seth's given anyone. >> not for you. >> not for me. i know what dad's given that's bad. [ light laughter ] >> jimmy: what did he give? >> he gave my mom a pink cowboy hat. [ laughter ] she opened it and was really like, "really, are you serious?" and my dad's very confident. he's like, "it's a good looking hat." >> it's a great hat. >> it's a good looking hat. it's a functional hat. >> jimmy: yeah, a functional hat. >> the worst pink cowboy hat ever given. >> jimmy: how about a fish in a jar. a yarn -- >> oh, but it was such a hit. [ laughter ] it was such a hit. it looked like a doodie in a jar. [ laughter ] but, my mother loved it. >> she didn't love it. dad loved how awful it was. >> jimmy: everyone loved laughing at it. >> yeah, it was, it was -- yeah. >> it's not out. it didn't like -- it doesn't live on. >> no. >> jimmy: all right. so you don't get points for that one

it's a great gift for a new mom.onth you get new things. >> that is a great idea. >> and snacks. >> snacks. if someone loves healthy stuff, lollihop.com, every month you get new snacks that are approved by nutritionists. i think there are gluten-free options in there every month it's something new. >> what is this the fashion section? >> you've got the friend who is the scorekeeper, looks at the box, looks at the label. you can't go to an offsite retailer. >> you need a new friend. >> you don't have to spend full price. you can go to shopittome.com. they have all the products from the retailer. it can come wrapped. shop from there, you still save a lot of money like you were going to an off-price retailer. >> what's happening here? >> munchies. >> you have people you have nothing in common with. you have to get them a gift, but you don't know what they want. >> why are you buying for people you don't know and don't know what they like. >> maybe it's a mother-in-law, a teacher. opensky.com has favorite honeys, favorit

now kitchen gifts. this latte frosts your milk just like a barista. >> it really works. >> cool head phones. my favorite are from a company called urban ears. they snap together like legos. now i'm all about fun at christmas, so let's start with the little babies. star trek feeder. kids will love this big power hand. one more fun item i couldn't resist, prank packs. these are fake gift boxes. you pack a real gift in there, maybe something nice but the recipient thinks you've given them a whole family snuggy. >> after all that if you're trying to figure out what to get your family, friends or coworkers, just check out our holiday guide at abc2 news dot holiday. consider pick up a gift or two for a wild in need. you have until december 22nd to drop off new, unwrapped toys and drop them off at sell brie learn -- celebree learning centers. we're teaming up with the bso orchestra program f you have old instruments, you can drop them off with the toys. let's go over to wyatt. >>> all right. quiet december day

consumer advocates call this a gift. most gift cards don't have an expiration date.the balance is less than $10 the stores have to give you that balance back in cash. this morning shoppers were ready. >> this is like black friday again. you want to get the best first. and nothing more. >> i'm not interested. >> thank you. >> it's too early. stores are hoping you -- if you didn't like that scarf you got yesterday. that you'll drop by the store and exchange. they begin to trickle in a little more briskly i would say as the sunrises. i'm damien trujillo. >> san francisco art groups scrambling to schedule performances to coincide with the upcoming america's cup sailing race. featured crowds leading the waterfront are expected to head downtown for plays, music and dance. the local arts group say the cities overlooked them, failing to fund the arts. a handful of theater and dance groups are raising money and rehearsing if shows to coincide with the race. the america's cup is slated to start in august of 2012. it will run through 2013. >> time to check the forecast with chr

car mere is a lovely gift.selection. that's a great deal for men or women in the market to have sears is having half off their craftsman tool sets. and walmart, they're having big sales on their kids' bikes starting at $50. >> and one thing you said was don't discount the pharmacies and drugstores. >> in addition to organic turkey, you can pick up scarf and earrings, the cute stuff. tomorrow, if you're down to the wire, cvs will be open from 10:00 to 8:00 tomorrow. >> so you can pick up, like, stereo systems and tablets and they have cute toys, gift sets featuring didny's favorite characters like princess and cards. it's something for the entire family until the last minute. >> it's panic buying, but it works. >> they'll never know. >> how here is amy. >>> lester, thank you. if you're heading to a party or a family member's house this weekend and still looking for a last-minute hostess gift, help has arrived. allison is here from thefind.com. i love your first two items because they involve food that i love to

sometimes the best gifts are heart.the let's call it crafting with your kids an make for loved -- ones this holiday season. ou're watching ffx 45 good ((break 7))re. - 3 thh holidayssare here and f money is a little tight ttis year.. we have a few idees for alllof you parents out &pthere.these gifts don't coss much.. but they will be a big hit with the family..e are getting crafty to show yyuuhow to make them. candacee daughter's daycarr.. melt y heart.. pprfect iddas.. look t the examples..let's make the santa... sexual foo 45 newssat 5:30. the -3

