A few tips for shopping, gift-giving

It's that time of year, when you might be thinking of venturing out to the markets of commerce. Here are some tips for savvy mall shoppers:

Weekday mornings are best to avoid the usual mall aggravations. Delay is deadly: Shop now, because irritations mount as Christmas closes in.

• Get a big envelope and use it to save every receipt.

• Before you buy, utter these words: "What's the return policy?"

• Buying on sale? Make sure it's returnable.

• Be persistent. Ask for a supervisor if you're not satisfied.

• Enclose a gift receipt with the present.

Q: We have several nieces/nephews who live out of town, and I have no idea what to get them for Christmas when they visit us over the holidays. We've done the "list" thing, but that whole idea bothers me. I want to get something a bit special, but I am at a loss because we don't see them that often. What is a nice, somewhat generic gift?

A: I love an arts/crafts box. Stroll through Michaels, and you'll find loads of age-appropriate projects and craft kits. But steer clear of too many parts and too much messy glue, sparkles that get ground into the carpet and similar goop. And don't pick gifts that will require adult help. That defeats the purpose.

Even a deck of cards with a quick lesson on how to play War (if they don't already know) can keep them occupied for hours.

Q: When I open a gift in front of the giver that turns out to be just awful, I find myself speechless or, at best, struggling to offer thanks. Any advice?

A: Anna Post, great-great-granddaughter of etiquette grande dame Emily Post (emilypost.com), recommends against lying. "That's the most beautiful (fill-in-the-blank) I've ever seen" can sound horribly insincere. Instead, "If it's a mustard yellow sweater and you hate the color but it's soft, you could say something about the softness," Post suggests. And, she says, there's the always appropriate "Thank you for thinking of me!"

A: Anything that establishes goodwill with the folks who live near you is a genius long-term investment. They're the ones you'll be apologizing to when your kid wakes them up playing basketball in the driveway at 6 a.m. or your dog takes a liking to their yard.