Every gift in this guide does minimal harm to the planet and the various creatures who call it home.

Bath gift set, by Aveda | Charity Pot lotion, by LUSH | Cocoa almond scrub, by Scrub Me All Over! | Soap and Shampoo Bars, by Loth & Volta | Guy Gear tri wash, by Issimo | Aroma water and massage oil, by Okooko | Bubble bath, by EO

Dornfelder red wine, by Stargazers Vineyard | Chocolate assortment, by John & Kira's | Aztec hot chocolate and chocolate-covered coffee beans, by Joe Coffee Bar | Fudge assortment, by Betty's Tasty Buttons | Vanilla Bean biscotti, by Gilda's Biscotti | Spice cake, by Lotus Cake Studio | Artisan coffee, by Crescent Moon Coffee

Robot belt, by Under the Bigtop | Messenger bags, by R.E.Load | Screen-printed tie, by Tymbal | 59 fanny bag, by Fabric Horse | Silver shrine rings, by Wild Card | Brimmed hat, by Livity | Crewneck tee, by Upcycle Clothing

Knit hats, by Giant Dwarf | Ankle boots, by Terra Plana | Coin purse, by Kim White | Love and Diamonds tee, by Aveen | Watch necklaces, by Carolynne McNeel | Pave bracelet, by Oceano | Polka dot clutch, by Tillvaro Designs,

Stuffed animals, by Pear Tree Studio | Animal hats, by Artesania | Galimoto, Ten Thousand Villages | Brontosaurus puzzle, by Imagiplay | Find It, $24, the Children's Boutique | Rainbow Maker, by Kikkerland | Woodblock Printing Set, Past Present Future

Ruby, pit bull/Chihuahua mix, currently residing at Morris Animal Refuge | Peanut butter dog treats, by Cloud Star | Catnip bed, by West Paw Design | Stuffed dog toys, by Simply Fido | Pet shampoo, by Earthbath | Dog collars, by Earth Dog | Zogoflex chew toy, by West Paw Design

Despite its color, the Christmas tree is far from a "green" tradition. In fact, you could probably light a small village with the energy used to illuminate the holiday centerpiece you uprooted from Mother Earth.

Our Dumb World: Atlas of the Planet Earth | Plush You! Lovable Misfits to Sew and Stuff | The TV Guide Book of Lists | The Perry Bible Fellowship: The Trial of Colonel Sweeto and Other Stories | Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook | Lucy at the Movies | Obsessed with Baseball & Obsessed with Hollywood | The Best American Comics 2007 | Do Not Open: An Encyclopedia of the World's Best-Kept Secrets | Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball | You Can Lead a Politician to Water But You Can't Make Him Think: Ten Commandments for Texas Politics | Punk 365 | Patron Saints: A Feast of Holy Cards | The New Kings of Nonfiction

I've just received a piece of mail from Alan Butkovitz, our city controller, that put me in the holiday spirit.

by Duane Swierczynski

"Civility is the answer to the city's problems. And these childrenare a way in."

by Bruce Schimmel

In praise of the city street lamp.

by Nathaniel Popkin

What You Say

In superhero land, a "shazam" always turned Billy Batson, an otherwise common orphan, into Captain Marvel. In time for this week's arrival of Hanukkah, one "oi-vey" and Al Wiesner's Jewish comic book superhero, Shaloman, is up, up and away.

Damonabnormal on the street

By now you know just how dandy candy can be (Ice Breakers — sweet dissolvable Hershey powder). But liquor was always quicker and no one knew better than Jack Canal.

After 11 months of smooth sailing, the fates conspired to deliver setbacks for Running Numbers' New Year's resolutions. Here's how I'm failing:

Is Penn student Ryan Goldstein a pawn in an FBI malware sting?

by Rick Valenzuela

Barbara Clayton would gladly unburden herself to this room, filled mostly with women, about her nightmarish journey through the child welfare system: the unreturned phone calls, the dismissive treatment, the apparent insistence on the part of the Department of Human Services (DHS) to put her grandson up for adoption. Instead, she just explains how she's "been working very hard to get my grandson back."

Boy Scouts ignore city-imposed deadline to lift ban against gay and atheist members. And they still wear those little handkerchiefs, right? And all those pieces of flair? Minus 4

I remember so well the final morning hours of the Kyoto conference. The negotiations had gone on long past their scheduled evening close, and the convention-center management was frantic — a trade show for children's clothing was about to begin, and every corner of the vast hall still was littered with the carcasses of the sleeping diplomats who had gathered in Japan.

From nonsmokers: It's great that police got such a large amount of a dangerous drug off our streets, big step for the war on drugs. From pot smokers: Hold on man, overdoses? On weed? Did they eat too many Cheetos or something?

