Recently in Holidays Category

A couple weeks back, we told you about the American Family Association's boycott of Gap Inc. and other companies that exclude "Christmas" from its holiday advertising. Now here's the latest strike in the ongoing Christmas culture wars.

Boss Creations, a new holiday décor company, has introduced the new "CHRIST-mas" Tree, featuring the unique trait of a trunk in the shape of a wooden cross. Company owner Marsha Boggs says the tree was specifically designed to counter the "war on Christmas."

Here's a touching story for the holidays. Jasmina Anema, a 6-year-old leukemia patient from New York, had a big request for the Make-A-Wish Foundation: She wanted to meet President Obama. With a big assist from Washington, the Foundation granted her wish and she was scheduled to spend Thanksgiving at the White House. Sadly, the little girl fell ill once in Washington and was admitted to the hospitial. Thankfully, she was released on Wednesday and was finally able to see her dream fulfilled.

What holiday book would you read on Christmas Eve? The Christmas Carol, right? There are quite a few versions of this Dickens' classic, as you might imagine. Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Match Girl is another holiday classic. Though beautifully illustrated in a kid-appealing fashion, the book contains some heavy themes. So read it first before you read it to your children. You wouldn't want to cause those visions of sugar plums to turn sour. One classic that will appeal to all audiences is O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi.

If you care for more modern fiction, you might want to sample one or two of these titles: