While everyone enjoys Christmas, it's ultimately a holiday that thrives on the happiness of children. From remote-controlled helicopters and tablets to the latest video games, kids these days have eclectic tastes. Quite the difference from the days of Teddy Ruxpin.

Here's our guide to get that special little tike the perfect gift this season.

Furby: This is not your '90s Furby. This one interacts with your iPod touch, iPad and iPhone and comes with a free app so you can play games with it and even feed it. Fear not you digitally defunct parents, there's still plenty to do with the toy without the app.

Boo: If you've seen the adorable pup on Facebook, you know your little one will find her just as charming. At nine inches tall, it's extremely close to the same size as the dog and is extremely lifelike.

Nerf Firevision Football: This makes a great gift for a younger football fan or even a teen. Armed with a pair of glasses that will allow you to see the ball in the dark, the Firevision football makes sure the fun never has to stop. Even cooler, there are different color glasses, so kids can coordinate their own teams for an even cooler experience.

LeapPad2 Explorer: Is your youngin' addicted to your iPad? Why not get them a tablet of their own? This one however will help them learn and comes prepackaged with tons of apps with games and learning exercises. Acting as a playful distraction, it plays music and video, and has a front and back camera to take photos and record video.

Air Hogs R/C Heli Replay: Radio-controlled helicopters are extremely expensive in hobby shops, but Airhogs makes durable products that can be flown anywhere in the house and outside. This helicopter turns your smart phone into your remote and makes for a great first experience into model aviation for children of all ages. It's also something adults will enjoy playing with.

Remote Control Machines: Another great gift for kids of all ages, Thames and Kosmos' radio controlled machines allow you to make your own remote controlled, well, anything. Using your imagination and a box full of small motors and building pieces, you can create a bulldozer, car, three-wheeler, crane, antique car, plow, folding car, formula one racer, three-blade dozer, and even a robotic arm. The set is also compatible with the company's previous kits, making it perfect for family to buy expansions.

GIFT GUIDE: DVDS FOR THE KIDS

Skylanders Giants Starter Pack: This isn't your normal video game. Accessible on a console, on the web and mobile, it's essentially the closest thing to a Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Game a child could have. Figures, placed on a stand, come alive on the television screen. With a plethora of figures and characters, there are limitless ways to play.

Y-Volution YFliker F1 Scooter: This is one cool scooter. Coming in a variety of colors and sporting a sturdy three-wheel design, it'll keep your kids outside and active.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Secret Sewer Lair Playset: This is simply a mammoth toy set. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back in a huge way and this set will allow your kids to have their imagination run wild at the Turtles' home. For those '80s babies, it's also a fun way to reconnect with your favorite childhood superheroes and share the fun with your kids.

WWE Brawlin' Buddies: Wrestling isn't the safest thing for your kids to do, but these soft, cuddly versions of their favorite WWE Superstars will make wrasslin' a walk in the park. The dolls even speak their signature catchphrases and "battle sounds."

Federal employees will have the day off from work on Monday, Dec. 24, according to an executive order signed by President Barack Obama on Friday.

A petition on WhiteHouse.gov had collected 28,214 signatures from users who believed the Monday before Christmas should be a work holiday.

The petition reads in part:

"Federal employees have had a pay freeze for the past several years and the pay and benefits for the federal workforce have been under serious attack during the national elections held this year.

Giving federal employees an extra holiday on December 24th, 2012 would be a good gesture to improve morale of the federal workforce.

Obama's executive order states that all executive branch departments and agencies will be closed, except where department heads may decide otherwise.

An Arlington shelter for women and families is getting an early Christmas gift thanks to a local business.

"Doorways for Women and Families," the only domestic violence shelter in Arlington County, is getting a new roof for its safe house.

The old roof has not held up well through Hurricane Sandy and recent winter storms.

The shelter was nominated in an annual giveaway from Sterling-based DryHome Roofing & Siding.

"We're so excited," said Heather O'Malley who represents Doorways. "This will allow us to direct our limited resources to other areas that benefit the shelter and those who need it."

The shelter serves more than 70 women and families each year who are trying to flee abusive relationships.

