For those trying to unload unwanted holiday gifts, the new Web site LiveDeal.com is an alternative to long lines at the mall.

"LiveDeal is unique because we create a local buy and sell region for each visitor and eliminate the hassle of shipping and the question of trust," Rajesh Navar, founder and chief executive officer of LiveDeal.com, says in a statement.

"Selling your unwanted holiday gifts on Live Deal also eliminates the frustration of providing a store receipt."

Unlike auction sites, this Web site tries to find buyers within a 50-mile radius or less, based on user preferences. Buyers and sellers can interact in person, the buyer can see and touch the item and no shipping is necessary.

WORKING HARD OR HARDLY WORKING

A new survey from discount travel Web site Hotwire.com and Harris Interactive (NASDAQ:HPOL) finds only 22 percent of workers outside the home will work on New Year's Day.

Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed plan to work the early part of the holiday week, but how much work will get done is another question.

Nearly one-third plan to make personal phone calls from work, while 28 percent plan to send personal e-mail from work. Some 23 percent plan to shop during work time, either in person or online and 9 percent will use work time to catch up on thank-you notes.

Only 3 percent of Americans surveyed plan to work every day straight through the holiday period.

GIFT CARDS EXTEND SHOPPING SEASON

The growing popularity of gift cards has resulted in an even longer Christmas shopping season -- meaning ads and promotions will last longer as well.

"The real sharp drop-off after Christmas is not there anymore," says Jason Milch, spokesman at ShopperTrak, a Chicago firm that monitors shopper traffic. "We used to track up to Dec. 26, now we track it up through Jan. 4."

While that may mean more time in the mall, many people like to shop in crowds, the Christian Science Monitor reports.

Even as hunters and gatherers, going to market was a chance to be with people and with the isolating nature of the suburbs, mingling in stores is all the more desirable," according to Paco Underhill, author of the soon to be released "Call of the Mall."

FOOD PANTRIES CHANGING THEIR WAYS

In many cities the bag of groceries often provided by a food pantry is being replaced by premade "takeout" meals or frozen family-size portions, the New York Times (NYSE:NYT) reports.

The growing numbers of working poor turning up at the soup kitchens and pantries, in most cases, are single mothers with children, juggling jobs, commuting and child care who don't have time to cook the food they are given.

Food pantries also are offering extended hours and are increasingly likely to let a mother shop supermarket-style for what goes into the food basket.