It’s that time of year again ... but we’re here to help out with some shopping suggestions sure to please the little (and big) ones on your list. Looking for laughs? Everyone will enjoy Disney/Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., available in a 2-disc DVD set with tons of extras including a never-before-seen, all-new animated short, “Mike’s New Car” (also available on VHS). For out-of-this-world fun there’s the worldwide box office sensation Lilo & Stitch, on DVD and Video for the first time. This heartwarming comedy features plenty of laughs along with stunning animation and the music of Elvis Presley. For more music and laughs, try Disney’s live-action flick The Country Bears, which follows the adventures of Beary Barrington as he works to reunite his favorite band for one last concert. For seasonal fun, there’s The Santa Clause, now available on Special Edition DVD and VHS. For animated magic, try Beauty And The Beast: Special Edition, available on DVD for the first time (and back on VHS) and available now through January 31, 2003. The Special Edition features the film’s first-ever digital presentation, the all-new musical sequence “Human Again,” and a bunch of bonus features. For the really little ones, there are new releases that are sure to please, including Mickey’s House Of Villains, Winnie The Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year, and Beauty And The Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Special Edition (available until January 31, 2003) on DVD and Video. Happy Holidays!

Based on one of the greatest adventure stories ever told -- Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island -- Walt Disney Pictures’ thrilling new animated space adventure, Treasure Planet, redefines state-of-the-art animation: the newest CGI technology combined with the best of hand-drawn animation, taking moviegoers on a breathtaking journey across the universe. At the center of the story is 15-year-old Jim Hawkins, who joins the crew of an intergalactic expedition as cabin boy aboard a glittering space galleon. Befriended by the ship’s charismatic cyborg (part man, part machine) cook John Silver, Jim blossoms under his guidance and shows the makings of a fine spacer as he and the alien crew battle supernovas, black holes, and ferocious space storms. But even greater dangers lie ahead when Jim discovers that his trusted friend, Silver, is actually a scheming pirate with mutiny in mind. Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the acclaimed writing/directing team responsible for The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Hercules, this exciting new adaptation takes animation to the farthest reaches of the imagination.

Rated PG for adventure action and peril.