Seasonal

New York City -- The retail sector continues to edge tentatively toward recovery, buoyed by a strong start to the holiday shopping season, but several obstacles stand in the way of sustained progress in 2012, according to Jones Lang LaSalle’s North America Year-end Retail Outlook.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that Eddie Matney, Reinaldo Alfonso and Michael Vlasich have joined the company's Simply Delicious Chef Brigade, a team of all-star restaurant chefs who creatively use one ingredient in multiple dishes as inspiration for everyday cooking.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General announced that it is giving $100,000 to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Foundation to support its efforts to provide toys to underprivileged children.

"Dollar General is proud to support Toys for Tots this holiday season," said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General's chairman and CEO. "Our stores are happy to be a part of Toys for Tots' mission of bringing joy and excitement to children who might not otherwise have a gift to open on Christmas."

MINNEAPOLIS — Target may have a chance to bounce back from its anemic 1.8% November comps increase during a period that included strong Black Friday performances for most retailers, with its "Almost Last Minute Sale," a new savings event that will offer discounts on items from the most popular gift categories including home, apparel and accessories, toys, and electronics. The three-day sale will take place Dec. 8 through Dec. 10 in stores and at Target.com.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club announced that it is teaming up with The Salvation Army and Off the Field professional football players' wives association for the fifth annual Dream Drive for the Salvation Army. Twenty pre-selected families from the Salvation Army Adopt-A-Family program in 10 different cities will receive $1,000 worth of gifts, including food, clothes, personal items and toys from Sam's Club. As part of the Dream Drive campaign, Off the Field representatives will be shopping at their local Sam's Clubs on Dec. 8 to purchase items for these families.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer is taking up the latest retail trend to offer home delivery of fresh-cut Christmas trees.

The company began shipping fresh-cut Fraser fir Christmas trees on Thanksgiving Day, and sales have exceeded expectations within the first few days, announced Liwanag Ojala, VP e-commerce for the Grand Rapids, Mich. -based retailer.

Reston, Va. -- Retail e-commerce spending for the first 32 days of the November – December 2011 holiday season totaled $18.7 billion, a 15% increase versus the corresponding days last year, according to comScore.

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Shoppers who were out in full force on Black Friday may not walk retail aisles again until just before Christmas — when retailers are expected to heavily discount merchandise — according to the latest America's Research Group/UBS "Christmas Forecast."