Holiday

Getting Thanksgiving dinner – or any holiday feast – on the table can seem like a math word problem gone awry. Question: If it takes four hours to cook a 15-pound turkey, and three of the side dishes need something done to them “just before serving,” how many times will the cook wish there were […]

It was in Grandmother’s desk, the same desk she used to write to her sister in the 1880s. It is the same desk my mother used to write letters to me while I was in the army, and I have some of them in a drawer yet. My daughter used the desk to doodle on […]

There are few things in this world more irritating than paying an oversized cable bill (OK, paying an oversized gas bill comes close). Thankfully,  TV fans don’t have to suffer the indignity of paying a monthly bill for thousands of shows and movies they don’t watch. Services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video can deliver […]

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 […]

Johanna Rosson’s decorating skills are sweet. Rosson designs and builds gingerbread houses – and she’s been head architect for some of the best. In 2005, she appeared on Food Network’s “Paula’s Home Cooking.” After that, she was commissioned to make a special replica of a Springfield, IL., train depot to be displayed at the Abraham […]

There’s an old saying among photographers that the best camera is the one you have with you. For many of us, that’s increasingly a smartphone. But if someone on your list relies only on a mobile phone for photography, they’re missing out. From blazing-fast shooting speeds to exquisite detail and creative options, nothing can top […]

The Vita, PlayStation’s next-generation portable gaming device, took the top Hardware honors from the gaming press at E3 2011, but unfortunately, it won’t be available in North America till 2012. However, on-the-go gamers need fear not. There’s the Nintendo 3DS ($249.99), the world’s first portable 3D gaming system. The 3DS packs two screens –%u202Fa 3.5-inch, […]

Before the iPad debuted in early 2010, no one really knew they needed a tablet. But, gosh, how did we ever live without them? Lighter than a laptop with more real estate than a smartphone, tablets have quickly become the go-to device for browsing the web, playing games or simply reading a book –%u202Fwhether on […]

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 […]

Somewhere on the spectrum between techno-dazzle (iPad apps for toddlers, anyone?) and fuzzy-wuzzy bears there’s a sweet spot: toys that inspire kids to have fun, stretch their creativity and learn while they play. With a little effort – and some guidance from savvy toy shop owners – any attentive shopper can hit the mark. Toys […]

Every year, holiday lighting manufacturers introduce more varieties of bulbs, strands, colors and accessories.  Luckily for the seasonal lighting industry (and those who love cruising the neighborhood, looking at lit-up houses), nobody seems to be willing to forego Christmas lights altogether, no matter their financial woes. Professional decorators say that there’s a trend towards nostalgic, […]

With waggly tails and rumbly purrs, they show us the love every day. What better time of year than the holidays to delight a four-legged family member with a special gift? “Pets get so much joy out of toys,” says Lorrie Shaw,., pet owner and pet blogger. “They get to use all of their senses […]