With the exception of our final Gift Guide 2010 selection, which will go live tomorrow at noon, this is our last post until Monday. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
However you slice it, Christmas revolves around the hearth. It's where family members warm up from the cold, where Christmas stories are told, and where a one mister Claus makes his point of entry. To commemorate this space in the home, we've rounded up 26 of the best, worst, and most in-need mantels we've ever seen. Have a look at the photogallery above, which kicks off with the festively festooned fireplace at the Vanderbilt family's Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. (above). Ho, ho, ho!