Entertainment

10Best | USA TODAY NETWORK To experience a more peaceful side of winter, many turn to cross-country skiing. While Nordic trails are often offered at traditional ski resorts, some of the best cross-country skiing is found at dedicated resorts.

“Alexa, turn on the Christmas tree.” h The holidays are upon us, and with them comes joy, excitement, sugar, and chaos. Not to mention, lots and lots of lights. And between running from one event to another, managing your holiday shopping list, and ensuring your house is decorated to seasonal perfection, you’re juggling more than your fair share of festive balls in the air. That’s why we recommend simplifying at least one of your many responsibilities by picking up some smart Christmas lights. h If you’ve already tried a Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri device, you’ve probably discovered the convenience of being able to control your thermostat, light bulbs, or other devices with a single voice command. So why wouldn’t you want to do the same with your Christmas lights?

Windowsill herb plants would seem a perfect antidote to winter’s visual and culinary blandness, except that such plants rarely do as well as billed. The ideal windowsill herb thrives despite dry air and relatively low light conditions to offer intense aroma and flavor.

Packed with a toasted pecans and dusted with confectioners’ sugar, these buttery toasted pecan snowball cookies are a family favorite at Christmas. They are the perfect edible gifts for your loved ones during the holiday season.

Blue, white, red and green lights hung throughout the Hutchinson Zoo this weekend, in celebration of the holi- days. The event is running three weekends, finishing the holiday season the weekend before Christmas Eve. This fundraising holiday experience includes the Nights Before Christmas at the Hutchinson Zoo.

Once dismissed as the yuppie flu, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is widely misunderstood. Symptoms, however, are often standard across the board, and medical professionals should be able to determine if you are suffering from CFS. Fortunately, exercise has been shown to be a valuable tool for people suffering from CFS. Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized

It has bite and zing. It comes in the most unusual package.

Every year, it’s the same old argument: “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie. • Or it’s not. • Actually, it’s an argument for all seasons, not just the holiday one. The argument, I get. The level of devotion to one side or the other, not so much. • Because it doesn’t really matter. • Anything can be a holiday movie. It all has to do with what the movie means to you — no matter what holiday you celebrate, if a film moves you in the manner of the season, it counts. • Don’t let anyone tell you differently.

When life gives you lemons, you need my easy lemon tart with gingersnap crust recipe. Made with Meyer lemons, this tangy lemon tart with its crisp, spicy gingersnap cookie crust will have your taste buds singing the Hallelujah chorus.