Hang the Holidays

Capitol Candles knows: Just because it’s political doesn’t mean it can’t smell good.

Cyber Monday? Black Friday? Chartreuse Saturday? Bah! (Maybe even "Humbug.") We've got all you need for your bulging holiday packages – in every color, for every day of the week – right here.

Every year the Chronicle rounds up ideas for a few of the kinds of smart, fun, artful, cinematic, locally made and sourced, socially responsible, obscure, even political (see News writer Wells Dunbar's Capitol Candles contribution, pictured) stuff we know our discerning readers will want to give – and get.

In addition, our annual holiday Wish Lists – featuring myriad ways you can donate to local nonprofits and needy fellow citizens – offer our conscientious and socially minded readers opportunities to share their good fortunes with others.

This year is no exception – in fact, we must confess, we already started with last week's issue (early indicators are that it's going to be a very Steve McQueen holiday). This week features more issue-minded offerings from the News department (Formula One Racing for Dummies), video games (most destined for year's-best lists), a mother lode of cooking and food books, the ultimate guide to album box-set immersion (or is that aversion?) therapy, and even a local Craiglist curation blog (www.thoushallcraigslist.blogspot.com) for the reduce/reuse types among you.

There's more to come, of course – including those Wish Lists, which start next week. You can see it all accumulate from week to week under the virtual tree: austinchronicle.com/giftguide.

Check our blogs (austinchronicle.com/chronolog), our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/AustinChronicle), and our Twitter feed (@AustinChronicle) regularly, too: Our holiday world is vast; it contains multitudes – of presents. (Sorry, Walt.)