The 30 gifts for kids in the US under five, as picked by parents and family members

From foam blocks to a karaoke machine to a mess-free coloring set, here’s a list of fantastic gift ideas for little ones

‘We love a plastic chopstick to stir’: 10 cocktail-making tips from Australian bartender Michael Madrusan

You don’t need fancy equipment to make a martini, the founder of Melbourne’s The Everleigh says – but you do need to measure precisely

In a reading rut? How to get back into reading for fun

In a world full of distractions, it can be difficult to form a habit that needs attention. Experts advise on getting out of the rut

Want to avoid anxiety, headaches and constipation? Try giving up on your goals

We’re taught from infancy that perseverance is a moral virtue and persistence pays. But what if quitters are happier and healthier, asks Emma Beddington

Is there a dark side to gratitude?

Feeling thankful is increasingly touted as a cure-all, but sometimes there are reasons not to be grateful

The 47 best gift ideas for US tweens in 2025 – picked by actual tweens

It turns out tweens aren’t shy about sharing the holiday gifts they want – including sweatpants, Jellycats and Legos

Christmas Karma review – Dickens adaptation has as much Yuletide spirit as a dead rat in the eggnog

Gurinder Chadha’s leaden update of the hardy seasonal chestnut with Kunal Nayyar is joyless and nausea-inducing

Should I care what Sarah Jessica Parker thinks about books?

She swept all before her at the Booker prize ceremony, but I’m running out of patience with celebrity influence in publishing, says Guardian columnist Emma Brockes

The Secret Santa Project review – festive romcom tries for the Love Actually style multiple story strands

Set in a London council office, this clunky Christmas comedy interweaves a handful of storylines but musters only a brief flicker of cosy charm

100 Meters review – mesmerising anime of young athletes in search of physical and spiritual high

Dazzling rotoscoped running sequences make up for a lack of narrative subtlety in Kenji Iwaisawa’s film

I’m a committed introvert – but no AI will take away the joy I get from other people

While it might be soothing to think you could replace social interactions like book clubs with ChatGPT, subcontracting human thought out to a bot will never bring happiness, writes Emma Beddington

Readers reply: Who is the most evil villain in fiction?

The long-running series in which readers answer other readers’ questions on subjects ranging from trivial flights of fancy to profound scientific and philosophical concepts

Girl boss or tradwife? An economist on how a workforce built for men has failed women

In her new book Having it All, Corinne Low outlines how stubborn expectations around work and home fail to accommodate working women

Tigest Girma: ‘I was like – Hey, do you want black vampires? And they were like – Yeah, we want’

The Melbourne writer topped the New York Times bestseller list with her debut fantasy novel – but that doesn’t stop doubt creeping in

The best e-readers in the US, for every kind of book lover

Whether you’re on a budget, looking for an easy way to read when you travel, or want one for kids, here are our picks (they’re not all Kindles)