Television fans must love the holidays, because it’s the one time of year when studios unleash a host of massive box sets collecting their favorite dramas and comedies. This year is no different, with several critically acclaimed shows getting the complete series treatment. But while we like to devour an entire TV show just as quickly as the next person, sometimes a little self-discipline is required, which is why we’ve also included some less time-consuming (and more affordable) suggestions as well.

Click the links within the write-ups to purchase each product online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Justified: The Complete Series

“Justified” is one of those shows that never really got the credit (or the audience) it deserved, because it’s a sharply written and well-acted neo-Western that managed to pull off what most series have failed to do: stick the landing. Though it started out as a more formulaic, crime of the week-type drama, “Justified” evolved into something much richer over the years by focusing on the relationship between U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens and smooth-talking outlaw Boyd Crowder, two men who grew up in the same poor, coal-mining town in Kentucky, but ended up on different sides of the law. Both Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins deliver strong, well-rounded performances in their respective roles, but while it would be difficult to imagine the show without either of them, the supporting cast is just as important, especially Nick Searcy as Givens’ crusty boss, Jacob Pitts and Erica Tazel as fellow Marshalls, and Joelle Carter as Boyd’s fiancée/partner in crime. The rotating cast of guest stars is also impressive, adding to the series’ rich tapestry of down-and-dirty hillbillies, criminals and lawmen to create a lived-in world that feels more genuine than just about anything else on television. The fact that “Justified” was able to maintain its high quality throughout all six seasons is pretty extraordinary, but it’s also one of the few shows to produce a satisfying series finale, and that definitely earns it a spot among the TV drama elite.

Californication: The Complete Series

With Hank Moody, David Duchovny created a character that ranks as one of the greatest hedonists in television history. “Californication” was loaded with great characters and it thrived on introducing countless examples of the bizarre and interesting people you’ll find in L.A., but everything revolved around Hank and all of his crazy exploits. He could be arrogant and often self-destructive, but watching his endless exploits with the flaky but often beautiful women of La La Land made you want to hop on a plane and rent an apartment in Venice Beach. The best part was that Hank always found a way to enjoy the ride, even as things got a little rough. Through it all he was still crazy in love with his ex, Karen, played by the lovely Natascha McElhone, and Evan Handler was excellent as Charlie Runkle, his dopey but ever-loyal agent and sidekick who had his own ups and down with his hilarious and nutty wife Marcy. Now you can enjoy all 84 episodes on 14 discs in this new box set. Give it to someone who needs to learn how to enjoy life again, or at least can use a vehicle to live vicariously through someone else’s crazy adventures.

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Food safety has become much less of an issue now that we have the benefit of advanced technology that provides us with the ideal temperatures and the best environments for extending the storage life of practically everything we eat. Why, just the introduction of home refrigeration and freezing technology has enabled us to be able to enjoy many foods that were previously beyond our scope, as many of them were so delicate that they wouldn’t hold up to the impossible to control elements of home storage. And to this, add the unabashedly huge proliferation of all kinds of chemicals that our beloved USDA has benevolently allowed to be added to all the foods we eat during processing. So we now can leave most foods out for three and four times longer than any previous times…those times when preservatives and mysterious additives were not yet even discovered.

Many Reasons Why Having a Good Food Storage Method is Important

Frozen foods like vegetables and casseroles are superior in their ability to retain nutrients and vitamins, as unlike their canned counterparts, they are not typically cooked as much during the process of preparing them for storage. It’s true that the majority of the lost nutrients in the canning process occur to the water soluble vitamins, but the water soluble vitamins are frequently the ones we find being added back into foods because they are lost in the processing. And so, even though the majority of folks tend to think about avoiding spoilage, preserving the integrity and nutrient value of food is just as important, if we are truly eating in order to live well.

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Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/by patpitchaya

An online florist has seen a changing face in how flowers are sold. By moving online, there has been a significant business increase. Additionally, it seems that people are buying flowers more regularly nowadays, rather than expensive other products. Furthermore, the store also offers floral accessories and other products, thereby attracting an even wider range of people, who prefer to have a one stop shop for all their floristry needs.

