Anyone can buy a gift during the holidays, but it's the ones that take time and effort to make that really stand out to me. They're inexpensive to give, but really special to recieve. I, for one, would be thrilled with any of these. (Hint, hint!!!)

When I was growing up, Christmas wasn't always white. But it was, without fail, bitterly cold. We might have stepped outside long enough for a photo op, but mostly it was playing with cousins inside and admiring our new hats, gloves, scarves, long underwear, fuzzy socks, electric blankets, seven-hour hand-warmers (please, I only wish they had existed then), and earmuffs.

Which is why it was such a shock to move to California. No, it's not beach-friendly all year. But after my first winter here, I realized I hadn't experienced any of the usual winter woes: frozen tears, chapped nose, flaky scalp, lizardy skin.

Of course, I also missed any chance at a White Christmas. People here freak out at a flurry, shiver when it's 50 degrees, and truck snow into the middle of town for one-day sledding events. (See photo to the left.)

If you're shivering your way through the holiday season, maybe it would amuse you to see how Christmas looks in warmer climates. Like, for instance ...

"You know what would be great?" said my husband last summer. "One of those heavy grill press things that keeps meat and bacon from curling up when you're cooking it." You know what he's getting for Christmas? A heavy grill press thing that keeps bacon from curling up when you cook it. He never bothered to put it on his wish list, I just made a mental note and bought one, and I plan to pat myself on the back every time he uses it.

This, I like to think, exemplifies a crucial aspect of skillful gift-giving: listening. Another crucial aspect: remembering. Also crucial: time, money, and feeling some affection for the person you're buying for.

But what if it's December 22 and none of those aspects are in place, and suddenly you need to pick up a little something for the person in your office who invited you to cocktails Friday night? Or your husband's step-sister who suddenly decided to fly in from Norway? Or the sitter who's coming. over. right. now?

It's a Christmas miracle! A family in Florida woke one morning to discover that their collection of holiday yard decorations -- valued at $500! -- had been stolen. But in the spirit of Christmas, they magically reappeared!

On the suspect's own lawn less than a block away!

Seriously, people. Who steals Christmas decorations and stashes them in their own front yard in the same neighborhood?

I don't know where people find the time, but I'm sure glad they do. A man with superior exterior illumination skills in Reno, Nevada has lit up his house like a gosh darn Christmas tree, and so much more. There's a singing elf, dancing piano keys, and a flying Santa. Oh, and it's all coordinated to the Trans Siberian Orchestra's song "Queen of the Winter Night." This house holiday light show is just as good, if not better than the Halloween one back in October. Trust.

Carlo Schmitt, the mad genius behind the extremely over-the-top decorations, says he's been obsessed with Christmas lights since he was a kid. So kids, if you're reading this and like playing with lights on a string, you too can one day have the most kick-ass house in the neighborhood, if not the nation.

Christmas stockings can be hard to stuff, right Santa? You want to fill your girls' stockings with things they'll love, but you also don't want to spend a fortune. The good news is that with sites like Etsy and Drugstore.com, you can get some pretty fabulous things for under $10. The fashionista in your family, no matter how old, will be really happy you read this post because I've found some great items that will make Christmas morning a little more special, and a little more stylish.

From nail polish to headbands to bracelets to lip gloss, here's a list of 10 fashionable items under $10 to fill up those empty stockings hung by the chimney with care.

Tonight is the first night of Chanukah! You know what that means? While you Gentiles still have time to get overnight shipping on your last-minute gifts and decorations, we Jews are totally screwed!

I realized last night that my sisters and their families will be stopping by tonight for a little light-up-the-winter cheer. Though it's not a big to-do, I did want to make some cute homemade Chanukah decorations. I scoured Pinterest for stuff that wasn't shaped like dreidels and candles (come on, people, surely we can do better than that) and threw together these neat-o ideas in only a few hours. (Note: A quick color-change can make these decoration appropriate for Christmas, too.) Take a look:

The first person I knew who paid a local florist to deliver a Christmas tree -- already decked out with gold ribbons and tinsel -- was a woman who had three kids under five and was pregnant with the fourth. “That’s awful!” I thought. Then: “What the hell is wrong with me? She’s a genius!”

Maybe in the land of Christmas specials and Precious Moments figurines, harried parents climb ladders in the bitter cold to create stunning light-sculptures around their houses. But in the real world most of us can barely figure out how to hang streamers at a birthday party. Come on. You know it’s true.

Not convinced? Read on. Before you know it you’ll be joining in on the latest Christmas-decoration trend -- sitting nestled all snug in your couch, sipping hot cocoa while you watch SOMEONE ELSE deck your halls.