Not 
every tech-themed gift has to be a bank breaker.
If a TV, videogame system or new smartphone are out of your price range this holiday season, there are still plenty of good, stocking-sized items that will make your friends and family just as happy. Not all of them are as flashy as big ticket items, but what they lack in sizzle, they more than make up for in usefulness.
Light 
spectaculars are as much a part of the holiday season as visits to see Santa at the mall. And while many cities have impressive displays, few can rival the sheer scope of the show put on at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Ga.
With 15 different scenes using somewhere between 8 million and 10 million bulbs over five miles, the “Fantasy in Lights” show has been recognized by National Geographic Traveler as one of the 10 best places in the world to see holiday lights.
But putting together an event of that caliber takes a lot of time — and even more work. Here’s a look at how the team of Santa’s Southern Helpers gets the show ready.
The 
best gifts make an impression, but it’s the worst ones that really stick with us.
They’re the presents you talk about at dinner parties, laughing at their awfulness or tackiness. And while they might make good conversation, you never want to be the person who gave one.
While 
there’s an understandable excitement that surrounds the launch of new video game hardware, the real fun usually doesn’t start until a year or so after the systems hit store shelves.
Last year’s launch of the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, if we’re being honest with ourselves, didn’t have an especially stellar lineup of games. But the story’s much different as 2014’s holiday season gets underway—and that’s good news for players.
It’s 
not just overall industry sales that have rebounded in the video game world this year. Spurred on by new consoles, which are selling faster than their predecessors, game developers have ushered in a new wave of creativity as well.
The good news? That means there are plenty of high quality games if you’re looking for the perfect gift. The bad news? Determining what they are can still be tricky. As you gear up for your holiday shopping, here are the titles most likely to be on the wish lists of friends and family.
It’s 
a pretty fair bet that someone on your shopping list is going to want a gadget this year. And while the odds aren’t quite as good, there’s still a better-than-average chance that you’re going to indulge them.
The Consumer Electronics Association predicts tech spending this holiday season will hit $33.76 billion, as consumers seek out the latest and greatest tech toys. Sorting out those hot items from the ones destined to end up in the clearance bin can be tough, though. If you’re looking for a perfect tech gift for a friend or loved one, here are a few can’t-miss suggestions.
In 
the Xbox universe, there’s “Halo” —and there’s everything else. The venerable franchise has sold more than 60 million copies to date and shows no signs of slowing down.
While the Master Chief and his crew cast a big shadow, Microsoft has actually put together a strong catalog of other go-to franchises along the way, including “Gears of War” and “Fable”. In late October, it published its latest effort to build another franchise: “Sunset Overdrive”.
The 
move toward a cashless society won’t occur in one fell swoop. And there won’t be one single factor that brings it about.
There are, however, plenty of alternate payment methods that are nipping at its heels. Some have been around for more than half a century. Others have begun to pop up in the past few years. And a few are just getting their start now. But all of them shift the paradigm a bit.
Here are a few of the most popular cash alternatives, as well as some of the biggest up-and-comers.
Historically 
a company that focused on the film industry, Technicolor is increasingly turning its attention to working directly with the audience.
But over-the-top services? Videogames? Children’s storytelling apps? Those aren’t the sort of thing the Technicolor brand has traditionally been associated with. Nonetheless, company execs say as consumers spend their leisure time with a wider variety of diversions, Technicolor wants to be with them.
Activision’s 
annual release of “Call of Duty” is always a watershed event for the industry.
Since 2007, the series has been the video game industry’s sales leader, raking in billions of dollars for the publisher. But after last year’s “Call of Duty: Ghosts” stumbled, analysts are now wondering if consumer fatigue may finally be descending on the franchise.
Chris Morris: Journalist 