Beginning in late November, Busch Gardens will transform into a holiday wonderland, featuring more than 1 million twinkling lights and a 45-foot, light-animated Christmas tree.

Shoppers came out in force yesterday, drawn to Richmond-area malls by the promise of deep discounts from retailers looking to make up for less-than-jolly pre-holiday sales.

Listen to Ingrid Allen describe the gumbo she makes for her family’s Kwanzaa feast, and you get an enticing sense of the holiday. “You have boudin sausage, crab, fish, chicken, tomatoes, okra, peppers, onions, different seasonings.“

Since 1998 Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Gregory J. Gilligan has worked as a retail clerk during the holidays to give readers a look at what the job entails. This year he was Santa’s helper at Bass Pro Shops. SLIDESHOW

The Richmond Times-Dispatch’s holiday-card contest attracted more than five dozen entries from children who clearly have embraced the holiday spirit. Check out the Video: Homemade Hallmark.

Two weeks before Thanksgiving, Bruce Kern began hitting up all of his friends with vans. It takes quite a fleet to transport 97 large Rubbermaid boxes containing 2,500 Christmas ornaments from a storage unit on Brook Road to Kern’s home on Hanover Avenue in Richmond’s Fan District. SLIDESHOW: Bruce Kern’s “problem” with Christmas

Delicate blown-glass ornaments, expensive collectibles, precious objects that have been in the family for years, children’s handmade treasures. Are you giving your tree décor the loving care it deserves or do you just toss everything in a cardboard box when the holidays are over? Here are some options for properly storing ornaments:

The white cat mewed her holiday wishes. Caroline Umphlet listened. Ms. Claus the cat—no relation to the big guy—dictated a letter, which Caroline, 7, translated from muffled meows to modern English. “Ms. Claus wants a family and a home. Can she have a little toy, too? Can she have a great friend? Can she have a loving family?“

What wine to serve New Year’s Eve? What would best tickle the nose? What goes best with oysters, caviar, shellfish or just about anything.? Sparkling wine, in one form or another, is the answer to all of these questions. It could be Champagne from France, Cava from Spain (especially a pinot noir-based Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs), spumante or prosecco from Italy, Sekt from Germany or Cremant from France’s Burgundy and Alsace regions.

Fruitcake, as we all know, has a less-than-stellar reputation when it comes to holiday food. “If you want to get even with a person,“ said Mattie Clayton with a laugh, expressing a common line of thinking, “give them a fruitcake.“ But she’s not talking about her fruitcakes. She uses those for genuine gifts, not retribution.

Historic Petersburg Foundation’s 31st annual homes tour takes place Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The Christmas event, “The Homes on Westover Avenue,“ features seven open houses and refreshments (2 to 4 p.m.) at Christ & Grace Episcopal Church, with music by Appomattox Regional Governor’s School students. Tickets are $25. Sale locations are: Historic Petersburg Foundation, Java Mio, Petersburg Visitors Center, Joyner Paint & Frame, Palmore Decorating Center, River’s Edge, Laine’s Paint & Frame and Windows & Walls.