"A roof is a big expense for a non-profit so this is a great holiday present," O'Malley said.

The company has awarded two recipients each December for the past decade.

This year's other winner is Leesburg resident Ann Harris.

Her sister died from cancer, and Harris is raising her children while caring for her father who has colon cancer.

Harris's husband also died from the disease.

Her roof has been covered by a tarp for several years.

The shelter was nominated by several of the volunteers who work there.

More information on the Doorways for Women and Families Shelter is available on their website, www.doorwaysva.org.

As Hanukkah drew to a close, Matisyahu dropped by the 9:30 Club on his yearly Festival of Lights tour -- this time without his long beard and traditional Jewish attire. He explains that with an evolving musical sound, his appearance has evolved as well.

Accompanied by Israeli jazz artist Daniel Zamir and his Dub Trio band, Matisyahu brought his high-energy blend of hip-hop, rock and reggae to a sold-out venue Thursday, ending the show by stage-diving into the crowd, followed by an invitation to the audience to join him on stage for a spirited singing of his anthem and hit single “One Day.”

Before the show, Matisyahu met with online contributor Peter Kirchhausen to discuss his music, his faith, the direction of the music industry... and how to end the hockey lockout. 

Peter Kirchhausen: Happy Hanukkah. You're nearing the end of this year's tour so I wanted to ask you a question about faith. If you talk to a lot of rabbis, they will say that Judaism is a faith in crisis, with so many young people taking to the faith culturally but not religiously.  You got into Judaism after high school when you were a bit older, so what would you say to an 18-year-old who is struggling to find his or her faith?

Matisyahu: "Well, I think that being lost is an important part of life. I think the real scary part is when people are too found -- people who are too certain about something. I think I've been lost for most of my life. Even when I thought I found something, I was lost.

So thank God that I'm 33 now, and I feel that I'm just starting to find myself, but that is part of the journey -- that is life. But I am not of the school of telling people what they should or should not think or how they should live their lives or even advising people. That stuff is really personal."

PK: There has been a real evolution between your first album, "Youth," and your new album, "Spark Seeker." This album has a very electronic sound with produced beats and lots of Middle Eastern influences. What were your influences behind this latest album?

Matisyahu: "I've been influenced by a lot of different music. I was influenced by reggae music, live instrumental music like Phish, and by hip-hop, so I've tried in my past records to bring the different sounds that I like to create my sound.

As you said, my music is always changing based on music that I'm listening to, which is always changing as I listen and explore new things. But with this record I wanted a clean record with more of a hip-hop digital sound with programmed beats and with a big synthesizer sound with a lot of melody and a lot of hooks.

This record, working with producer Koool Kojak, happened very organically and he was the person who helped me make that kind of record. The majority of it was recorded in Los Angeles but we also spent two weeks in Israel where we incorporated more of a Middle Eastern instrumentation which is darker and more mysterious."

PK: You got into the business at the tail end of the time when people were still buying CD's -- I bought your first CD at my local record store, Area Records in Geneva, N.Y. The industry is changing and so it how to make a living in the music industry. For the 17-year-old who wants to tell their parents they hope to make music for a living, what would you tell them?

Matisyahu: "The way I approached it was not as a recording artist, but instead as a touring artist. I grew up listening to Phish and going to lots of concerts. And in hip-hop, the groups that I liked such as the Roots, had live instruments and that is what appealed to me. For me, it started with putting a band together, playing at coffee shops and open mics -- that is how I developed as a performer, but everyone is different.

I know kids who started in their bedroom making beats and recording all their own music and a label discovered them -- 'Wow, you did all this yourself?' -- but everyone is different. I would tell a 17-year-old who is trying to make a living by making music to focus on loving the music, but you don't tell someone that. It either is or it isn't.

Being a musician isn't about being smart and making good decisions. It's about being creative and if you are a smart businessman, that will help you on the road and maybe you won't make some of the mistakes I've made."

PK: Are you worried about the direction the music industry is going?

Matisyahu: "It is what it is, people will always want to hear music. Whether or not we will all be multimillionaires making music, that is another story. Money isn't why I'm doing what I do. I do this to make music, and for me, a lot of it has to do with being on the road meeting people and being with people."

