Monday Morning Quarterbacking 2010 Holiday Sales

The holiday shopping season has been, by most accounts, a smashing success for retailers and consumers. That we're shopping again, and doing it smartly with cash more often then credit, signals both the lifting recession and some significant changes in how and where we spend.

The year isn't officially over, but preliminary sales results for the 2010 holiday season are all positive. Online, in-stores, on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the Saturday before Christmas all rang up strong sales compared to the past two years. Not even a huge blizzard will make a big impact on holiday sales, even if it does dampen post Christmas shopping on the East Coast.

Evidence suggests we're paying with cash more, even during the holidays. Strike up a big win for consumers and personal finance writers who advocate staying away from credit cards. It's great to see consumers spending only what they have on hand and paying down debt.