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Holidays 2011

Don't let the holidays get on the wrong side of you, take our advice on shopping, shows and more and you might just end up under the mistletoe.

An old roomie of mine once wrote a song called "Holidays are Hell" and I wasn't one to disagree at the time. In a big, lively city such as Chicago, however, that shouldn't be the case. The holidays are there for the taking, and inspire everything from great annual sales to new, quirky, non-traditional shows. Hating the holidays is almost as fun as loving them, it seems.

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We enlisted cast members from iO’s Joy! to model festive looks.
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What to give your doctor, bartender and other extra people in your life.
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Celebrate the arrival of the holidays with these spa treatments at Chicago spas.
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Chicago Christmas beers that taste like pine trees (and several that don’t).
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This season, a hot drink gets even hotter.
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From Germany, Italy, Poland and France...and found right here in Chicago.
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Where to find this year’s ugly sweater.
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We find eight new alternatives to Santaland, Scrooge and Bailey Building & Loan.
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Make your holiday greeting cards more personal with the help of sites like minted.com and more.
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Check out 25 cool events to make your season more Mary.
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We’ve got presents for every budget!
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Cold days don’t put a damper on these scenic spots.
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We compare Chicago’s eight productions of the holiday ballet, sugar plums to sugar plums.
Balsan
Where (and what) to eat on Christmas Eve
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