Merry Christmas Eve to All!
Just a few interesting links on Christmas Eve:
What’s closed, open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
Supermarkets: Open on Christmas Eve; closed Christmas Day.
Municipal, state, federal offices: Christmas Eve: Boston City Hall open; Cambridge City Hall closed; inquire directly to other municipalities; full day at state offices; half day at federal offices.
Stock market: Closes at 1 p.m. on Christmas Eve; closed Christmas Day.
Banks: Most close early on Christmas Eve; closed Christmas Day.
Convenience stores: Most open both days.
Taverns, bars: Most open on Christmas Eve; most closed Christmas Day.
Christmas Eve Shopping Hours at Target, Sears, Walmart, Toys R Us
Last minute shoppers will appreciate the fact that Walmart, Toys R Us Target and even Sears are keeping their stores open late on Christmas Eve. As Christmas shoppers find the best deals at the last minute they will be able to shop until as late as 8:00pm at some retail stores. These stores hope that they will see a spike in sales tonight to help with what is a rather sluggish holiday shopping season.
Are Banks Open on Christmas Eve? Many Banks and Lenders Closing Early
If you do not get to your bank before it closes there are a few options when it comes to getting some quick cash for Christmas gifts. The easiest way to get money is through a bad credit payday lender but you will want to think twice before doing this. These companies can charge fees that are quite excessive and you will be expected to pay them back with your next paycheck. There are also bad credit lenders out there who will qualify you for a personal loan instantly.
NORAD Santa Tracker 2009: Santa Has Begun Delivering Presents
NORAD’s 2009 Santa Tracker will be keeping track of Santa Claus delivering presents around the globe. NORAD’s 2009 Santa tracking began on Christmas Eve,at 5 a.m. EST. This is the time NORAD indicates Santa embarks on his gift-giving mission.
NORAD’s 2009 Santa Tracker consists of a world map, with a Santa icon that moves as Santa does. Gift boxes indicate where jolly St. Nick is expected to stop. The packages will be lit up with a glow, wherever
NORAD Santa Tracker 2009: Santa Has Begun Delivering Presents
Date: December 31, 1969
Santa stops. This allows you to follow a highlighted trail of Santa’s global journey.
Christmas quotes, riddles, and jokes for 2009
It’s Christmas Eve and by now, everybody should be well in the Christmas spirit. And as it is Christmas Eve, we have brought you a few witty one-liners, Christmas jokes and some funny famous quotes, to entertain you and your guests over the holidays.
One of the jokes that I found quite amusing on huliq.com, was a joke from Bernard Manning that reads: “I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.” I must admit, that did make me chuckle.
Mortgage Rates, Christmas Gift Ideas and More
Mortgage rates have jumped greatly over the last few days right before Christmas. Here are a few articles on rates, Christmas presents and a few other things:
Is the Tax Credit for Home Purchases Harming New Home Sales?
The Associated Press is reporting that sales of new homes slid dramatically in November by 11 percent. The chief economist for the Association of Home Builders, David Crowe, referred to the 11 percent decline as “awful.” He also made a powerful and somewhat counter-intuitive assertion — that the government extension of the tax credit for home purchase is actually harming sales.
Home Mortgage Loan Rates – January Mortgage Rates Above 5%
Home mortgage loan rates have moved up very quickly. We are currently seeing the 30 year fixed rate mortgage around 5% while just a few weeks ago it was hitting an all time low of 4.5%. This strong move higher leads many people to believe that mortgage interest rates are likely to be above 5% when January rolls around; this is not good news for those that were expected to see a “Refi Boom.”
Mortgage-Bond Yields Jump to 4-Month High, Boosting Loan Rates
Yields on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage securities climbed to the highest in four months, signaling interest rates on new home loans may extend a rebound from record lows this month and blunt a housing recovery. Yields on Washington-based Fannie Mae’s current-coupon 30- year fixed-rate mortgage bonds climbed 0.10 percentage point to 4.51 percent as of 4:58 p.m. in New York, the highest since Aug. 21, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Are you looking for the perfect last minute gift for your son, daughter, mother, father or even grandma or grandpa? Well, chances are that someone in your family could benefit from a prepaid cell phone with no contract. Prepaid cell phones are a unique gift that can used in both emergency situations and for leisure. Have you ever thought about what your loved ones would do if they encountered an emergency situation and had no way to call for help. Thankfully, prepaid cell phones such as the one from Straight Talk wireless can put your mind at ease.
Nexus One Google Phone Unlocked – At&t Edge Network But 3G On T-Mobile
If you want the Nexus One Google Phone, you are not alone. The current word on the smartphone street is the Nexus One features. Tnkgrl was able to try one of the Google phones out and found it to be impressive, and a smidge bit lacking in a few details. First, it’s fast. Second, it’s unlocked. Third, no multi-touch support in the browser or on Google Maps. The first two are awesome, yet the third is a bit troubling.
Home Loan Modification Articles Before Christmas
Home loan modification is a hot topic in the housing industry and here are a few good articles I found:
Bank of America Loan Modification Program Says Ineligible Borrowers Causing Low Numbers
There have been number complaints in the news, in reports, and even on our site here at rwbpress.com that all stems from difficulties in dealing with Bank of America and the home loan mortgage modification program. Homeowners are mostly citing that there is a vast amount of ineptitude on Bank of America’s representative’s part and many homeowners are saying they are spending hours on the phone only to be told no one really knows anything about their particular modification or they can’t help.
Bank Of America Defends Performance In Loan-Modification Program
Bank of America Corp. (BAC) is seeking to put its performance in the Obama administration’s loan-modification program in context, saying that it is grappling with a much larger pool of ineligible borrowers than its rivals. While the bank leads all participating mortgage servicers in the number of loan modifications offered to borrowers under the program, it trails other major mortgage servicers in the share of eligible borrowers that has received a trial modification.
Fine print in mortgage modification forms contain booby trap
Signer beware! Turns out the forms homeowners fill out to apply for lower monthly mortgage payments for three months while waiting for more permanent relief contain a potentially lethal booby trap courtesy of the U.S. Treasury Department.
Home Loan Modification – Citigroup to Stop Foreclosures Over Christmas
The home loan modification process is something that is a designed to help homeowners stay in their home and avoid foreclosure. With foreclosure rates so high at the present time Citigroup has decided to suspend foreclosures for the rest of December and the beginning of January. You will not be getting a foreclosure notice over this holiday season so you can enjoy your Christmas.
Loan Modification: Save your home from Foreclosure with Obama’s Stimulus Plan
Around 250,000 homeowners has already availed help to protect their home through a loan modification using the Obamas stimulus program. Do you meet the requirements for a loan workout with your existing lender? If you can’t get eligible for a refinance, be desperate to keep your home and are looking for a way out, a loan workout could be the best alternative for you. The Treasury Department has owed around $75 billion to assist homeowners identical to you to offer help and loan modification programs.