Have you seen Merriness and Mirth? They've gone missing, likely snatched by a Wall Street grinch. And it's left a chill in the air that isn’t an Arctic front. But take heart: City Weekly is here to revive your frostbitten holiday cheer.

Oh Lord, it's going to be a hard-candy Christmas this year! With the economy giving us lumps of coal and onions in our Christmas stockings, my anxieties are running high as to how I'll shower love on my "most important."

Dear Mom and Dad, nI know music isn’t your thing; increasingly confusing band names (Clap your hands and say what?) and know-it-all record stores aren’t much help, either. In spite of all these obstacles, it may seem easier to just get me an iTunes gift card. Hell, I may ask for one, but please, do not heed my requests! nYou see, despite the convenience of digital downloads, they&rsqu...

Yes, we writers are idealists; we constantly seek a better world. And with this issue, we’re applying that idealism to shopping.

Not long ago, publishing's wise old heads bet we would be so preoccupied with defibrillating the American dream at the polls in 2008 we wouldn't have time to dream in fiction. And they were right.

It’s November 22. Do you know where your perfect gift is? Why, oh why, you might be asking, do we put ourselves through this torment every year? The crowds, the lines, the expense … all to hand off a cheerfully wrapped box with the ideal...

We spend sleepless nights racking our brains, countless hours with other frustrated shoppers in freezing outdoor shopping centers. Still, we come home empty-handed and aggravated. Sit back, pour yourself a cup of cocoa and relax. See if I can’t...

Forget about silkscreen T-shirts, mix-tapes, or even the Sharper Image catalog of wonders, there’s nothing as personal as a book. For every personality, every reading level, there’s a book out there waiting to provide that lucky recipient...

I’ve been particularly good this year, and I hope Santa has taken note. Because you know the saying: It ain’t over ’til the fat man slices. And I lust for a fancy mandoline under the tree this Christmas. Not the little eight-stringed...

We all know you have killer taste in music. But, while it might seem like a good idea to burn a copy of Radiohead’s In Rainbows as a gift, it’s not an idea all will appreciate. Often, those lacking similar musical “prowess” prefer...