Despite the pressures of rising oil and gas prices, consumers are planning to spend 4% more this holiday season than last year. Adults anticipate devoting $681 to purchases this holiday, up from $655 in 2004, with the biggest share devoted to apparel, according to the results of a survey of 2,116 people conducted on Sept. 12 – 19 by the NPD Group. Regarding the timing of holiday shopping, 41% of the surveyed said they would be finished by early December and 45% said they’d begin be...