No Hanukkah table would be complete without the symbolic (and delicious) fried foods we all look forward to year after year. And while we agree that holidays are all about tradition, why not add a few modern twists to your menu this year? Here are three recipes destined to become new Hanukkah classics from the FOOD52 community.

• Get more Hanukkah recipes from the FOOD52 community.
• See more warming winter recipes on FOOD52.
• Have a question in the kitchen? The FOOD52 Hotline is here to help.

GOLDEN PANKO LATKES WITH SOUR CREAM AND CHIVES

We have a soft spot for cooks who tinker with classic recipes, retooling the periphery without over-altering the core. That's what Micki Barzilay did with her latkes. The panko coating amplifies the dry-leaf crispness you want in a latke. And Yukon Golds have plenty of moisture and sugar so once they're fried up, they toast handsomely on the edges, while at the center of the pancake, the potato strands remain silky

 
With the gift-giving season here, shoppers are still heading to the Web for help finding that perfect present.

If there are kids who have made it onto your "nice" list, here's what they might want under the tree this year: Check out gift ideas that are popular top searches on the Web.

Wuggles -- billed as pets you "bring to life yourself" -- are the popular "as seen on TV" pick. Pillow Pets (chenille toys that double as a headrest) are also a hit this season.

Consider the Angry Birds board game (no batteries required) along with other video game-inspired finds like Annoying Orange toys, Transformer toys, Star Wars toys, and Batman toys.

If you choose the low-tech route, you're not alone in searching out "john deere toys" and "tonka toys." For the adventure set, trampolines and scooters may be a good bet. So are LEGOs.

According to search trends, older kids might like the game Skyrim or the Nintendo add-on Skylanders. Gamers who appreciate old-school gifts might get

The 2011 official White House Christmas Tree.The White House has been decking the halls for Christmas since the mid 1850s, when President Franklin Pierce first brought a tree indoors for the holidays. In the 1890s, first lady Caroline Harrison helped decorate that year's tree, and a tradition was born.

The White House Christmas tree (in spite of the rumors, there are no generic "holiday" trees here) became official in 1929, during the Hoover administration, but it wasn't until the Kennedy administration that first ladies were charged with choosing an official decorating theme.

There's been a bit of controversy to go with all of the celebration: In 1899, Americans criticized President William McKinley for even having a tree, saying that it was "un-American" given the tradition's German origins. (The Chicago Daily Tribune reported that the letters protesting the government's "Christmas tree habit" also called it "arboreal infanticide.") In 1972, President Richard Nixon fanned the flames by using the atomic symbol of peace as a

For years, America's fast-food empires have embodied what's wrong with our eating habits: Too fast, for one thing, and too fatty. And thanks to the trend that dominated fast food in 2011, you can add another downside: Way, way too flagrantly over-the-top.

Click here to see the 2011's Over-the-Top Fast Foods Slideshow

This was the year that fast-food outlets across America took outrageous eating options to a brand-new level - one where quick lunches at times resembled unconquerable eating challenges. In 2011, greasy meat-and-cheese-laden pizza was stuffed with even more meat and cheese, layers of an overeater's favorites were combined into a giant bacon-topped bowl, and three sandwiches were crammed together and sold as one. Starbucks even got into the act, unveiling a 31-ounce "Trenta" cup.

Click here to see the Top 25 Food Trends of 2011

Food historians may one day trace the fast-food fervor back to one Southern-themed chain restaurant, which in 2010 declared that some sandwiches

Was this guy at your office's holiday party?No matter how large or small your company, most office holiday parties seem to have a few things in common: The guy who can't hold his liquor, the abusive and/or cheapskate boss, the pretty young thing who wears next to nothing, and a whole lot of awkward. We asked Yahoo! readers to share some of the worst things they've witnessed at their annual Christmas-Hanukkah-Kwanzaa-Festivus bash. Here's what they revealed:

Bosses behaving badly
"I loved the Christmas parties and loved my coworkers. Unfortunately, one year one of the big bosses got too tipsy. I had taken my mom with me because my BF got sick and the boss kept hitting on my mom in front of his wife and ended up grabbing my butt on the dance floor when my back was turned. Next day, I found out I wasn't the only one, and he had previously been banned from events for doing those things before." -- Stardust90710

Obviously inebriated
"I had to restrain an overly inebriated and overly excited long term temp co-worker as he tried to

Pace Webb asks etiquette expert Lisa Gaché, of Beverly Hills Manners, for advice on how to be a good host and how not to be a bad guest.

Next Week: Great techniques for cooking braised short ribs and other delicious meat dishes at the holidays!

Conde Nast Digital StudioMaddie Donnelly, Gourmet Live

We all know the drill: Put on your PJs, read "The Night Before Christmas," place a pile of freshly baked cookies on a plate by the tree, along with a glass of cold milk, and then head to bed to count sheep for what feels like forever. Wake up to crumbs, a letter from Santa, and a mountain of shiny presents. It's like the Super Bowl of being a kid.

Santa Claus himself-or rather, the monk St. Nicholas (whose feast day happens to be today)-dates back to 280 A.D. in modern-day Turkey. But how about some of the other traditions? Leaving cookies for our cheerful patron, for example?

Related: Perfect Holiday Pies

Getty ImagesDon't let sky-high food-and-drink bills crash your party. These affordable strategies let you scrimp without looking like Scrooge.

By Yelena Moroz, Shivani Vora, Kaija Helmetag, and Brad Tuttle

Drinks
Skip: A full bar.

Opt for: A single, memorable cocktail. For example: a winter lemonade. Muddle ¼ cup fresh cranberries in 8 ounces of this traditional summer drink, then top it off with 2 ounces of vodka or whiskey and a splash of seltzer. Presto! An instant merrymaking hit.

See More: 10 Healthy Foods That Cost Under $1

Allison GooteeSkip: Champagne.

Opt for: Cava or Prosecco. These affordable bubblies are available for around $10 a bottle, says Allison Enke, a spokesperson for Whole Foods Market. Find one that was produced within the past two years. For roughly half of what you would pay for a vintage bottle, you'll get just as much fizzy flavor.

See More: 10 Festive Holiday Cocktails




Mikkel VangAppetizers
Skip: Fancy flat breads and spreads.

Opt for: Crostini. You'll save a few bucks if you buy a couple of