How are consumers and retailers preparing for holiday gift-giving during a global pandemic? According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), consumers have demonstrated their resilience and adaptability throughout these extraordinary times, says NRF CEO Matthew Shay. “Looking ahead to the holiday season, retailers will ensure that their stores are safe for both customers and employees as we all prepare to celebrate family and friends during this special time of the year. Purchasing gifts for friends and loved ones is a way for consumers to shift focus from the uncertainty and stress of the pandemic to celebrating the holidays and the promise of our return to a better tomorrow.” $997.79 | Average…

October 30, 2020 6 min read Hudson Hale is, by his own account, young and “really healthy.” But when he contracted Covid-19 in early September, it still took a toll. “I lost my taste for about a week and a half,” the 17-year-old Portland, Oregon high schooler and COVID Candies creator recounts during a Zoom call. Behind him, Hale’s laboratory-like basement workspace is bedecked with design sketches, a framed New Yorker cover and copious notes scribbled in neon green on a translucent dry-erase board. “And I was super nauseous throughout, and I had kind of a mild headache, always kind of in the back of my head.”  He wasn’t alone in the Hale…