news-record.com

Christmas trees, sparkling lights, evergreen wreaths and jaunty red bows all help get us into the holiday spirit.

It's the prices of holiday decorations that can lead to a heavy grumble of "Bah! Humbug!"

But one of the city's thrift landmarks has been stowing away bits of Christmas cheer all year.

The Salvation Army Family Store, at 307 W. Lee St., stockpiles Christmas-themed donations throughout the year and starts putting out their stash a few weeks before Thanksgiving, said store manager Kenneth Brown.

"We probably have 30 boxes full of Christmas decorations, yard decorations and trees," he said. "There's some very nice stuff."

During the summer months, up to half of the charity's warehouse is full of holiday decorations, Brown said.

"It astounds me how much Christmas stuff people give away. It's expensive, and they give it away."

At the Salvation Army Family Store, others' donations ultimately allow some of the city's neediest to enjoy a holiday.

Frugalistas probably can't beat the store's price if it has what you're looking for - and you don't mind used stuff. Christmas trees run from $10 to around $50, depending on size and quality, Brown said. Other merchandise is priced at about 75 percent off regular retail.

Sometimes it's worth a browse just to see the randomness that makes its way to the thrift store, like the collection of plastic baby Jesuses that have been donated, sans manger, Mary, Joseph or the rest of the Nativity crew.

The store is an extension of the Salvation Army's ministry, Brown said. "We share Christ with those who come off the street," he said.

Now when Brown says, "If you're looking to find Jesus, you can come and find him here," he means it in more ways than one.

Carefully watch your statements, receipts

After abstaining for most of the year, I haul out my Christmas music playlists with glee as the holidays get into full swing. When I saw Amazon.com was offering a five-song holiday download sampler for free, my interest was piqued.

Music? Legal and free? Count me in.

With a few quick clicks, Bing Crosby was piping through my computer speakers, with four more songs waiting in the queue.

All was swell - until a few days later when Amazon.com sent me an e-mail alerting me that $4.95 had been charged to my card.

A charge for free music? That didn't jive too well with me.

My first call to customer service netted me an e-mail promising follow-up but no resolution.

A few days later, I got back in touch with the company asking for an explanation or a refund. Soon afterwards, they e-mailed to say the charge was a mistake and reversed it.

Problem solved, but there is a moral to this story: Savvy shopping requires diligence on the consumer's part too.

So here's a friendly reminder as holiday shopping gets into full swing: Double check the charges on your debit and credit card statements to make sure everything is legitimate.

Savvy Shoppers unite on the Web! Twitter with me at twitter.com/savvyshopper, network with me on Facebook or come talk shopping on the Bargain Blog.

Do you have a retail news or shopping tips for Savvy Shopper? Contact Lanita Withers at 373-7071 or email lanita.withers@news-record.com.