Wrap it up in style

Make a statement with these creative gift wrapping ideas.

Hot tech toys for under $100

Find something for kids of all ages in this roundup of new toys.

Everybody wants a piece of peace

On the 50th anniversary of the peace sign, gifts bearing the symbol are to be found everywhere.

Preserving those precious memories

Bring the past into the future with home DVDs, scrapbooks and personalized photo albums.

MIAMI HERALD WISH BOOK | 2008

Their biggest wish: To keep the family together

The little apartment is crumbling. There are holes in the walls, pipes and wires exposed in the ceiling. St...

RELIGION

Shuls attract young, urban Jews observing ancient tradition

Rabbi Chaim Lipskar moved to Brickell Avenue three years ago, amid the big building boom he hoped would bri...

TELEVISION

Scholars come to the defense of the boob tube

The much-maligned 'idiot box' may actually boost test scores, according to a University of Chicago study.

RELIGION

Shuls attract young, urban Jews observing ancient tradition

Rabbi Chaim Lipskar moved to Brickell Avenue three years ago, amid the big building boom he hoped would bri...

RELIGION | FORT LAUDERDALE PAGEANT

Fort Lauderdale church pageant brings Christmas story to life

A Broadway-style biblical production on the life of Jesus starts Friday and celebrates its 25th edition wit...

RELIGION

If this is the steeple, where are all the people?

A survey found most young people consider themselves spiritual, but a third don't trust organized religion.

50 years of giving at Catholic Charities

ALICE ST. JEAN

Helping the Haitian community

MONSIGNOR NOEL T. FOGARTY

Ministering to change

LUISA FERRANDIZ

Phoning in prayers for seminarians

THE DATING GAME

Just getting started now that game's over

She said yes. And the game was over. After meeting upon chance at Lucky Strike bowling lanes on South Beach...

THE DATING GAME

Is it game, set, match? We have to wait and see

As you read this I am on a jet plane to Puerto Rico for the weekend with a chance to change my life. CoolGi...

THE DATING GAME

Meet the parents, Part 2

Eight months into dating ''CoolGirl'' -- after meeting her family and apparently passings their tests -- it...

THE DATING GAME

Established couple hits a couple of snags

Enjoying a dinner recently at Barton G. on Miami Beach, I met a pair of locals who had a unique view on dat...

THE DATING GAME

Mr. Right arrives at the wrong time

Why is it that when we are searching for something we never seem to find it -- until it's the farthest thin...

THE DATING GAME

Meet the parents and let them talk

When you start dating someone and make it past those first three months and move into months six through ni...

THE DATING GAME

Ruby's got one gem of a complex story

Fashion shows in South Florida bring together all sorts of people who believe they know what is stylish. Th...

IN MY OPINION

Cruelty extends its reach on the Web

If you claim a scrap of decency, an iota of humanity, you will shudder at the thought that a 19-year-old co...

IN MY OPINION

If only my daughter could learn from my mistakes

My daughter, pregnant with her first child and my third grand, has spent the past few weeks getting acquain...

IN MY OPINION

With all this newfound hope comes the big challenge

IN MY OPINION

Following principal: Columnist goes back to school to walk in her shoes

Night has yet to surrender when I arrive at the school where I will serve as principal for the day. I have ...

IN MY OPINION

Autumn marks a subtle change

Fall has arrived on its annual stealth mission. Have you noticed? Mornings are crisp, with the mercury dipp...

IN MY OPINION

That's rich, the way we look at wealth

What would it take to consider yourself rich? How much equity in a home and money in the bank might allow y...

IN MY OPINION

Mom worries she might not make the grade

Experience has taught me that the more I work at something, the better I'll master it. You know the old saw...

TELEVISION

Scholars come to the defense of the boob tube

The much-maligned 'idiot box' may actually boost test scores, according to a University of Chicago study.

Searching for Mary Poppins: Everything you need to find the perfect nanny

So SuperNanny seems to be too busy to take your calls, and you need some in-home child care. Where to start...

RESEARCH

Learning how the brain learns may be boon in the classroom

On her back in a dark tube, Blair Smith held still as a scanner combed her brain with magnetic waves. Words...

KIDS' HEALTH

A new plague for obese adolescents: Liver disease

In a new and disturbing twist on the obesity epidemic, some overweight teenagers have severe liver damage c...

DRUGS

Meds at home a bad Rx for kids

When I recently addressed a school nurses group, I learned of an alarming trend among teenagers and young a...

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE

Yummy in My Tummy offers organic baby food

Like many parents, Karen and Michael Stanley wanted to give their daughter the best when she was born 17 mo...

Survey: 1 in 6 Florida children without health insurance

With nearly 800,000 children without health insurance, Florida has the second highest rate of uninsured kid...

BOOKS

Her kids inspire tales for kids

Laurie Friedman fell in love with words after spending a chaotic first grade in three different classrooms....

KIDS' BOOKS

Author's mission is child's play

MIAMI BOOK FAIR INTERNATIONAL

Turns out 'Wimpy Kid' is the popular one

KIDS' BOOKS

Hope fulfilled after the horrors of war

Two years ago, Miami author Laurie Friedman read an item in The Miami Herald about Herman and Roma Rosenbla...

KIDS' BOOKS

Third novel's a charm from John Green

KIDS' BOOKS

Author leading a fantasy life

KIDS' BOOKS

An immigrant's tale for teens

The hero of Oscar Hijuelos' latest novel is Rico Fuentes, ``the palest Cubano who ever existed on the plane...

FAMILY MATTERS

Tips for parents taking their first vacation with the kids

Five years is too long between vacations. Just ask Amy and Matt Wilcher. The Ohio couple hasn't had a vacat...

Holiday visitors survival guide

When the holiday season brings an onslaught of out-of-town visitors to your warm, sunny front door, how do ...

TAKING THE KIDS

Family-friendly airport VIP lounges

Pancake, the much loved blue bear, seemed right at home among the oh-so-serious laptop-toting business peop...

TAKING THE KIDS

A menu of options for eating smart at Disney

You'll want to decide where to dine before you go -- in fact, you'll want to make reservations.

TAKING THE KIDS

Bring the kids to destination weddings

Wherever a wedding is held, eight out 10 couples invite kids to their nuptials, according to a surveyed by ...

Theme park prices are up, but look for deals

South Florida parents making that end-of-summer dash to the theme parks are in for sticker shock: One-day a...

Some airports have fun things for kids to do

Stuck in an airport with kids? Your wait time might not be as dreadful as you fear. Cheapflights.com has co...