I come from a family that puts eggnog in our coffee and whiskey in our rum.

So when I set out to attempt a few holiday jobs, I felt this ancestral ebullience over Christmas gave me a bit of an edge. I could lug a tree or deliver UPS packages with the best of them, right?

The goal: to experience the holidays through the eyes of those who deliver it to us each year, physically, emotionally, even spiritually.

Welcome to my long slog across the desert.

The mall elf

The first thing you need to know about elves is that our toes curl. We also lie a lot, and lie about how much we lie.

Did I mention...

For anyone who has felt exiled from the rest of the family while trying to soothe or feed a fussy infant, the new Brentwood nursery of Giuliana and Bill Rancic will be a welcome design.

The nautical theme may have been inspired by the television personalities' love of the ocean, but their interior designer, Lonni Paul of Lonni Paul Design, knew from personal experience that the nursery needed to be more than just a pleasant place for a baby to sleep.

“There needs to be a place for the family to get together," said Paul, the mother of 6-year-old twins.

To create a space where E! News...

Why does Bilbo Baggins live in a round house? That's the question we posed to Dan Hennah, production designer for "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," director Peter Jackson's latest film from the library of J.R.R. Tolkein, which opened this weekend (and already grossed $13 million at Thursday midnight showings).

PHOTOS: Architecture of 'The Hobbit'

"We used round doors to be true to Tolkien's descriptions in the book and also we used his sketches," Hennah said by email. "The ceiling in the kitchen is stone and inspired by cellar design, and the arches throughout were used as a structural...

If the owl ever does fly the coop, what “it” critter is next?

The indie craft artisans who caught the owl trend early and propelled it into mass-market stores are feeling foxy in a big way. A pointy-eared, whiskered portrait of cuteness is the top seller for Shannon Kennedy, a Long Beach artist who silk-screens animal prints under the studio name Sass & Peril.

“People have been walking by and saying, ‘The fox must be the new owl,'” Kennedy said from her booth at the Renegade craft market in downtown L.A. last weekend.

Timeline: How the owl became a decorating...

It's fitting that Hillary Danner is raising her son and daughter in a century-old Arts and Crafts home in the Sycamore Grove area of Highland Park. Built in 1904, the timber-and-stone residence has a grand staircase, a huge covered porch and a curious pedigree, a hint of which comes in the giant "La Boheme" inscription on the wood panel of the living room fireplace.

PHOTO GALLERY: Hillary Danner's "La Boheme" house

The inscription has special meaning to Danner, who grew up in a 1869 Victorian home in Englewood, N.J., that was restored by her parents, actor Harry Danner and operadirector...

When Pantone announces the color of the year every December, it doesn't just predict a hot hue for the 12 months to follow. The Pantone forecast comes with flowery explanations on why one color is expected to be particularly influential in fashion and home decor.

The color of the year might be a red hue that is "a reflection of exotic tastes," or a purple that is "anchoring and meditative." Below are Pantone's picks since 2000. Using Pantone's descriptions, can you guess the correct name for each color of the year?  

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Do-it-yourself bronze sculpture? The Arts Refoundry of Los Angeles has packaged the idea cleverly in gift form. Metalcast Kits include two double-ended carving tools; two small sheets of the super-hard wax used by pros; an abrasive pad for smoothing and finishing; and prepaid shipping to get the carved creation to the foundry, where it will be cast in bronze and returned as finished artwork.

The Metalcast Kits come in two versions: belt buckle ($110) or flat sculpture ($130). As an example of what the latter might look like, Arts Refoundry co-owner Kate Mayfield sent a photo of a bronze plaque...

Fans of the Echo Park Craft Fair’s local, artisan-made goods will find them in a new location this weekend when the twice-a-year event moves to the downtown L.A. Arts District.

Founded in 2009 by shoe designer Beatrice Valenzuela, the Echo Park Craft Fair has expanded to include more than 40 exhibitors, said co-organizer Rachel Craven, who had hosted the event at her home.

"We live in such a rich, artistic community," said Craven, who will be selling her hand-block-printed linen napkins and placemats. "But we needed a larger space. The backyard of my house just couldn't fit us anymore."