i know you don't buy gifts and give gifts at this time of year.o you say to your parishioners about how to stay focused on what this is supposed to be all about? >> sometimes if i want to be very esoteric, i i begin with quoting g.k. chesserton. he has a great quote that says "a religion that defines the world needs a feast that defies winter." you know, christmas is that feast. we say in the darkest time of the year, light comes into the world. so we're waiting for this messiah and who comes? a homeless refugee? i mean this is the kind of god we're talking about. who cannot relate to that kind of god. we say, oh, god is so distant, god doesn't see me. god is not part of my life. a homeless refugee comes and says, i'm going to bring you peace. i'm going to bring you meaning. i mean, that to me is a wonderful story of helping people to connect with their own lives and their own experience. >> but on this christmas morning, is it okay to be spending some time enjoying some of the material goods beneath the tree, or is that a distraction? >> i think

get the jcp gift card. the perfect gift to bring holiday cheer.

but avoid re-gifting gift cards.can lose face value. >>> online shopping skyrocketed this christmas. survey by ibm found online sales spiked 16% from last year. dollar amount of sales from ipads, i-phones and android devices jumped. >>> the waterpowerred boat is taking a global expedition. the banner planet solar is powered entirely by special cells. wings on the front and rear of the boat capture the sun. showers, lightss and bridges are all powered by solar energy. the tour kicks off in cement. it is expected to be back in monaco in may of 2012. >>> bernadette is tracking the rain. we'll see when the sun returns in the forecast. on my journey across america, ...'scuse me... ...or a big steak... ...or big hair... i think we have our answer. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >>> looking outside, we're looking at m&t bank stadium. you can barely see it. >> it seems like the middle of the night. i know the sun is setting earlier, but, wow, that is dark out there. got the he

they can send expired gift cards stolen gift cards fake gift cards with zero store value. with those with established reputation. seek online reviews of the web site where you plan to do your gift card commerce. be mindful there may be fees attached for your transactions know whether the web site acts as a facilitator between consumers or offers more protection. just because you don't plan to use a gift card in the next week or next month doesn't mean you have to unload it. federal law says gift cards are good for at least five years in they have an expiration date at all. >>> google's answer to facebook is called google plus. it has reached 60 million users. that's according to google's plus unofficial statistician. the social networking site really got off to a roaring start hit a 10 million mark in the next couple of weeks but the numbers dwindled. took two months for the site to reach 40 million. >>> 'tis the season to shop for a date online as the count to new year's eve ticks on ward they are turning to online dating sites. they are expecting a 10 to 20% jump in new

who ever received this gift ideas want them to know this was a gift of love. >>reporter: even in death, this man gave the gift of life. and when and this gift brings a whole new meaning to the butler family this holiday season. >>reporter: a man stabbed in vallejo friday has passed away. police said the 22 year-old man was stabbed about 6:20 p.m. friday evening. police discovered the injured man with his car doors open and his car running. after several hours in the operating room the man died, police do not have any suspects in custody at this time. her >>reporter: investigators say the fire that caused more than $8 million in damage was started in a trash chute. r firefighter say this was the biggest home fire there within seven years. now to decision 2012, former house >> newt gingrich will not appear on the virginia primary ballot because he did not submit the 10,000 signatures needed to qualify. the announcement came one day after officials said the texas governor rick perry will not appear on the virginia primary balloting their current former massachuse

bringing those gifts back. we have more where shopping will start in less than a half an hour from now and joins us with more. gil, good morning. >> reporter: hi, frank. good morning, first of all, you're back, frank. happy post holidays to everyone out there. we're outside the kohl's because kohl's is one of the first retail chains to open this morning after christmas at 5:00 and we will show you a list. in just a moment. of all of the major retail operations hours and in fact all of the major retail stores in the country are expected to open today. so hopefully retailers are hoping it is going to be another big day of shopping. and in fact, we could see as much as 60% more shoppers on this day after christmas. compared to the same time last year. and that's probably because christmas fell on a sunday this year. and so many people have the day off today, and many of them have those gift cards in hand. $28billion worth of holiday gift cards are circulating, somewhere in the country. and retail experts warn you,

gift certificates? >> you have the gift cards.ds and such and toys for the kids and dvd player and cvs is selling dvd players and at starbucks, who doesn't like the coffee and the things you can get there. there's still things you can get on christmas day for the folks that need it. >> you saw a woman at starbucks buying 13 50 dollar gift cards? >> she came up after me with 13 gift cards 50 bucks each and even shocked the staff. good last-minute gift card shopping. >> you have tips for us. before you walk out the door, take inventory. >> absolutely. the worst thing we do and a lot of us do, i'm guilty of this too. we go out and forget what we have already bought. did we already buy grandma's present? before you leave just check and see what you've got already before you go. make a list of who needs what before you leave. check that budget. because that last minute pressure really makes us spend more than we need to spend so have a dollar amount in your mind that you're not going to bypass before you go out the door. >> very good a

