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If the start of the holiday season makes martini glasses, candy dishes and punch bowls dance through your head, you are probably among the majority of people who ranked spending time with friends and family as their favorite holiday activity, in the exclusive Sears 2005 holiday consumer poll.

Lifestyle expert and author Laurin Sydney has proven tips to help consumers hop on the latest trends and make their holiday parties a smash.

"Whether you want to wow your guests with style and simplicity or dazzle them with glitz and technology, there are lots of simple ways to add a little pizzazz into your holiday entertaining," explains Sydney.

Design on a Dime: No matter what your entertaining style, you don't have to spend a fortune to be chic ... especially when it comes to holiday entertaining. Trend experts agree that it is hip to be frugal, and that you don't have to spend a lot of money when selecting items to jazz up your holiday entertaining. However, that doesn't mean you can't wish big, because Sears offers many creative items under $50 to brighten the holidays:

  -- Dipping strawberries and marshmallows into a waterfall of molten
     chocolate made possible by a Chocolate Fondue Pot, the ultimate party
     accessory. ($49.99).
  -- Create a beautiful holiday table with the timeless Winterberry
     Dinnerware Collection from Pfaltzgraff.  Complement the 16-piece
     dinnerware set with seasonal items that are festive, as well as
     dishwasher and microwave safe. ($99.99) [On sale thru 12/3 $74.99]
  -- Sip cocktails in style with a set of four Ty Pennington Style
     Cosmopolitan Martini Glasses, available exclusively at Sears in your
     choice of four sassy colors. ($19.99) [On sale thru 12/3 $14.99]

Set the Stage: The Sears holiday poll also found that 74 percent of holiday hosts and hostesses prefer to entertain at home, and many ranked atmosphere as one of the key elements for successful holiday entertaining. Experts agree that one of the best ways to accomplish this is with simple personal touches. A centerpiece that looks like it just arrived from the florist does not convey the same warmth and welcome as a collection of fresh- cut flowers arranged by hand.

  Holiday Entertaining Ideas
  Here are a few more ways to add warmth to holiday entertaining:

  -- Framed pictures of family and friends always grab attention and are
     good conversation starters. Sears has a wide array of photo frame
     collections to suit your personal needs and taste.
  -- Candles set the mood and give the gathering a warm, festive feel.  Find
     new ways to display simple votive candles, on a tiered dessert stand or
     arranged in a colorful serving bowl.

Ingenuity is Always "In": When it comes to holiday entertaining, creativity and whimsy never go out of style. Whether offering guests a taste of nostalgia or sending them home with a unique keepsake, taking a different approach to holiday gatherings will make a lasting impression on all your guests. Even the most resourceful host or hostess can use a little help; here are a few ideas to get those ideas flowing:

  -- Give your guests photos of the gathering almost instantly with the
     Kodak Digital Camera/Printer combination. This 5 MP digital camera
     easily connects to the camera dock (no computer needed) to produce
     high-quality photos in minutes. ($399)
  -- Nothing sets the mood like the right music, with the Sony 5 CD Micro
     Stereo System, create a holiday mood to fit any gathering.  With plenty
     of power for small or large rooms, the unit is compatible with many MP3
     digital formats. ($199.99)
  -- Wine seems to fit most holiday gatherings like a glove, and with the
     Kenmore Elite 41-Bottle Wine Cellar guests will be "oohing" and "ahing"
     all the way home. Easy touch temperature controls keeps wine at the
     perfect temperature and the versatile design gives your wine the home
     it always deserved. ($649.99-it is on sale through 12/3/05 at $599).
  -- Good party, great coffee ... with the Cuisinart 12-cup Programmable
     Coffee on Demandâ„¢ Coffee Maker your guests will know that you have
     thought of every detail. ($109.99)

  About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 870 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End -- among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 14 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at .

EDITOR'S NOTE: Laurin Sydney available for phone or in-studio interviews
or appearances. Please call contact. Survey fact sheet enclosed in press
kit. Photos available upon request or visit www.searsmedia.com

SOURCE: Sears, Roebuck and Co.

CONTACT: Media, Sears Media Relations, +1-847-286-9036 or
+1-847-286-8371

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