1 . 2021 Holiday Shopping Guide

Many Americans say they are reading more, according to a survey from market research firm Statista. Amazon’s “Find a Gift” section makes shopping there even easier, but independent booksellers are working hard to keep up, offering sidewalk pickup and sometimes even free shipping, and they’re known for offering booklovers personalized, thoughtful recommendations. Find a store near you at indiebound.org.

Bikes were one of the hottest items of the past year, thanks in part to closed gyms around the country. In fact, for months, specialty shops were sold out of all but the priciest specialty rides, so if a two-wheeler tops your wish list, start shopping soon, before supplies come short again. If you’re not particularly handy, look to buy from a locally owned shop, where you can get a bike that’s already fixed together rather than a box full of parts.

Also in short supply this year: hand weights, kettlebells, and other popular workout items. They may still be hard to find or crazy expensive, so consider other health helpers such as exercise bands or jump ropes or shopping at less-obvious suppliers, such as T. J. Maxx, supermarkets, or even Home Depot, where we found such items in a variety of bright colors.

It’s always a good time to learn something new. You can get a virtual seat in a class with a top professional in a variety of fields, such as ballet with famous dancer Misty Copeland, fiction writing with children's novelist R. L. Stine, or scientific thinking with Neil deGrasse Tyson. Find them and other pros at masterclass.com, which charges $180 per series.

From her home in Dubai, Erica Shaw logs onto GoNabit.com, one of the     1    (new) group-buying websites in the Gulf region. “Well, first thing in the morning, I usually do check and see    2    I have any emails or texts from the night before, just     3    (see) what the deal of the day is.”

The mother of three is just one of the many people in the region     4    (take) advantage of online group-buying that’s all the rage(时尚). It’s not only a way of saving money,     5    also introducing you to a lot of the new facilities that     6    (offer)here in Dubai. Group-buying is a     7    (recent) developed shopping strategy originating in China. Several people connect over the Internet. The group then agrees to purchase    8    item or a service and benefit by paying less. The business benefits by selling multiple items     9    once. Similar group-buying sites have popped up in Europe and America. Even though these websites     10    (be) up and running for a few years, here in the Middle East it’s a fairly new phenomenon.

6 . The Best Eco-Friendly Gifts

This pack of seven teusable bags are plastic free and made from 100 percent biodegradable cotton. The set includes one cotton net bag, three produce bags, and three food bag. Double stitching and durable seams mean these bags are built to last, and they’re machine washable for easy cleaning.

Wood Bookmarks with Tassels (Price; $ 25)

Website: Etsy. com

Teachers often like to hand out small gifts to students at the end of the year, and this set of wooden bookmarks is a sustainable, affordable way to let students know you care. (Plus, they’re a great reminder to read over holiday breaks!) The bookmarks come with colorful tassels as well, making it easy to mark your place while reading.

Personalized Notebook (Price: $ 13)

Website: Journal. com

This customizable journal is a great gift to jot down notes, used as a daily thought journal, or as a place to keep travel memories or even grocery lists. The cover is made from eco-friendly heavy cotton paper. The pages are recycled cartridge paper that’s perfect for fountain pens and ink as well as other media.

Greener Bamboo Cutting Board (Price: $ 90)

Website: Amazon. com

This bamboo cutting board is naturally bacteria resistant and made from 100 percent Moso bamboo that’s grown in organic soil. One side of the board has a deep juice-catching groove that’s perfect for capturing juices as you cut. After cutting, simply flip the board to the other side for a beautiful presentation large enough for veggie arrangements, watermelon, and more.

8 . Just wanting a hamburger, Hembert Figueroa was surprised to learn the dollar bills in his pocket were no good at Dos Toros Taqueria in Manhanttan.

Figueroa, an ironworker, had to stand to the side, holding his hamburger, until a cashier helped him find another customer willing to pay for his meal with a card in exchange for cash. “I had money but I couldn’t pay,” he said.

Cash-free stores are causing a backlash among some activists who say the practice looks down upon people like Figueroa, who either lack bank accounts or rely on cash for many transactions(交易).

Supporters for banning cashless stores worry technology is moving too fast for the 6.5% of American households—8.4 million—that do not have a bank account.

Business owners who go cashless say they are following the lead of majority of customers who are abandoning cash payments. Retailers(零售商)are under pressure to satisfy customers with higher expectations for fast and convenient service, driven by companies like Amazon and Uber.

Leo Kremer, co-worker of Dos Toros, said the amount of cash transactions at his stores fell from about 50% a decade ago to 15% last year. Cash transactions made handling cash especially troublesome. Before going cashless, Dos Toros locations were robbed twice.

Financial experts who work with low-income people caution against making assumptions about the shopping preferences or buying power of those who rely on cash. Justine Zinkin, CEO of Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners, said the greater urgency in the digital time is finding ways to better include low-income people in the banking system, such as urging banks to offer no-fee starter accounts and encouraging banks to open branches in underserved areas.