The good snacks. The ridiculous gifts. The elf you forgot to move.
Welcome to Holiday Headquarters, your shortcut to the fun parts of the season. Find a countdown worth opening, something good to watch, and the kind of gift that gets an actual reaction. The 2026 picks are below.
Jump to: Holiday Treats & Drinks · Advent Calendar Obsession · Hanukkah & Holiday Finds · Holiday Movies & TV · Elf on the Shelf · Gifts That Don’t Suck · What in the Holiday Hell?
Holiday Treats & Drinks
Starbucks is bringing tiramisu to the holiday menu
Mascarpone cold foam, popping pearls and a Bearista Cake Pop. Here’s what’s confirmed for November 5.
The candy cane is made of cheddar
Boarderie’s Christmas boards turn cheese into gingerbread people and candy canes. Read the delivery and refrigeration details before sending one.
Advent Calendar Obsession
Find your kind of countdown
Beauty, chocolate, LEGO, tools and the wonderfully weird. Start with our 2026 Advent calendar guide.
Which K-beauty calendar is worth your money?
Compare skincare and makeup, minis and full sizes, plus the stock and shipping details to check before buying.
Olive & June skipped the mini polish
Compare the full-size polish countdown with the separate Pressies calendar for kids and tweens.
Hanukkah & Holiday Finds
Hanukkah dates, recipes and candle-lighting guidance
Chabad’s Hanukkah guide brings together recipes, traditions and local events. In 2026, the holiday runs from the evening of December 4 through December 12.
Tiny glass houses and a musical Christmas TV
A closer look at Hearth & Hand’s little holiday details, from brass-edged houses to a striped cocoa set.
Holiday Movies & TV
The Fraggles have a Christmas assignment
Wembley is in charge, a snow globe has gone missing, and the new Apple TV special arrives December 4.
A Christmas shop, an old flame, and a complicated plan
Here’s where to watch Silver Bells at Christmas and how the Pure Flix and Great American Family releases differ.
Elf on the Shelf
For the nights you remember the elf at bedtime
Thirty easy setups using socks, books, toys and other things already in the house.
When is this tiny houseguest supposed to arrive?
The official return window, Christmas Eve departure and a little breathing room for your family’s schedule.
Gifts That Don’t Suck
Kendra Scott gifts, from little treats to big splurges
Compare the holiday jewelry by style, materials and budget before getting distracted by the yellow Advent box.
For the person whose griddle is a personality trait
Blackstone’s official cookbook has more than 100 recipes, including Bacon Banana French Toast.
What in the Holiday Hell?
The elf has outgrown the shelf
Lowe’s giant poseable elf is 58 inches tall. The window photo deserves its own warning.
Your coffee pod can have a Christmas ornament
Swarovski turned Original and Vertuo capsules into crystal ornaments. The coffee habit has officially reached the tree.
Need another rabbit hole? See what’s new on Totally The Bomb.