About Today: The Very Worst of 2011

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Today There's nothing like a bit of Schadenfreude to add some zest to a season otherwise crammed-to-bursting with sweetness and joy. In that spirit, let's take a moment to reflect on some of this year's most notable fails. Advance warning for Oprah Winfrey, Nickelback, and Nicholas Cage: duck! Most Overrated Books of the Year These books may have landed on this year's bestseller lists, but they definitely don't belong on any must-read lists. Recommended Airport Reads Funny Holiday Reads See More About:  2011 books  bad books  Worst Horror Movies of the Year There are "scary" movies that are so bad they're good (2006's The Wicker Man comes to mind), and then there are ones that are just plain bad. Our Guide to Horror Movies celebrates the latter in his fifth annual Scabbies Awards. Best Worst Horror Movies Ever Worst Horror Movie Remakes Ever See More About:  scabbies  horror awards  worst horror movies Worst Rock Albums of the Year It wasn't a great year for stalwart radio rockers Nickelback. Not only were they booed off stage during their halftime performance at the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers game on Thanksgiving, but our Guide to Rock Music also says their latest album, Here and Now, is full of "generic headbanging anthems" and "sappy love songs." Year's Most Annoying Pop Songs See More About:  best rock 2011  nickelback  theory of a deadman Biggest Media & Celebrity Gaffes of the Year Sure, it was mostly a year to forget for Nickelback, but 2011 was no cup of tea for Netflix, Hank Williams Jr., and former US Congressman Anthony Weiner either. On the MF Global Disaster Year's Highs & Lows in Fine Art See More About:  media trends  broadcast news  social media Today Ads 2011 Movie Download Horror Movies Films 2011 New Songs 2011 Shoes 2011 Featured Articles Meet Your Abs Recycle Used Gift Cards Voicemail Hacking Explained Job Interview Etiquette Tips High-Risk Drivers Defined How to Stop Puppy Biting   More from About.com Living with Depression By obtaining the correct medical intervention and learning better coping skills, you can not only live with depression, but live well. More> 9 Symptoms of Depression If you have experienced five or more of these symptoms within the same two week period, this could be indicative of an episode of depression. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Today newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com     Follow us on: Advertisement

About Today: Christmas Has Come (Ack!)

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Today Well, folks, it's about time for us to kick up our feet, pour a cup of eggnog, and watch Christmas Vacation a few times. Before we go, however, here's some last-minute holiday help to get you ready for the weekend. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from all of us at About.com! Last-Minute Shopping (or Give 'Em a Gift Card) Though some feel these are somewhat impersonal gifts, I've always loved receiving gift cards. What's not to like about picking out something you really want for free? Last-Minute iPod & iPhone Gifts Printable Holiday Gift Tags See More About:  best last minute gifts  christmas eve day shopping  e-gift certificates Easy Last-Minute Recipes It's possible you're a Martha Stewart clone and all of your holiday cooking is planned, prepped and ready to go. Or, you might be like me, scrambling for some easy, last-minute recipes that require a minimum of time and ingredients. Last-Minute Brunch Recipes Last-Minute Dessert Recipes See More About:  fastest recipes  quick and easy recipes  10 minute recipes How to Fake a Clean House Unfortunately faking a clean house isn't as easy as sweeping everything under the rug, but our Guide to Housekeeping has some clever cleaning shortcuts to help get your house in order in 20 minutes or less. Clean a Bathroom in 15 Minutes Clean a Kitchen in 15 Minutes See More About:  speed cleaning  cleaning shortcuts  Holiday Stress Relief for Parents It's a fun time of the year, but as our Guide to Children with Special Needs notes, the stress overload Santa sometimes dumps down our chimney is something we could all do without. Reduce Holiday Travel Stress Effectively Handle Family Conflict See More About:  holiday advice  stress relief  special-needs inspiration Today Ads Christmas The Christmas Gift Christmas Bells Live Letter for Christmas Holiday in Christmas Featured Articles History of Modern-Day Christmas Unusual Christmas Traditions in LA The Truth About Santa and The Tooth Fairy Where to Donate Clothes Six Generous Low or No-Cost "Un"Holiday Gifts On the Purpose of the World Bank   More from About.com Living with Depression By obtaining the correct medical intervention and learning better coping skills, you can not only live with depression, but live well. More> 9 Symptoms of Depression If you have experienced five or more of these symptoms within the same two week period, this could be indicative of an episode of depression. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Today newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com     Follow us on: Advertisement

About Today: Hey, Honey! Our Guests are Here!

