Merry and bright: Rethinking peace and good will
The strings of tiny white lights swaddled the streetside trees lining our quaint little downtown, seemingly moments after the ghosts and ballerinas and their beggars' sacks had cleared out.

Good call: Counseling along the road to happiness
One of my sisters gave me a T-shirt recently, one of those made by that cheery apparel manufacturer Life Is Good. It depicts little stick figures and bears the words, "Do what you like, like what you do." A decent suggestion.

Flu fears inspire an unforeseen shot in the arm
True confession: I'm funny about needles.

Confronted by a frightening void in holiday inspiration
It's entirely possible that I'm a celebraphobe.