TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 23, 2011) - The holiday shopping season is gearing up. Black Friday - the busiest shopping day of the year in the U.S. - is only a couple of days away. A new survey from BMO shows Canadians plan to spend $1,397 on gifts, travel and entertainment over the holidays. Some of that will be spent in the U.S., with nearly 20 per cent of Canadians planning to shop south of the border this year.

With many Canadians working to reduce their overall debt, managing holiday spending will be essential.

Janet Peddigrew, Vice-President with BMO Bank of Montreal in Kitchener-Waterloo, will be featured on theglobeandmail.com for a live Q&A session at noon (ET) today to answer questions and provide tips and advice to help Canadians manage debt levels and keep holiday spending in check.

Ms. Peddigrew has spent more than 25 years with BMO managing various programs and overseeing financial planners and mortgage specialists. Join the discussion by clicking on the link below.

[ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/personal-finance/household-finances/how-to-avoid-a-consumer-holiday-hangover/article2245012 ].

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