PK: I know Israel means a lot to you, and I'm not asking you what is going wrong in the Middle East because you are not a scholar -- but what element do you think is missing that is keeping both sides from making peace?

Matisyahu: "A lot of people try to ask what is missing on both sides, but it's not necessarily the same thing on both sides; it doesn't always work that way. As much as we would like to say that everyone needs to take responsibility for themselves, which is true... even though we would like to say they are doing the same thing, it's not the same thing.

The Arabs are p----d that the Jews are there and they are willing to kill. And the Jews feel that they were murdered for 3,000 years and they are not going to put up with it anymore. So that is the simple story, and there is no easy answer. You can trace it back biblically, between Abraham and two women, Hagar and Sarah. Sarah didn't want her son Issac playing with Ismael. It's kind of prophetic."

PK: I know you are a big hockey fan, growing up playing ice hockey as a Rangers fan and now rooting for the Kings since you moved to L.A.. If you had NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the leader of the players union together in one room, what you would tell them to end the lockout?

Marisyahu: "I would bring in some kid wearing his Rangers hat and have that kid look at them both and say 'Why can't my Ranger play hockey?' I want to take my kids to a hockey game. I'm sure most of the players are suffering -- I guess they're getting a little vacation from America and I bet the Europeans are happy."

PK: Tell me something fans don't know about you.

Matisyahu: "Hmm. I don't know what the fans know about me so that is tough. I have a Harley and I love riding my motorcycle."

PK: Do you ever ride up the coast to San Francisco?

Matisyahu: "Yeah, I do. That's something people don't know about me -- I spent the first four years of my life in California, and did preschool in Berkeley. My first concert was actually out there at the Oakland Coliseum in 1980. It was a Grateful Dead show."

PK: Your parents brought you to a Grateful Dead concert when you were two years old?

Matisyahu: "Yeah, we would always go to Dead shows; my parents were Deadheads."

PK: It's been about a year since you make a big change by shaving your beard, which was a part of your distinct Jewish look. In an industry where image means so much, have things started to settle? I know there was a pretty big backlash on the internet that you had to deal with.

Matisyahu: "Yeah, initially it was pretty bad. But people are adjusting and rolling with it. For me, it wasn't about a brand. For me it was a very personal thing.

It happens to be that people are going to see my face and it means something to people, and the look represented something to people. But for me it was an internal decision and it came from the inside out as does my music and my life. Like you said, in Hollywood and in the industry, the opposite is true and the outside matters more than the inside. There wasn't an incident that triggered the change, it was just an evolution. After years of struggling to fit into a mold, there were upsides and there were downsides to submitting yourself to a higher cause. You get out of yourself in a certain way."

So, you've meandered the massive outlet malls and survived the endless aisles of the department stores -- but we know you're not done with your shopping yet.

But that's where the Sugarloaf Craft Festival comes in.  Head out to the Dulles Expo Center (4368 Chantilly Shopping Center, Chantilly, Va.) to shop for handmade blankets, artisanal breads, handbags, paintings, handmade jewelry and more from 300+ artisans.

You'll also find puppet shows for the kids and plenty of specialty food vendors. (Who has the strength to shop without the aid of chocolate-covered pretzels, anyway?)

The Sugarloaf Craft Festival runs Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday Dec. 9 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 online or $10 at the door. Kids younger than 12 are free.

The Expo Center is located about 35 minutes from downtown D.C.

"Casablanca"
Celebrating its 70th Anniversary, the film that many consider to be one of the greatest screen love stories of all time thanks to defining performances from stars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, continues to feel as exotic and romantic as ever. Now in a new transfer to Blu-Ray, the 1942 classic comes in both a single disc package and an elaborate three-disc limited edition collector’s set that features more than 45 minutes of brand-new bonus content alongside nearly nine hours of documentary, as well as a treasure trove of collectible memorabilia.

"Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection"
The Master of Suspense at last receives an extravagant Blu-Ray treatment, collecting most of the crème of his directorial crop in one lavish high-def assemblage: 15 of Hitch’s finest, most notably his masterworks “Vertigo,’ “Psycho,” “Rear Window,” “North By Northwest” and “The Birds.” Each disc is filled to overflowing with commentaries, documentaries featurettes and archival elements, and the set includes a 50-page book spotlighting the behind-the-scenes ephemera from the filmmaker’s legendary oeuvre. For Hitchcock completists, additional titles in his acclaimed filmography not included in the set have also seen recent releases, including “Notorious,” “Rebecca,” “Spellbound,” “Dial M for Murder” and “Strangers On a Train.”

"Singin’ In the Rain"
After 60 uncontested years as the most beloved movie musical ever made, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor’s song-and-dance sequences are more dazzling than ever in a new Blu-Ray transfer. The Ultimate Collector’s Edition box set lives up to its billing: along with the expected wealth of commentaries, outtakes, extras and a brand-new documentary, it also includes an essential tool for keeping sunny when it’s soggy outside – an umbrella.

"Tarantino XX"
Even if you already own every one of maverick writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s eight groundbreaking, genre-busting films included in this set commemorating 20 years of quintessentially cool cinema – “Reservoir Dogs,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Jackie Brown,” “Kill Bill, Vol. 1,” “Kill Bill, Vol, 2,” “Death Proof,” “Inglorious Basterds” and the Tarantino-penned, Tony Scott-directed “True Romance” – there’s plenty of new stuff to film-geek out over, like two full bonus discs exploring the filmmaker’s revolutionary career.

"The Postman Always Rings Twice"
One of the most influential crime noir tales of all time, author James M. Cain’s steamy pulp classic still sizzles with the Blu-Ray bow of its 1946 big-screen adaptation, with sultry, platinum blonde Lana Turner embodying the ultimate film femme fatale who lures hapless drifter John Garfield into her knotty, duplicitous scheme to rid herself of her increasingly unnecessary husband.

"Sunset Boulevard"
Writer-director Billy Wilder’s mesmerizing portrait of a delusional Hollywood has-been (Gloria Swanson) drawing an opportunistic almost-was (William Holden) into a web of self-delusion remains both a pitch-black dark comedy and seminal film noir tragedy. Along with in-depth bonus material and a restoration designed to best convey the black-and-white film’s contrasting lights and darks, the most arcane extra is a song penned by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the film that was cut for fear of being too inside-Hollywood for 1950s audiences.

"Bond 50"
To mark five decades of espionage, action, girls and gadgets, this comprehensive collection of the world’s most enduring film franchise includes all 22 of 007’s cinematic missions – from Sean Connery’s debut performance as James Bond in 1962’s “Dr. No” to Daniel Craig’s second turn as the secret agent in 2008’s “Quantum of Solace” and every official Bond film – including those featuring George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton and Pierce Brosnan – in between, along with more than 130 hours of bonus dossiers.

"Francis Ford Coppola: 5-Disc Collection"
A quintet of classics from the visionary filmmaker whose epic scope and intimate touch changed the way movies were made in the 1970s. Even when two of the five are variant versions of the same film – 1979’s Vietnam opus “Apocalypse Now” and 2001’s significantly extended “Apocalypse Now Redux” – the set delivers a far-reaching look at the director’s output over several decades, including the ‘70s (“The Conversation"), the 80s (“One From the Heart”) and the 2000s (“Tetro”).

"Lawrence of Arabia"
Director David Lean’s magnificent telling of the desert adventures of T.E. Lawrence during World War I celebrates its 50th Anniversary with an appropriately epic pair of releases of the newly restored masterwork: a two-disc edition that also includes extras like a full-length making-of documentary and multiple featurettes; and a four-disc limited edition collector’s set that delivers even more behind-the-scenes material, a previously unseen deleted scene, a CD soundtrack, an 88-page book with rarely seen photos and 70mm film frame from the movie.

"Brave"
The tale of Pixar’s first action heroine Merida cannily featured plenty of elements evoking Disney’s classic princesses, though the bow-toting Scots lass is perfectly capable of pursuing her own happy ending. The Ultimate Collector’s Edition – a five-disc 3D combo pack is a highland fling filled with amazing extras, including an alternate opening, an analysis of the character’s accented English, and the beautiful animated short “La Luna.”