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$6,000 in christmas gifts. th family says they hope to get them behind bars. >> instead of watching their three young children opening christmas gifts this past weekend, the atkinsons had to file a police report after some burglarized their home. >> what kind of person would take christmas away from someone else's children? i cannot imagine. >> the hodgkinson family left their edgewood street home saturday evening to attend a christmas eve dinner party. when they return, they noticed something was wrong. >> our house had been broken into. the bedroom had been ransacked. all of our children's christmas gifts had been taken from under the tree, except for one. our televisions were gone. the game systems were gone. >> baltimore police told the auction since the christmas burglars may have -- told the family that the christmas berber's may have broken into a basement window to gain access to the home. but come they're hoping to celebrate their first christmas in their new home that they moved into two months ago. >

these gift bags -- i got one gift today that was wrapped and in a gift bag.ow, that's the work of a crazy person, but -- [ laughter ] wrapping gifts is a pain. but the gift bag really is a copout. i spent 20 minutes -- i'm not good at it, but i will wrap something so it is even on all the sides. meanwhile, people drop their gift in a bag, stuff it with colored kleenex and just hand it to me. it isn't fair. you know what, it would be like if you were going to the wedding and the wedding invitation said black tie or sweat pants. i want my presents wrapped, not in sweat pants. this is pretty funny. someone here found this on youtube today. this is an update on the holiday classic song "santa claus is coming to town," tourt courtesy of a slightly twisted 2-year-old girl. ♪ you better watch out ♪ you better watch out ♪ santa claus is about to kill you ♪ [ laughter ] >> jimmy: maybe she knows something. maybe she's one of those angel-faced devil kids from the movies. barbara walters named her ten most fascinating people of the year last night here on abc. the list

other shoppers are looking to cash those gift cards or return the gifts that just weren't right. >>>ublican presidential candidates kick their campaigns into high gear for eight days before the iowa caucuses. romney and perry will launch bus tours. gingrich tries to rebound after not collecting enough signatures to appear on the virginia ballot. he lives in virginia. >>> it's been a busy year for the royal family in britain. they are more popular now than other generations thanks to william and kate. there was a medical emergency. >> the family patriarch, the queen's husband is in the hospital. stephanie gosk has the latest from london. >> reporter: every christmas they come to catch a glimpse of the royal family. this year, the crowd broke a record, 3,000 people. [ applause ] >> reporter: the day was not all festive. the royal entranlg was minus one. the quen's husband, prince phillip is still in the hospital for a clogged artery. he was air lifted to the emergency room friday night after suffering chest pains. the family, including all the grandchildren paid him a visit. prince cha

you want to pick those gift cards carefully. >> sure, a gift card may seem like the perfect present. >> if it's a store i go to, then yes. >> i waste them. i lose them. >> they get forgotten. >> consumer reports says it's important to think twice before giving a gift card. >> gift cards are better than they used to be. new regulations have eliminated some fees so you can't be charged if you don't use it in the first year and cards can't expire for five years. >> with new protections in place, there are drawbacks. >> merchant and bank issued gift cards. so if you have a reloadable card or one that is not marketed as a gift card, you're going to want to pay close attention to those terms. >> bank issued cards are convenient. you can use them almost anywhere, but they come with fees. this visa gift card from u.s. bank cost $395 3.95 if you get it from a branch. after a year, you'll get an inactivity fee. >> we found one that has a transaction fee and it charged another 3% to transfer the funds. >> if you still want to give a gift card, retail store cards usually have little or no fees.

