Looking for new camera recommendations ...

I am looking to buy a new camera for Christmas and would love any opinions or experiences or recommendations. There's so much out there. I have been looking at and comparing Canon and Sony but it's hard to know what to buy, hence this post.

Ideally, my budget is about $800US but would spend up to $1,000US if needed. Photography is a huge hobby of mine so I want a camera that is decent. Size: A point and shoot that is somewhat light weight.

Background: My first camera...

Looking for new camera recommendations ... Looking for new camera recommendations ...