Topic: Christmas
Top galleries, list articles, quizzes
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5 crowd-pleasing holiday specials
Looking for something holiday-themed that the whole family will enjoy? These five specials have stood the test of time and will be loved by young and old alike.
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How well do you know global Christmas traditions? Take the quiz
Test your knowledge about how the Christmas holidays are celebrated from the Philippines to Mexico.
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8 holiday tips for dealing with difficult relatives
You can’t change what your difficult relatives are going to do; you can only change yourself. But when you change, a relationship changes. Here are eight tips for doing that.
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Christmas cookies for everyone on your list
Ready to roll up your sleeves and get baking this December? Stir It Up! has a dozen Christmas cookies recipes, plus some bonus holiday treats sure to get your kitchen in the holly jolly spirit.
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Bestselling books the week of 11/22/12, according to IndieBound*
What's selling best at independent bookstores across America.
All Content
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Horizons
A very techy Christmas: 50 million new phones and tablets activatedChristmas week saw a record 50 million iOS and Android devices activated, and more than 1.7 billion apps downloaded, according to analytics firm Flurry. On Christmas Day alone 17.4 million new devices were unwrapped.
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Fearful of ban, frenzied buyers swarm gun stores
The phones at gun shops across the country are ringing off the hook. Demand for firearms, ammunition and bulletproof gear has surged since the massacre in Newtown, Conn., that took the lives of 20 schoolchildren and six teachers and administrators.
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Madoff prison letter: Beware 'dark pools' on Wall Street
Madoff prison letter warns of lack of transparency in the markets from 'dark pools,' where institutions buy and sell privately outside stock exchanges. Hedge funds' push into riskier ventures also comes under fire in Madoff prison letter.
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Netflix Christmas outage: Amazon to blame
Netflix outage affected customers in the US, Canada, and Latin America.
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Mattel and Hasbro 'terrified': Do kids want gadgets more than toys?
Mattel and Hasbro terrified that kids will want toys less next year, according to reports. Hot toys did well this Christmas, but retailers in general saw less growth than expected.
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Retail sales just ho-hum this holiday season
Preliminary reports show holiday sales rose only 0.7 percent over November and December, which could be the economy's worst holiday performance since 2008.
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Culture Cafe
TV's best holiday episodes – from Festivus to Holiday ArmadillosTV has been host to various memorable holiday episodes, from the 'Community' gang becoming Rankin/Bass-like characters to the 'West Wing' staffers experiencing a sobering winter season. Here are a few of the best.
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Obama cuts short Hawaiian holiday for fiscal cliff negotiations
With fiscal cliff negotiations still at a standstill, President Barack Obama cut short his family vacation in his home state of Hawaii, and will return to Washington. Congress will reconvene Thursday.
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Newtown inundated with support, consolation on Christmas
Residents of Newtown Connecticut and out-of-towners alike came together Christmas Day to comfort families grieving after the horrific shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
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Christmas snow storm kills 3, tornadoes knock out power in South (+video)
A snow storm caused flights across the country to be cancelled. Three died, and many were injured in dangerous highway conditions and as trees fell on homes. In the South, tornadoes left 100,000 without power on Christmas Day.
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Home for the holidays: Fewer US troops are absent this year
Christmas 2012 marks the smallest deployment of combat troops abroad in at least five years, as the war in Iraq ends and US forces deployed to Afghanistan have been drawing down.
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Culture Cafe
'White Christmas': People create holiday magic for othersThe movie 'White Christmas' isn't just a holiday classic because Bing Crosby croons that title song. Check it out for an example of a holiday movie with no supernatural elements, no sudden miracles – just people making something kind of magic happen for others.
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Chapter & Verse
Who is Saint Nicholas?Writer Adam C. English explores the life of the man behind the myth in his book 'The Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus.'
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Let it snow? Christmas may be white in Northeast, southern Plains, Seattle
Snow on Christmas Day marks the start of a week of wet and wild weather through much of the US, including more of the white stuff. Here's where residents will want their shovels and sleds.
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Opinion: Christmas shopping: A pink kitchen set and the 'buying local' dilemma
I wasted hours looking for a cheaper version online, when my dad was willing to pay more at the local store. He made me realize that I was all about 'buying local' until I had to shell out more money. I've learned: I can’t always pay more, but I don’t always have to pay less.
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5 crowd-pleasing holiday specials
Looking for something holiday-themed that the whole family will enjoy? These five specials have stood the test of time and will be loved by young and old alike.
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Chapter & Verse
The apostle Paul: One of the important influences on ChristmasBiblical historian James D. Tabor discusses Paul's influence on Christianity and the way that we celebrate Christmas.
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From juvenile hall: a Christmas to remember
A Christian Science perspective.
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Stir It Up!
Prime rib roastPrime rib roast is a classic Christmas dinner. Pair it with your favorite side dishes, rolls, and fresh salad.
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Gloomy predictions as Washington approaches the 'fiscal cliff'
It's still possible that the 'fiscal cliff' with its automatic tax increases and across-the-board spending cuts can be avoided. But the clock is ticking toward Jan.1, and most lawmakers are pessimistic.
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Are 'fiscal cliff' woes killing Christmas sales?
In last weekend before Christmas, traditionally a strong sales period, shoppers cite worries over taxes and so-so discounts as reasons to rein in spending. Experts warn of ho-hum holiday sales.
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Stir It Up!
Sweet tea pecansA lovely bag of flavored nuts makes a wonderful gift, and they are handy to have around during the busy holidays. This nibble combines the best of the South, abundant pecans and sweet tea.
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In Hezbollah stronghold, Lebanese Christians find respect, stability
In a Christian home in a Shiite suburb of Beirut, images of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah share mantel and wall space with the Virgin Mary.
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Modern Parenthood
Christmas parenting wisdom: 'It's Jesus' birthday, not yours'Christmas parenting wisdom from a grandfather shapes a family culture: 'It's Jesus' birthday, not yours.' There’s a lot of empty space under our tree, but our homes are filled with friends and festivities.
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Winter Solstice prompts gatherings of druids, spiritualists, and doomsday party goers
The winter solstice was celebrated at Stonehenge in England – and New Hampshire – Friday morning, Dec. 21, 2012. In Pennsylvania, atheists marked the winter solstice by hanging a banner next to a nativity scene.
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