A Holiday Gift Worth the Wait

Jane S. Smith, 12.02.2009

Author of The Garden of Invention

This winter, fate has blown me to Southern California, where I'm renting a house surrounded by citrus trees. There are roses, too, and wild parrots, ...

Buying Gifts In A Globalized World: The Value Of Distance

Marta Mondelli, 12.01.2009

It's increasingly difficult to find gifts in a global world where Tiffany's opened stores throughout Italy and, on the other hand, local NYC and online shopping centers worldwide provide you with everything Italian.

What It's Like To Go Down With The Ship In Politics

Lisa Baron, 11.30.2009

Author, My Burning Bush: How One Woman’s Career in Christian Politics Went Up in Flames

In politics, if your boss crosses the line then it's ultimately your career that suffers. It's called being "Abramoff'd", and it's what happened to me while working for Ralph Reed, despite that my hands are clean.

Natural Home Decorates Blair House For Magazine Holiday Design Showcase

Robyn Griggs Lawrence, 11.30.2009

Editor-in-chief, Natural Home Magazine

With our decoration of the Blair House, we aim to show that simple, elegant, and responsibly made holiday décor is an attainable and viable option for everyone.

Postcard Perfect Holidays In A Prairie State

Karen Dalton-Beninato, 11.30.2009

karendaltonbeninato.com

To help jump start the holiday spirit, these are my favorite 10 images four years after evacuating back to the heartland south of Chicago, east of Lincoln's home and north of a cornfield.

Sarah Palin Spins Out Of Control: Pugnacious Revisionism Of Going Rogue Portends Her Fall From Grace

Mario Almonte, 12.02.2009

PR Strategist and Pop Culture Analyst

In Going Rogue, Palin flirts dangerously close to morally dubious grounds, and it is making supporters wonder if she too isn't spiritually corrupt and undeserving of their loyalty.

Dickens On Film

John Farr, 11.30.2009

Writer, editor and lecturer on timeless film

In Carol and other Dickens books, the Christmas season represents a ray of hope amidst all the misery. Since the author left so much source material, you can have your very own Dickens film series leading up to the holidays.

Your Holiday Relaxation Rescue Guide (VIDEO)

Tara Stiles, 11.28.2009

Reinventing what it means to practice yoga

Reserving time for ourselves around the holidays seems so far away from the reality of forced spending, emotional exhaustion, and general frustration.

Survivor: Samoa: Deja Ew!

Tallulah Morehead, 11.28.2009

Award-Eligible Film Legend, Goddess, and Lush

We had Yasmin From Planet X referring to Shambles as "Shamu." That was a very rude thing to say about a lovely, sweet killer whale, especially coming from a psycho like Yasmin From Planet X.

How To Green Your Holiday Meal

Avital Binshtock, 11.26.2009

SIERRA magazine's lifestyle editor and editor of the Sierra Club's Green Life blog.

Working up a menu for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or another upcoming holiday? Here are three tips to help you be more environmentally responsible while planning that feast.

Want to Help Others This Thanksgiving? Go Online

Rachel Sterne, 11.26.2009

Founder and CEO of GroundReport

A fascinating experiment in digital philanthropy is brewing at Robin Hood Foundation, a New York City charity that has raised more than $1 billion for poverty-focused nonprofits.

Secrets To Getting Through The Holiday Season

Karen Luniw, 11.25.2009

Author "Attraction in Action: Your How to Guide to Relationships, Money, Work and Health

How does one get through the holiday season unscathed by the family biting sarcasm, the off-hand negative comments about your love life or lack of employment? Those unsaid, yet thick feelings of disapproval?

When Science Teachers Don't Believe In Evolution

Valerie Tarico, 11.25.2009

Author of "The Dark Side: How Evangelical Teachings Corrupt Love and Truth," and founder, WisdomCommons.org

If nothing else, creationist efforts to undermine science and science education should teach us something about our species, about our impressive capacity for delusion.

The Pajama Program Offers Love in a Snuggle

Katherine Gustafson, 11.25.2009

Tonic, the "good news" site

Genevieve Piturro's life changed when she started providing children pajamas in an emergency shelter. One little girl looked quizzically at the pajamas Piturro was holding out to her. "What are these?" she asked.

This Thanksgiving Remember the Immigrant, Pilgrim

Jim Wallis, 11.25.2009

Founder of Sojourners; speaker, author, activist

The broken nature of America's immigration system is deeply felt during the holidays by millions in the United States who long to be reunited with their loved ones.

From No Country For Old Men To No Movie For Faith Audiences? I Don't Think So

Larry Ross, 11.25.2009

President of A. Larry Ross Communications

On the surface, The Road has enough drama and thrills to quench the craving of any Friday night movie buff. But its greatest impact will not be on the screen, but afterwards, in discussions about the vital issues it raises.

Robin Hood Foundation Embraces the Web to Feed NYC's Hungry

GroundReport, 11.25.2009

Trusted Global Citizen Journalism.

Over the past two months, a skunkworks team of young internet influencers has met, brainstormed, emailed and twittered -- all in the pursuit of feeding more than 100,000 of the city's hungry.

Do Whateveryouwannukah? Why I Won't Be Fa-la-la-la-la-ing In To The Gap This Holiday Season (VIDEO)

Cathleen Falsani, 11.24.2009

Chicago Sun-Times columnist and author

I'm all for inclusiveness and multiculturalism, as much as I am for inexpensive cotton T-shirts and reindeer-themed boxer shorts. But this year's Gap "holiday" ad campaign just rubs me the wrong way.

Don't Let 'Allahu Akbar' Become A Pejorative

Jordan Sekulow, 11.24.2009

Democracy's 'War on Islam' is exactly the war Islamic terrorists have been hoping to ignite, and we must not let them succeed. It is time for peaceful, ordinary Muslim Americans to put their collective foot down.

Teetotalers For God Take The Pledge

Deepak Chopra, 11.24.2009

Author, Sirius/XM radio host

Humanism isn't the same as atheism. To that extent, the American Humanist Association has co-opted a word and distorted it for their own purposes.

Happy Thanksgiving! This Year It Is No Longer Humiliating To Be Explaining Your Unemployment Around the Thanksgiving Table!

Stephen Viscusi, 11.25.2009

America's Workplace Guru

Losing your job is dreadful, no matter what the reason. In this journalist's mind, it is still better than health issues, divorce, or death -- but t...