Not everyone embraces sugarplums, mistletoe and holly during the holiday season. Some folks even get a wee bit cranky, what with all the crowds, the shopping and the endless carols blasted at us wherever we go. Thankfully, there are some great Christmas movies on DVD for all of us curmudgeons, chock-full of family dysfunction, violence and mayhem:

Die Hard (1988)
One of the great holiday films of all time, with one of cinema's finest bad guys -- Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), a terrorist who takes over an entire skyscraper as part of a plan to steal $640,000,000. Bruce Willis is unforgettable…

Every year, basic cable and network television offer the same slate of holiday classics -- It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, A Christmas Story, plus innumerable TV-movie versions of the old standards, starring C-list sitcom actors. You know the drill. So why not try something a little different this year? Whether your tastes run to the traditional or the offbeat, there's no lack of…

When it comes to the girl in your life who's on top of the latest trends and already has everything she could possibly want, coming up with gift ideas can be tough. So we've compiled a list of trendy finds and classic pieces at a range of price points that will impress the most stylish of ladies.

Headband
While nobody does preppy chic quite like Blair Waldorf, your fashionista sure can try with a…

The holiday season is quickly approaching like a sprinting lion on the African plains, waiting to dig its teeth in my zebra neck. o I thought I'd put a list together of my favorite holiday movies for your consideration when you venture the crowded retail stores Thanksgiving weekend (also see my article on great non-holiday-themed DVD gift ideas, and don't miss my article on not-so-great DVDs for…

It's that time of year again -- awaiting the autumn leaves, dusting off the old box of home decorations, and predicting the annual ritual of holiday DVD reissues. And here I am still wearing white after Labor Day.

This year, though, at least three of the major holiday films are returning to home video with more than just a change of their red ribbons. This time Blu-ray…

'Tis the season for made-for-television holiday movies. In addition to the occasional special primetime network presentation, Lifetime, Oxygen, and ABC Family offer practically non-stop holiday movies from Thanksgiving to New Year's day. Maybe the WGA strike means your favorite show is in reruns, or maybe you just need something to turn on on a Saturday afternoon while you wrap presents or bake…

Plenty of cinematic attention has been given to Christmas and Thanksgiving. By now, probably at least three different versions of A Christmas Carol have aired on a TV channel near you, and the Christmas Story marathon is in the offing. As much as I have enjoyed these yuletide chestnuts, the spirit longs for something more . . . more! And I don't just mean movies set on or around a holiday. There…