Freshman Aaron Alpan is the kid who is always making a racket outside. A few days a week, like clockwork, he’s on the street riding up and down his ramp, attempting tricks and flips of all sorts. While it’s a nuisance to his neighbors, it’s a passion to him, albeit a noisy one: skateboarding.

When thinking of the holidays, we usually think of festivities, happiness and relaxation. However, many businesses interpret this time of the year as an opportunity to rake in cash. In fact, many companies plan around the holidays, employing various tactics to convince you to cough up your money. To...