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Today Hosting guests during the holidays? Here's how to pull off a perfect party without the help of a Christmas miracle. Throw a Classic Christmas Dinner Party On our Guide to Entertaining's indulgent Christmas party menu: Maryland crab cakes, Czech-baked salmon, triple-garlic mashed potatoes, and cheesecake pops. Yum--and where's our invite? Easy Christmas Dinner Menu Seafood Appetizer Recipes See More About:  christmas  christmas dinners  christmas menus Fun (and Quick) Christmas Party Games The great thing about these games is that all of them have to be completed in a minute or less: that means if one doesn't go over well, you can quickly move on to the next. Christmas Party Snack Recipes 5 Fun Christmas Games for Kids See More About:  minute to win it  guy fieri  play at home games Free Streaming Christmas Music Because you can't just put Vince Guaraldi Trio's timeless A Charlie Brown Christmas on repeat all night... can you? Top 100 Christmas Songs Ever Best New Christmas Albums See More About:  christmas freebies  christmas music  christmas 5 Holiday-Friendly Wines My grandma would say Chardonnay is the best wine for the holidays, but you can't trust my grandma: Chardonnay is the only wine she ever drinks. Our Guide to Wine suggets five other varietals to have on hand, along with a few producers to consider for each type. Delicious Holiday Cocktails Top 10 Winter Beers Today Ads Wedding Venues Hotel Rooms Hotel Reservations Holiday Inn Hotel Letters Featured Articles Top Google Searches of 2011 Ugly Christmas Sweater Bragging How Long to Keep Everything Best Indie Albums of 2011 How to Celebrate Festivus Best (and Worst) of 2011   More from About.com Living with Depression By obtaining the correct medical intervention and learning better coping skills, you can not only live with depression, but live well. More> 9 Symptoms of Depression If you have experienced five or more of these symptoms within the same two week period, this could be indicative of an episode of depression. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Today newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com     Follow us on: Advertisement

About Today: Home Alone: Pet and Plant Care

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Today I'm getting the best present for the holidays this year: No traveling. I win! Since not everyone is as lucky, let's figure out how to keep your pets and plants happy and healthy while you travel. Should Your Pet Go With You or Stay Home? I am fortunate (or unfortunate if you are a non-lover of kitties) to have a cat named Mr. Peterson. He's not a good traveler. When we go to the vet, oh does he cry and cry. That leads me to wonder if we'd ever bring Mr. P. with us if we went away for a long time. But if you've decided to bring your meower or woofer along, check out these recommendations. Traveling With Your Cat Traveling With Your Dog See More About:  traveling with pets  pet sitters  boarding pets Preventing Frozen Pipes OK, we got the pets taken care of. Now let's hit the pipes. If you are going to be away, you need to make sure your home is all set for anything. One of the more worrisome issues is pipes. If they freeze and then burst you're gonna be in a world of hurt (well, it'll be messy and sorta spendy to get it all sorted). Easy Home Winterizing Checklist Prepare Your Car for Winter Travel See More About:  avoiding burst water pipes  risky locations for water pipes  Watching Over Your House Since I've never taken Mr. Peterson with us when we've vacationed, I usually have a friend cat sit for us. Bonus: she also watched over the apartment. Even if you don't have a pet you may want to consider getting a house sitter. Here are some steps to take if you are considering it. Tips on Choosing a Pet Sitter or Kennel Home Security Tips See More About:  trip planning  house sitters  pet sitters Don't Come Home to Dead Plants So, you come home from vacation and the house sitter didn't get the note about watering the plant or maybe the cats had their wicked way with the Christmas Cactus. Consider replacing it one with of these hard-to-kill plants. Mother-in-Law's Tongue Spider Plants See More About:  foliage plants  flowering plants  orchids Today Ads Indoor Plant Plant Care Tree Care Plant Pruning Palm Care Featured Articles Fish Care While on Holiday Basics of Holiday Home Safety Dog Separation Anxiety Do I Leave My Teen Home Alone? Christmas Flower Gift Baskets Winter Lawn Care Tips   More from About.com Living with Depression By obtaining the correct medical intervention and learning better coping skills, you can not only live with depression, but live well. More> 9 Symptoms of Depression If you have experienced five or more of these symptoms within the same two week period, this could be indicative of an episode of depression. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Today newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com     Follow us on: Advertisement