You think your family's tough to shop for? Meet the Mixon-Matches. Die-hard Republican Rick Mixon and his progressive ex-attorney wife, Mary Match, preside over a dauntingly eclectic brood that includes Rick's aging-hippie mother, Sylvia; teenage son Chris, a wannabe born-again Christian Goth; daughter Lily, whose crunchy quotient is off the charts now that she's back from college; youngest son Joey, the 10-year-old who somehow always gets overlooked; gay Uncle Robert, whose life seemed charmed till he saw the 2004 election results; Rick's high-maintenance mistress, Sheila; and Lucky, the not-so-aptly-named family mutt.

So yes, your own clan may be a little less — or a lot more — eclectic. Either way, you might find the perfect match in our Mixon-Match gift list. And if not, you can always follow through with your original idea for the holidays — fruitcakes for everyone!

The M-M's aren't the only players in this, the Planet's first Holiday Guide, aka The Totally Non-Denominational Winter Holiday Spectacular. You'll also find Tara Schroeder and Uncle Creepy, Brad Culpepper and Pauline Maiello, Russell Rhodes and Maryann Ferenc, Howard Troxler and Jerry Martini, and many, many more Tampa Bay notables — all of whom responded to our questions about the holidays with anecdotes ranging from heartwarming to "Huh?" (Warning: Artist A.A. Rucci's Austrian idyll may make you rethink serving a holiday ham ever again.)

And there's more. Max Linsky recalls his family's inter-denominational holiday rites, and Scott Harrell talks to people who don't see much of their families at all over the holidays — the folks working the post office, the bookstores and the always-busy world of adult entertainment. Eric Snider offers some tips on giving without breaking the bank (or a sweat), while David Bramer reveals the heretofore unheralded link between Santa Claus and Linux. Film critic Lance Goldenberg previews the "serious" movie season; Kelli K takes a decidedly un-serious look at Christmas flicks both classic and not-so; and Joe Bardi tells the Halo 2-deprived about the other video games out there this season. And beginning with this issue and continuing through the next several weeks, our indefatigable events editor Leilani Polk will be listing every boat parade, tree lighting, Chanukah party and Messiah sing-along she can fit into the pages of the Planet.

So, whether you've been bah-humbugging since Halloween or you began decorating the tree right after Labor Day, we think there'll be something for you in our holiday guide. Enjoy!

—David Warner

This article appears in Nov 17-23, 2004.