To a lucky few of you, the title of this post must seem insane. How could anyone not enjoy the holiday season, you ask. Parties, festive decor, good food, presents, time with family and friends — what's not to love? Unfortunately though, the holiday season can be fraught with anxiety, rising from extensive demands on our time, family tension and financial concerns, among others. More

As much as it is fun and probably the right thing to do to have kids make their own super hero accessories, sometimes there is a pressing need to play with a certain laser beam that can't be satisfied by any glue and paper in the world. More

I love Christmas baubles, angels, and garlands of course. But it's fun to add a bit of my personality into tree decorating. Some pieces from my favorite Nintendo games and a couple mini cameras would add a nice nerdy touch. Here's how you can add some nerdy fun to your tree this year with geeky ornaments from circuit boards to Storm Troopers. More

Christmas is only a week away, but that's plenty of time to make a few of these cheerful felt tree ornaments. More

Maybe I'm the only one, but before I became a parent I hadn't really considered all the ins and outs of those yearly pictures with Santa. Sure, my brother and I sat on Santa's lap each year (okay, so I shyly boycotted Santa until I was five, but every year after that), but I guess I had just never pictured myself on the parent end of that ordeal. Now that I'm a parent, I'm wondering...is a yearly picture with Santa a necessary tradition?
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The season is flying by so quickly, and I still have hopes of sitting down and making some holiday-themed doodads with my daughter. If we're lucky, maybe she'll make enough that we can give them to some of her friends too. Luckily there are lots of wonderful ideas floating around online to get us inspired. More

Looking for a gift for someone who's a fan of the playful, the offbeat, the bizarre? Here's a collection of intriguing gifts inspired by the types of finds sold at brick and mortar curiosity shops, only a bit more practical than specimens floating in jars and sans the shrunken heads. More

We asked and you answered: what are the best gifts for preschoolers? Many reader suggestions for this age group were similar to gifts for toddlers including books, blocks, play kitchens and accessories, cars and trucks, trains, dolls and costumes. One of the major themes is gifts that encourage imaginative and pretend play.

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If you opt for a real tree this year, make good use out of the trimmings with one of these easy projects: More

Over on Design Boom, I came across this image of a unique and charming version of a community Christmas tree. By encouraging locals to donate the materials used, the tree becomes a sort of homage to the individuals in the community and their personal history. More