Kick off the final countdown to the holidays with Outword’s Holiday Shopping Guide #2—your last lap before the big day, and one more chance to shop smart and shop a little fun and a little flair. Once again, we’ve rounded up a mix of gifts and cultural distractions guaranteed to please even the hard-to-shop-for grownups on your list (yes, the 18+ crowd is very much covered).

Leading the way is Christina Aguilera, dazzling on our cover and lighting up movie screens nationwide with Christmas in Paris. From the glimpses we’ve already seen, her voice is flawless, the visuals are pure holiday glamour, and Xtina delivers the kind of festive spectacle that feels like a gift all on its own. Flip to page 14 for details, dates, and ticket info.

For a different kind of holiday magic, turn to page 7, where we share beautiful moments from the Sacramento Women’s Chorus and Inner Harmony performing beneath the Capitol dome. While we can’t pipe angelic harmonies off the page, the photos capture the warmth and community spirit that make this season special.

Elsewhere, politics meets pop culture as TidalWave Comics turns Gavin Newsom into a full-fledged comic-book subject. Find the story on page 8, and consider adding this illustrated biography to your holiday reading stack.

Of course, no shopping guide would be complete without surprises tucked throughout. As you flip through, you’ll stumble upon clever stocking stuffers and gift ideas big and small—an elegant herb scraper, indulgent charcuterie subscriptions, playful T-shirts, mugs with attitude, more cheese than anyone will argue with, and even a way to put your dog on the cover of a magazine.

We’ve also packed in plenty of reasons to take a shopping break. RuPaul’s Drag Race is back and announces the contestants for Season 18, Randy Rainbow delivers another perfectly timed holiday skewering, Chris Narloch reviews fresh Christmas albums and new movies, and yes—our beloved Facebook memes return on page 25.

There’s plenty more waiting inside this 27-page holiday issue. Visit outwordmagazine.com or click the cover and let yourself get swept up in the season. It’s all served with good holiday cheer.