"Arthur Christmas 3D"
Those who may have missed Sony Pictures Animation and Aardman Studio’s utterly charming and decidedly snarky take on Santa Claus’ clan – with his klutzy youngest son Arthur weathering family dysfunction in a bid to, of course, save Christmas – will be delighted to discover this holiday-classic-in-the-making, which also features extras like an Elf recruitment film and even Justin’s Bieber’s take on “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.”

"Finding Nemo"
One of Pixar’s most beloved films is still making a big splash – after a welcome return to theaters earlier this year in a richly detailed 3D version, the modern animated classic swims into the Blu-Ray format for the first time, available in a variety of configurations. The five-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition delivers the full aquarium, with the 3D Blu-Ray edition, a standard Blu-Ray version and bonus features, a DVD and a digital copy – plus the short film “Partysaurus Rex,” the wildest “Toy Story Toon” to date.

"Looney Tunes Platinum Collection Vol. 2"
Cartoons don’t come any faster or flat-out funny than the 50 timeless, still-hilarious and painstakingly remastered shorts – assembled from Warner Bros. legendary Looney Tunes stable, starring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd (in their legendary Hunting Trilogy) and the rest of the madcap creations that burst forth from the minds of brilliant animators including Chuck Jones, Tex Avery and Friz Freleng, (who receive their own spotlights in the many extra features – plus bonus cartoons from Avery’s even crazier stint at MGM).

"Pixar Short Films Collection, Vol. 2"
This follow-up volume to the earlier collection of groundbreaking shorts from the masters of computer animation features a dozen instances of the filmmakers’ most creative and accomplished short work to date – such brilliantly executed confections as the magical “Presto,” the endlessly inventive “Night & Day” and the beguiling “La Luna” – as well as short tales set in the worlds of “Toy Story,” “Cars,” “Up,” Wall-E” and “Ratatouille.” Even better: early student work by Pixar wizards John Lasseter, Pete Docter and Andrew Stanton.

"Ice Age: Continental Drift"
A decade after their debut, prehistoric heroes Manny (Ray Romano), Diego (Denis Leary) and Sid (John Leguizamo) – as well as saber-toothed squirrel Scrat – continue to go with the ice flow in their fourth Paleolithic opus – and second in 3D. It's filled with interactive activities, songs and accompanying videos featuring some of the biggest names in pop music, and a sing-a-long mode featuring interpretation in American Sign Language.

"Cinderella: Diamond Edition"
One of Walt Disney’s bona fide masterpieces and perhaps the most potent fairy tale fantasy of the past century gets the Bibbity-Bobbity-Blu-Ray treatment for the very first time, emerging as magical and vibrant as ever. The 1950 gem is available in a variety of combo packs, the most lavish of which is a six-disc limited edition jewelry box complete with accompanying storybooks – none of which turns into a pumpkin at midnight.

"Madagascar 3"
The wildly popular third installment in the saga of the mismatched zoo creatures from the Big Apple – including Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the Zebra (Chris Rock), Gloria the Hippo (Jada Pinkett Smith) and Melmen the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) may be the best of the bunch, and the Blu-Ray debut comes with extras like a hilarious collection of deleted scenes, and, for a real 3D experience, your own wearable rainbow wig.

"Secret of the Wings"
Decades after her Disney-fied debut in “Peter Pan,” Tinker Bell continues to soar in popularity. In her very own direct-to-video fairy franchise, Tink comes face to face for the first time with her sister Periwinkle. Tink’s first 3D adventure features the voices of Anjelica Huston, Lucy Hale, Timothy Dalton, Lucy Liu, Raven-Symone and many more.

"The Muppet Christmas Carol"
Twenty years ago Kermit, Miss Piggy, Gonzo and the rest of Jim Henson’s raucous cast of characters tweaked the Dickens out of the venerable story of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, played with panache by token human Michael Caine, and the results continue to charm as a holiday must-watch. Top among the extras: the “cluck-along” featuring holiday standards performed by Muppet Chickens.

A valuable surprise in a red kettle in Germantown, Md., was much-needed according to the Salvation Army.

