It’s easy to tell when the holidays hit Chicago: a Christmas tree in Daley Plaza towers over the annual Christkindlmarket, the windows of the Marshall Field and Company Building come alive with intricate tableaus, and Santa Claus thunders down the L tracks aboard a holiday train festooned with lights. With so many sights to see, how do you decide on the best way to celebrate wintertime in the city? Our Guide is here to help. Check out our three categories of coverage below.

Food & Drink Gift guides for foodies, recipes to ward off the chill, and restaurant recommendations for holiday dining.

Holiday Gifts for Tea Drinkers with Help from Argo Tea

Four Chicago Chocolate Shops and Their Delectable Gifts

Eight Local Coffee Gifts to Add Pep to the Holidays

Four Holiday Treats That Kick the Gingerbread Man to the Curb

Five Europhile Foodie Gifts from Gene’s Sausage Shop

Give the Gift of Cheese

Gifts for Beer Lovers

Six Versatile Wines for Holiday Feasts

A Boozy Gift Guide

Arts & Leisure Upcoming plays and concerts, top family activities, and playlists that suit the season. Top Holiday Concerts for When You're Sick of Singing Along to Mariah Carey in the Car

The Twelve Plays of Christmas

Kids' Holiday Events That Are Way More Exciting than Visions of Sugar Plums

Nine Places to Debauch Yourself with Friends this Season

Five Places to (Almost) Avoid the Holidays

These Holiday Movie Screenings Beat Watching "Love, Actually" on Netflix

Rock Around the Christmas Tree with Logan Hardware's Holiday Playlist

editors Weigh in on Five New Holiday Albums for 2013

Style & Beauty Holiday shopping advice from local experts, the city’s best gift shops and seasonal markets, and the how-tos of throwing hit parties.

Holiday Gift Advice from the The Guide to Style & Beauty  

Geek Out Over These Gift Ideas from Chicago Comics

A Makeup Artist Picks the Best Beauty Gifts at Sephora (and CVS)

Gift Bags Are for the Weak

Make This Coal Plush Ornament for the Naughty People on Your Gift List

Peterson Garden Project’s Holiday Market Isn’t Just for Green Thumbs

Go from Work to a Holiday Party Without Changing Clothes

Five Handmade Gifts at Christkindlmarket

The Five Hardest People to Shop for (and Where to Shop for Them)

Five Holiday Gifts from L'Artisan Parfumeur

Shop These Small-Business Sales If Black Friday Makes You Blue

Aprons Your Dinner Clothes Will Give Thanks For

Five Holiday Gifts from Wicker Park's Paper Doll