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I first drove the 2015 Hyundai Sonata last summer when the all-new design was introduced, and I noted then how much I liked the evolution of the Sonata design. The Fluidic Sculpture 2.0 design language led to a more refined and upscale look for the Sonata that should help the vehicle stand out in the crowded mid-sized sedan market.

I recently had the opportunity to drive the new Sonata for a full week and this experience reinforced the positive impressions I had last summer. I tested the Sport 2.0T which features a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that is optimized for lower-RPM drivability and produces 245 horsepower and 260 lb. ft. of torque. I pointed out in my original review that you could feel the difference driving the turbo over the standard 185 horsepower engine so I was happy to have the turbo for the week. It won’t blow you away with its performance but the consistent responsiveness made this an appealing every day vehicle.

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Australia’s Jacob’s Creek has just launched a new line of wines that represents a collaboration with California winemaker Ehren Jordan. For 18 years, Ehren made the wines at Turley, and he has a Napa-based label (Failla) where he produces his own portfolio. He’s worked with numerous others over the years as well. The team at Jacob’s Creek, including chief winemaker Bernard Hickin, reached out and recruited Ehren to work with them on a range of wines made from Australian fruit but with a California sensibility. I recently sat down with both winemakers over lunch in New York City at Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse to taste these new releases.

All four wines below have a few things in common. The fruit for all of them came from vineyards in South Australia. Every one of them is a single varietal wine. They’re available widely throughout the United States, but exclusively here, not in the rest of the world. The alcohol content is moderate across the board at between 12.8 and 13.9 percent. Each of the wines has a suggested retail price of $14.

Jacob’s Creek Two Lands 2014 Pinot Grigio – The bold nose is laced with gooseberry and fleshy yellow melon aromas. Those characteristics continue through the palate and are joined by lemon curd and cardamom spice, as well as Anjou pear. The refreshing, crisp, fruity and lingering finish has a nice bit of richness with a touch of crème fraiche. This Pinot Grigio has terrific varietal typicity; more in fact than some well-known Italian examples that sell for almost twice as much. Jacob’s Creek Two Lands Pinot Grigio would be a great wine to hand guests as they enter your home. Nothing more inviting than a delicious glass of wine, but it will also pair well with lighter foods. Drink it in its slightly bold, fruity youth.

Jacob’s Creek Two Lands 2014 Chardonnay – Vanilla bean, toast and white peach aromas light up the generous nose of this Chardonnay. Loads of pear character dominates the palate, followed by lesser amounts of apple and a wisp of pineapple. The spicy and mineral-laden finish shows off white pepper, wet limestone and a bit of clove. This is a good example of Chardonnay that is dominated by loads of pure fruit flavor. It’s delicious all by itself and will work well with white meats or creamy chesses.

Jacob’s Creek Two Lands 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon – The nose on this Cabernet is dense with lots of black fruit aromas. Plum and black raspberry are part of the mix, along with hints of toast. Black fruits, tinged by hints of red, fill the palate which is medium bodied, generous and smooth in nature with not a sharp edge to be found. Dusty cocoa and black pepper emerge on the finish, along with bits of sour black cherry. Velvety tannins and firm acid provide fine structure.

Jacob’s Creek Two Lands 2013 Shiraz – Red and black raspberry, plum and Mexican vanilla bean fill the nose of this Shiraz. Dried blueberry is in heavy evidence on the palate, along with continued bits or raspberry. Sweet, dark chocolate and black pepper dot the lengthy finish. This wine has plenty of giving ripe fruit, but it’s quite proportionate. Sweet, medium tannins add to the excellent mouth-feel. If the only everyday-priced Shiraz you’ve had features some sort of critter on the packaging and tastes like grape juice, try this one out for size — it’ll help adjust your perception.

All four of these wines worked well with a variety of foods. The reds really stood out alongside richer foods such as steak, mac ‘n’ cheese and the like. The whites worked with the lighter dishes but excelled on their own too. With a retail price of $14 it’s likely these will sell for a few dollars less in most stores. For that price you’re getting good varietal character and wines that will appeal to a large group of people. If you’re looking for some wines to enjoy on an everyday basis that won’t break the bank, the Jacob’s Creek Two Lands offerings should be on your radar.

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