Holidays

• 5 major trends set to shape travel in 2026 - Travel in 2026 is expected to emphasize less-traveled destinations, decision-free planning, wellness retreats, nostalgia trips & AI‑powered hotel stays.
• Holiday retail spending rose 4.2% this season, driven by e-commerce and electronics: Visa report - U.S. holiday retail spending rose 4.2% as consumers spent more on tech and apparel, with online sales jumping 7.8%, Visa data shows, despite higher prices.
• Why the chocolate in your holiday candy could be ‘fake’ this year - Unpredictable cocoa markets have prompted some candy makers to rethink how they're sourcing chocolate.
• How Black Friday became a retail letdown: 'To sustain the ride, they started to dilute it' - Black Friday used to be the biggest in-person shopping event of the year, but for six straight years, online sales have outpaced stores.