Maj. Curt Sayre of the Montgomery County Corps was counting the contents of many red kettles Thursday night when he discovered a small, gold Indianhead coin from a kettle from the Giant Food store at 20944 Frederick Road. Attached was a note saying the coin could be returned to the Frederick Coin Exchange in Frederick, Md., for a $1,000 check.

“Keep up the good work!” the note read.

It’s the first holiday season that a gold coin has been found in a local red kettle, according to the Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army hopes to reach $1.6 million in the region this season to help fund a 15 percent increase in services in the region. The Red Kettle Campaign continues through Christmas Eve.

Some homeowners in Reston changed the focus of their annual Christmas house decorations this year.

They've included signs soliciting donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as part of their display.  It asks folks to text the word "life" to 50333 to donate $10 to St. Jude.

The home is located at 11303 Stones Throw Drive.

More information on the fundraising effort is available at http://fundraising.stjude.org/goto/christmashouse.

The homeowner has published a video on youtube at http://youtu.be/re0mUdoc9lk.

"The Avengers"
Easily the movie of the year, both in box office appeal and pop cultural resonance. Marvel and parent company Disney took the superhero trend one step further by uniting its top tier of solo film stars – Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and the Hulk – and some A-list newcomers. There are multiple versions of the home video to consider, but we’ll suggest the five-disc set available exclusively at Target, which features a bonus documentary chronicling the step-by-step creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

"Ted"
In a year filled with sequels, reboots and novel and comic book adaptations, writer/director/voice actor Seth McFarlane’s off-kilter, decidedly dirty and ultimately warm and fuzzy tale of a boy and his magically talking teddy bear aging into co-dependent slackers was the freshest concept of all – and definitely the funniest. If the theatrical version wasn’t edgy enough, the Blu Ray comes with an unrated edition, as well as a feature on how Ted and Mark Wahlberg’s motel fight scene was choreographed.
(Available Dec. 11)

"The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Dark Knight" Trilogy Limited Edition Set
Director Christopher Nolan’s grand finale to his acclaimed Batman epics – the most dark and serious-minded take on the Dark Knight yet – gets the Blu-Ray treatment. Beyond being definitive viewing for any would-be Gotham Citizen, it comes with what’s become a rare set of extra treats, most significantly a documentary on the history of the iconic Batmobile. Even better, a limited edition collector’s set offers all three of Nolan’s Batman films.
 

"The Hunger Games"
With many popular fantasy franchises aimed at teens coming to their conclusion of late, the first film installment of author Suzanne Collins’ bestselling sci-fi allegory was a welcome arrival, especially with Oscar-caliber actress Jennifer Lawrence in the lead as Katniss Everdeen. The most on-target extra: a featurette on Collins at the phenomenon behind her creation.

"Best Exotic Marigold Hotel"
Lest we forget that amid all the big screen adventures aimed at young eyes, adults enjoy a tale well told, director John Madden’s exotic escapade involving a bunch of expatriate British senior citizens retiring abroad to a hotel in India that doesn’t quite live up to its hype, but delivers on the promise of a new life, turned out to be the sleeper hit of the year – and an ideal film for repeat viewings.

"The Bourne Legacy"
After stints in “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” and “The Avengers” Jeremy Renner proves to be a good fit for just about any franchise, slipping seamlessly – and butt-kickingly – into the lead of the now-Matt Damon-less adventure as Aaron Cross, and the movie’s unique timetable, concurrent with prior Bourne action. The extras take the viewer deep into the creation of the film’s signature stunt sequences and globetrotting location shoots.
(Available Dec. 11)

"Prometheus"
With its intriguing is-it-or-isn’t-it-a-prequel-to-“Alien” pedigree, stunning visuals from director Ridley Scott and shaded performance by Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron and Noomi Rapace, the sci-fi/horror hybrid proved to be a polarizing experience for moviegoers, with some finding it brilliant and others left scratching their heads. The debate will remain as lively on Blu-Ray and those in the film’s thrall will be just as captivated by its eloquent use of 3D on the home screen.

