Lindsey Romain, CTW Features

 There are only so many sweaters, necklaces and pocketknives a person can acquire before it gets to be a bit much. “At a certain age, we start to comprehend the sacrifices our parents have made for us,” says Shelley Hunter, the gift expert known as The Giftcard Girlfriend. “With this understanding, we feel compelled to […]

The once dignified kingdom of coffee table books, where Norman Rockwell retrospectives ruled, has fallen to the shameless, hilarious hordes. Behold the many highly giftable books from bloggers who first rocketed to fame online. Here are photos of people obscuring a body part with vinyl record sleeves, there are portraits of families you’re glad aren’t […]

It’s a feast for fans of The Hunger Games. The wildly successful film adaptation of the dark novel hits DVD shelves this holiday season. Suzanne Collins’ blockbuster trilogy about young Katniss Everdeen battling for her life in a post-apocalyptic North America has drawn more readers to the world of dystopian literature; new post-apocalyptic young adult […]

Avocado goat cheese dip•    3 ripe avocados•    2 gloves minced garlic•    1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)•    4 ounces cream cheese•    4 ounces goat cheese•    2 teaspoons lemon or lime juiceMix all ingredients at once with a large spoon or hand-mixer in a medium bowl. Serve with blue corn chips, pretzels or crackers. Smoked salmon […]

Don’t let those who’ve cut the cable miss out on their favorite shows. Holiday downtime is perfect for catching up on some of cables’ most popular and critically acclaimed shows. Here are a few of last season’s biggest titles, available on DVD and Blu-ray.   –  Lindsey Romain 1. “Mad Men,” Season Four (AMC/Lionsgate) $49.99, DVD […]

In this age of digital technology and toy gadgetry, children may be keener to flip on the TV or shuffle their MP3 player than crack open a book. This holiday season, try reigniting their imagination with the gift of words. Here are some of 2011’s award-winning and honor books for young readers. Moon Over Manifest […]

Nothing soothes quite like curling up with a good book. But with the booming e-reader market, the avid readers on your gift list might soon be curling up with thousands at once. As the popularity of e-readers continues to soar – reports show that 12 percent of adults in the United States own one, up […]

Casseroles are an omnipresent holiday staple, be it grandma’s chicken-stuffed cheese concoction or a fried-onion encrusted green bean favorite. But getting comfortable with a casserole recipe can make it a forgettable presence on a holiday dinner table. “The best thing about casseroles is that you can be really creative,” says Stephanie Ashcraft, co-author of 200 […]

Retro style is in, and kids can’t get enough of it, from cutting-edge clothing and accessories that recall the classics to thrift-shop home goods straight from grandma’s attic. A quest for individuality in a homogen -ized world is behind the vintage juggernaut, say trend watchers. So is a treacherous economy. “I think the resurgence started […]