Holiday | Thursday, November 10,2011

Six stress-free tips for holiday entertaining

Party planning expert, Karen Bussen, offers these easy tips to put any host or hostess in the driver’s seat of a holiday celebration.

1. Stock a ’Holiday Party Pantry’Find a place in your home (a cupboard, closet, or a few shelves) where you can collect basic elements to help you pull together a great celebration, even a

Holiday | Wednesday, December 22,2010

The church is a blessing

A Christmas memoir

By Roy L. French

Mr. Houck came early to the Sangamon Valley while it was still a wilderness without many inhabitants. He came before the land was surveyed so his fields stretched from the big sycamore tree to the eas

Holiday | Thursday, December 16,2010

Cinematic holiday gifts

Boxed DVD%u2008sets for the film buff in your family

By Chuck Koplinski

With the film industry heading towards instant downloads and video streaming via the Internet and other delivery modes, the release of large DVD sets is becoming more and more rare. That’s a sha

Holiday | Thursday, December 16,2010

Everybody on your feet

Gamers the world over will be taking a more active role in their video game adventures this holiday

By Taniesha Robinson

Video-gaming couch potatoes are so yesteryear. In 2010, gamers must get on their feet to conquer feats in seventh-generation gaming systems. Two new consoles debuted this year with action-packed adven

Holiday | Thursday, December 9,2010

All systems go

These days, a truly great smartphone is the one that runs the software and apps best suited to their daily needs. Here’s your guide to the best offerings of the holiday seaso

By Timothy R. Schulte

Do you remember the last time you used your phone to actually make or take a call? All kidding aside, the truth of the matter is that today we rely on our phones more and more for web browsing, e-mail

Holiday | Thursday, December 9,2010

Accessory revolution

For every iPad out there, there’s a panoply of stands, cases and connectors to help each early adopter personalize and get the most out of their fancy new device

By Phil Baker

It goes without saying that 2010 is the year of the iPad.Despite the recession-y conditions in which it was unveiled, Apple’s new tablet device has been the most successful product launch in the

Holiday | Thursday, December 2,2010

The lighter side

Color, technology and hippos help the holidays shine bright

By Denise DiFulco

One of the great pleasures of the holiday season is driving around the neighborhood taking in display upon display of festive lights. Decorating one’s home is a pleasure all its own, an annual a

Holiday | Thursday, December 2,2010

Anatomy 101

The perfect Christmas tree does exist. Here’s how to bring it home

By Anna Sachse

Want a Christmas tree that’s more than just a reason to dust off old ornaments? Start by considering an overall color scheme, says Michelle Workman, a Los Angeles-based interior designer who has

Holiday | Thursday, December 2,2010

Good and green... to go

Ecowise gifts hit the road

By Anna Sachse

Conserving resources, eating organic, using non-toxic cleaning products and recycling everything humanly possible – it’s 2010 and it seems like every household has gone green. The next ste

Holiday | Thursday, December 2,2010

Book an award winning adventure

The year’s best children’s books

By Danielle Cadet

Books open a world of discovery in ways even the coolest toys can’t achieve. This season, tempt a kid to turn off the TV and find an adventure in words and pictures on a printed page. These accl