1.   And that it follows the holidays.

2.   Spread out the loot over the weeks that follow the holiday, instead of letting your offspring binge right into a sugar high.

3.   Early trading was thin, however, following a holiday Monday in New York and Europe, where most markets were closed.

4.   If no agreement is reached now, the talks could be delayed until mid-October following Jewish holidays.

5.   If no agreement is reached now, the talks could be delayed until mid-October, following Jewish holidays.

6.   Stock prices closed slightly lower Friday in thin trading ahead of the weekend and following national holidays in Japan and the United States.

7.   That was when a slumping stock market and a season of the economic dismals following the holiday spending sprees gave the nation a set of the jitters.

8.   In Japan, many operators were still on holiday, though Wednesday was officially a business day following holidays on Monday and Tuesday.

9.   Local governments also complied with an order not to issue new employment identification cards for one month following the holiday.