"MiB3: Men In Black 3"
Perhaps the most expectations-exceeding sequel of the past year, the third outing is a surprise treat, continuing the franchise with more novel twists and a considerably warmer heart than director Barry Sonnenfeld and stars Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin might have delivered. Among the most intriguing features: compatibility with Sony’s forthcoming Movie Touch tablet technology, which opens up an unprecedented level of interactivity within the viewing experience.

"The Amazing Spider-Man"
Marvel’s friendly neighborhood wall-crawler got a major makeover from director Marc Webb focusing on the budding romance between high school dork-turned-superhero Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) and adorable science nerd Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Although the storyline is a tad familiar, both the director and stars give it enough fresh twists to launch a promising new franchise, and the Blu-Ray – which also comes in a 3D edition – spins a dense web of production miscellanea within Spidey’s big reboot.

"The Expendables 2"
A sequel equal in firepower, Sylvester Stallone’s ragtag collection of movie action heroes gets a shot in the bulging bicep with some new faces – Liam Hemsworth and Yu Nan – some welcome old faces – Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme – and a Planet Hollywood-sized shootout with Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger that the first film neglected to include. Quite simply cinematic steroids for the action-addicted.

"Mad Men Season Five"
Always one of the most talked-about TV series, the fifth season of creator Matthew Weiner’s evocative exploration of the 1960s ad industry provoked even more buzz than usual, from Don’s new marriage and Betty’s altered appearance, to Joan’s game-changing move and Lane’s fateful choice. The Blu-Rays go even deeper into the show’s dense mythology with featurettes on topics like the razor-sharp dialogue, artist Giorgio de Chirico, Truman Capote’s Black and White Ball and even a history of Daylight Savings Time.

"Desperate Housewives Complete Series"
After eight seasons of revealing peeks of sex, sin and scandal behind the white picket fences of suburbia, the ladies of Wisteria Lane shuttered their blinds once and for all, but the sudsy dramas can be revisited in their entirety in this set that collects all 179 episodes on 46 discs – plus new bonus features including details from the last days on set, creator Marc Cherry’s finale cameo, and a retrospective of over 50 characters killed off over the course of the show. All packaged in a replica of Mary Alice’s familiar steamer trunk.

The Obama family illuminated the National Christmas Tree Thursday night during a celebration on the White House's Ellipse.

The first family and Marian Robinson, the first lady's mother, were on stage to count down to the lighting and flip the switch. They stayed for the entertainment, which included The Fray, James Taylor, Ledisi, Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat.

President Obama said in his remarks that the tree - which has been replaced twice after the long-standing National Christmas Tree was felled by high winds in February 2011 - was a symbol of rebuilding and strength as much of the East Coast continues to recover from Sandy.

"In times of war and peace, triumph and tragedy, we've always come together to rejoice in the Christmas miracle," Obama said. "But our tree has been having a hard time recently. ... Just goes to show, nobody's job is safe here in Washington."

Obama told a story from Midland Beach, NY, still devastated by Sandy. Despite the lingering damage, they created a community Christmas tree.

"One local nursery donated the tree," Obama said. "Another chipped in for the lights and a star. And 70-year-old Tom Killeen and his longtime buddies from the area planted it at the end of the street overlooking the town beach.

"As Tom says, 'The tree has one message. It's Christmas time, not disaster time,' " Obama said,

Obama recognized service members, as did Taylor, who dedicated a poignant "I'll Be Home for Christmas" to them. Michelle Obama joined with "Modern Family" star Rico Rodriguez to read "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

And the first family joined the performers, host Neil Patrick Harris and Santa on stage at the end of the show to sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town."

Changes to the annual celebration this year included a new stage location to better showcase the White House behind it, a new color scheme for the tree, as well as the tree itself.

After the National Christmas Tree was felled in February 2011, its replacement, a Colorado blue spruce, died of complications from "transplant shock," the National Park Service said.

More than 17,000 guests were on hand to see the new tree illuminated for the season on the Ellipse. Tickets were issued via an online lottery earlier in the season.

Obama himself was responsible for inviting The Fray to perform. Other musical guests included Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and "American Idol" Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips.

"I was here for an event and met the president, and he was like, 'Hey man, we gotta get you up here to play a song'," said frontman Isaac Slade. "I was like, 'Uh... OK! My calendar's free!'"