He may not have known better, but a CDC head's request for a "donation" shows us everything that's wrong with Philly.

by Brian Hickey

Fumo prepares for a fight in the First District.

by Mary F. Patel

Once again, a veteran gallery regains its balance — this time in Fishtown.

by A.D. Amorosi

World Café Live | Breakfast at Tiffany's | Nonprofit plush | Local art community

Locks Gallery TOP: Chefettes by Mary Mazziotti, oil and glitter BOTTOM: Too Long at the Fair by Susanna Raab, c-print (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

by Sam Tremble

Sat., Dec. 8, 7 p.m., $3 donation, $5 raffle tickets, Molly's Bookstore, 1010 S. Ninth St., 215-551-1945, bigteaparty.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

"Really Rosie," through spring 2008, Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2010 Delancey Place, 215-732-1600, rosenbach.org.

by Lori Hill

Sat., Dec. 8, 8 p.m., $8-$20; dance classes earlier in the day, 10:30 a.m. for tap and noon for flamenco, reservations required (call 215-726-1106), $5 per class, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Race St., 215-925-9914, paintedbride.org.

by Deni Kasrel

Reflections of a Forgotten Sunset: Binod Shrestha's installations, paintings and charcoal drawings explore empty space and lost memories. | Looking Back: In Boringbot's acrylic paintings, humans occupy only one-tenth of the canvas. The artist's focal points are natural elements such as cotton-candy-colored skies, skinny trees and birds in flight. | New Members Exhibition: Bonnie Brenda Scott, Tasha Doremus and Bilwa examine modern technology, youth and the DIY ethic. Scott's ink drawings fuse the mundane with the absurd: A giant fern talks on a cell phone and joggers have TVs for heads.

José Limon Dance Company

by Janet Anderson

You're Making All Station Stops

by Shaun Brady

Allen M. Hornblum and Edward Anthony

by Dana Henry

Galleries are usually open Tuesdays through Saturdays; please call the gallery for exact days and hours. Receptions are denoted with Reception 3RD STREET GALLERY ,

Museums and exhibits have varying schedules;please call for exact days, hours and prices. ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES , 19th St. & the Parkway, 215-299-1000. BUTTERFLIES!,

Please call the phone number listed with the venue for specific dates, times and ticket information. dance FIRST FRIDAY Headlong Dance Theater presents an informal

ALLEN M. HORNBLUM The author reads from his latest nonfiction work, "Sentenced to Science: One Black Man's Story of Imprisonment in America," the story of

A literary deconstruction cloaked in period filigree, Ian McEwan's Atonement basks in the syntactical elegance of classic British fiction before unstringing it like so much tinsel.

"We were trying to act like the actors of the 1930s," McAvoy says. "You don't drop the cues. You speak quickly. The energy doesn't go down at the end of the line. And unless it's for some reason, you don't pause."

Send repertory film listings to tami.fertig@citypaper.net.

It was a scenario Edward Gorey himself could have written: Morbid-minded musician gets letter from reclusive author of a similarly macabre bent, inviting said composer to turn said scribe's unpublished manuscripts into cheerily bleak stage show.

Gallo, famous for shockingly quiet and sonorous solo recordings, formed meaningful collaborations with Jean-Michel Basquiat in the crunchy no wave outfit Gray, recorded as a member of the noisy trio Bohack and played with Lucas Haas as Bunny.

A recent visit from the Kirov Orchestra gave proof that nationalistic differences still exist.

by Peter Burwasser

"Where You Are"

by John Vettese

Dirty Projectors | The Winks | Margot and the Nuclear So-and-Sos | Kristeenyoung | Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds

Tue., Dec. 11, 8 p.m., $12, Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St., arsnovaworkshop.com.

by Shaun Brady

Guarneri Quartet, Tue., Dec. 11, 8 p.m., $22.50, Convention Center, 13th and Race streets, 215-569-8080, pcmsconcerts.org. 1807 and Friends, Mon., Dec. 10, 7:30 p.m., Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St., $17, 215-438-4027, frnd1807@verizon.net.

by Peter Burwasser

Don't bother to call Las Bugambilias: It's likely no one will answer the phone. Luckily, it's still possible to walk into this new Mexican restaurant on South Street and get a seat — for the moment, at least.

Moctezuma Restaurant 1108-10 S. Ninth St.: The Hernandez family's Ninth Street eatery serves up hearty lunches and dinner choices that range from the familiar (tacos, huaraches, flautas) to the harder-to-find (their seafood selection is far more expansive than most Mexis). | The Ugly American 1100 Front St.: Head chef David Gilberg, late of Loie Brasserie, says he's excited about "Americanizing" some classic French fare — take his hearty cassoulet, made with tons of bacon, Martin's sausages, black-eyed peas and greens.

Imagine the heartiest meal you've ever had — then imagine it brought to your table and devoured within minutes.

In the summer of 1966, the then-21-year-old was hired as a dishwasher at a hot springs resort in Carmel Valley, Calif. When one of the cooks quit, they asked the native San Franciscan if he wanted the job. "I was young enough not to know that I couldn't," laughs Brown.

Get Out!

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

Tip of the Riceberg

by Gary M. Kramer

Christopher Brosius' Food Perfume | Pomme de Glace at Twenty21 | Rugelach from Four Worlds Bakery

Dave Bielanko on Marah's past and what's to come

by A.D. Amorosi

No Foie Gras Gala

by Aly Semigran

Traveling Wares

by Monica Weymouth

Plaid Pony Holiday Open House

by Amy Strauss

You Give Peace a Chance

by Ptah Gabrie

Zombie Escape Plan

by Monica Weymouth