exceptionally violent christmas crime after a family finished opening their gift. warrior night, who is already playing catch hutch? good evening, i'm mary anglo. the tragedy came a priceless gift celebrated on this christmas day. >> reporter: a distraught mother at a memorial, lost her son on thursday. shot and killed in oakland at 45th and west street as he drove home from the store, his car set on fire. police haven't released a motive for the shooting, but family say it was over something petty. >> breaks my heart and he was just the best thing ever. >> reporter: at a memorial service today in richmond, they played an interview with butler as he was graduating from the academy to be a marine. it was a reminder from the pastor. >> today, even though charles is not with us, he's giving life to somebody today. >> reporter: butler was an organ donor. his kidney was given in san francisco today. daniel murphy, we spoke with his wife today on the phone. >> it's really great. >> reporter: got word that butler's organs also into other people today. heart, lung, pancrea

we are givingg aaay gifts rom under oor tree.rkkille..e chose a gift (all green boxxtree to unwrap..- box) skylanders spyro's addenture collect reallworld interaatioo directly into thh amm using a "pootal of power".courtesy: $69.99 our second winnerris virgiiia unwrap.((ed/green box)ee to - box) tte great american tea party &pgammthe board game ppovides a politics.. the ggvernment.. pnd constiiutionthe goal of the game is to capture the president of the united states. coortesy: the greet american tea paaty gameavaalable at: gaae dot comvalue: $$7.95and if you didn't win this time-- don't wooryywe're giving away countdown to christmas. 3 3 yyuure watchiig fox 45 good day baltimore. [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to

i would ask for gift cards. give me a gift card.at i want. a record day for exchanges and refunds. kind of crazy out there. everyone stay calm. >> our facebook question of the day. are you headed back to the stores today? i think i am. i think i am. >> really? good luck with all that -- i'll be on my couch. >>> well, now to politics and to all the taxpayer money rick perry is spending while campaigning for president. the texas public safety department spent more than $1 million on out-of-state security expenses since september. that's a texas taxpayer expense. "the texas tribune" revealed all the money was spent on airfare, baggage fees, food, fuel, lodging. >>> president obama is on vacation in hawaii this week. after exchanging gifts and singing some christmas carols yesterday. the first family attended services at a nearby marine base. the president returned to visit with service members and the families. he has no public events on his schedule this week. just some downtime for the first family. >>> britain's prince phillip is re

so they're not looking for people to spend the gift card.hey want to get people in the stores spending not only the gift card but then so. so it's not any sort of scam where retailers are hoping people won't spend the money. >> use your gift cards. estimates are that consumers leave up to $5 billion on unused gift cards every year. >> a new survey shows smartphones and tablets are becoming a bigger part of the we we shop for he holidays. here's huh the devices help bargain hunters and hurting retailers. >> along with the hustle and bustle, something else has become part of the holiday landscape, your phone. >> more people are doing mobile shopping online for sure. >> the tech bargains surveyed users and found out more than half bought something using their phone, and those with tablets, three-quarters have bought something with those. the bigger screen makes it easier. >> if you're trying to purchase interesting on a regular web site on your mobile phone, it's nearly impossible. >> some people e-mail links to their computer, but they're chan

you suggest gifts of aid. i like these. >> these are gifts for others. give them in the name of somebody. primarily, for the united states, it's through the red cross. they are the first people to come in for a disaster. you can give $25 for a vaccination. that would vaccinate 25 people. comfort kit for soldiers or $50 for an emergency kit for those in need. there's an international aid for healthy delivery. $10 for water cans or $18 for three mosquito nets. think of those for people you would like to give in honor of. >> are chickens a popular gift this year? >> they are for families overseas. you can donate a flock of chickens to supply enough food for a family, lambs, llamas. >> how about healthy gifts for the planet. >> give things like a composting bucket or a crock that sits on your kitchen counter. put the scraps in it and compost it. reusable water bottles, healthier for the person as well as for the landfill. thermal lunch bags are along those same lines so you don't put the sty row foam in one place. co-ops into a gardening group where you get

what should consumers keep in mind when using the gift cards you get? what are gift card rules?lps us with this one. there are new rules. listen up. money on any retail bank gift card will not expire for at least five years after the card was purchased. inactivity fees can't be charged for at least a year, then only once per month. as a reminder, they say treat your gift card like cash. if it gets lost or stolen, report it to the issuers. some companies will replace your gift cards. that's good to know. if you have questions to submit, send it to askliz@nbcwashington.com. search liz crenshaw and on facebook. coming up at 5:00 tonight, what are the rules when it comes to traveling by air, if you want to bring gifts or wrapped packages. where does the money go when the airlines sticks you on the tarmac and they pay the fine. what happens to the national christmas tree after the holidays. >> do tell. >> we'll do that at 5:00. >> thanks, liz. barbara? >> coming up, new world's shortest woman is crowned. for the first time, the world's oldst man script of the ten commandments is on d