Holiday Gift Guide ’09

Movies, Seasonal, Traditions
on November 19, 2009

It's easy to ward off the winter blahs with Disney's heart-tugging, high-spirited Up, the tale of a crusty old man and a boy who lift off together for a life-changing adventure. ($39.99)

The bluest eyes in Hollywood shine in Paul Newman: The Tribute Collection, which features a well-rounded, 13-movie mix of box-office classics (Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Towering Inferno), dramatic powerhouses (The Verdict, Exodus) and often-overlooked comedies (What a Way to Go!, Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!). ($89.98)

You'll be over the rainbow for sure with The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector's Edition, an emerald-green treasure chest with all sorts of goodies, including a meticulously remastered, hi-def version of the 1939 masterpiece. ($69.92 DVD / $84.99 Blu-ray)

The 1983 movie A Christmas Story, about a boy and his dreams of a Red Ryder air rifle, is a holiday classic. Now you can enjoy all its many wonderful musical snippets, compiled for the first time on a soundtrack CD. You won't have to worry about a ricocheting BB shooting your eye out, but your ears will feel like smiling. ($18.98)

Take a trip to the far corners of the earthand never leave your coffee tablewith the National Geographic Image Collection, a sumptuous, 500-page volume showcasing more than a century of  world-spanning photos. ($50)

Forget tangled speaker wires. Embrace the clutter-free efficiency of the digital age with the Eos multi-room wireless audio system, a revolutionary new way to spread the tunes on your iPod (or other portable player) inside or outside your homearound walls, through floors, or into any spot near an electrical outlet. ($249.99)

Laugh all the way into the new year with National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation-Ultimate Collector's Edition, which packages a DVD of the 1989 comedy in a festive tin of whimsical collectibles. ($39.92)

TV land looks a lot like Christmas in Merry Sitcom, a DVD collection of yule-themed episodes of Father Knows Best, McHale's Navy, Bewitched, That Girl, The Flying Nun and The Donna Reed Show. ($12.99)

Sony's Yule Log Edition DVDs put you in the holiday mood with Christmas music by Andy Williams, Johnny Cash, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and more than a dozen other artists, combined with soothing images of a burning fireplace, a snowy mountain cabin or a sparkling Christmas tree. ($14.98 each)

Classic rockers REO Speedwagon rev up the holiday spirit on Not So Silent Night, the band's first Christmas CD. Rock around the Christmas tree to "Silent Night," "Little Drummer Boy," "Joy to the World" and 10 other yuletide tunes, all served Speedwagon style. ($6.98)

The duffer on your gift list will love Sports Illustrated: The Golf Book, which compiles more than 300 images into a lavish, lively tribute to a sport that traces its roots to the 15th century. ($29.95)

Pet lovers will adore the tales in Rescue Ink, a book that recounts the true, inspiring adventures of a group of brawny, tattooed but tenderhearted bikers with a shared passion for rescuing homeless, abandoned and abused animals. ($25.95)