If you ask me, the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is the best week of the year -- and probably not for the reasons you're thinking. Yes, most of us are still reveling in a post-holiday food/present/unresolved family tension coma in preparation for the new year, and I'm here to recommend embracing it: Turn it into a shrine to lethargy and sloth that would make Homer Simpson blush.

There's no other time during the year when you are expected to do less, so what better way to celebrate this time of lowered expectations than by hunkering down, bunker-style, armed with only Cool Ranch Doritos, a remote control, a helper monkey, and a bunch of complete seasons on DVD?

There is no better way, and there's no better time. People will be disappointed if you don't celebrate this period of unbridled self-indulgence. Here are some picks to get you started with what is soon to become tradition. Pass it on.

It's no big secret. People love their movies and TV shows based on vampire book series -- romantic vampire book series, to be exact. Proof of that will be crowding your local multiplex this weekend thanks to the release of Twilight, the teen vampire flick based on Stephenie Meyer's inescapable best-seller. (I'll guess I'll wait another week to catch Role Models. Navigating through a sea of rabid teenage "Twilighters" isn't worth it. Sorry, Paul Rudd.)

Want more proof of the popularity of blood suckers? HBO execs are saying their freshman vampire series True Blood, also based on a series of novels, is developing an audience faster than The Sopranos, aka one of the most financially successful cable series in the history of TV. Michael Lombardo, HBO's chief of West Coast operations, says that The Sopranos' viewership numbers grew slowly. The big ratings jump didn't come until season two. But True Blood has fared better, with a 66 percent jump in Sunday night viewership since its premiere in September.

I've heard and read it a million times in interviews. Johnny X of the show YZ says he just doesn't have time to watch much TV. Maybe the news here or there. And I'm sorry, but I was always pretty suspicious of that. Even moreso when they say they've never watched much TV. Then why did they want to get into TV in the first place? Frazier Moore of the AP talked about the phenomenon of TV actors shunning TV and speculated it may have to do with the old stigma that TV acting is somehow akin to writing pulp romance novels. After all, "real" writers moonlight in that arena, albeit with pen names.

I wonder, though, if it isn't more that they're trying to put on an appearance of someone who is above the "pedestrian" fare of television, elevating themselves to the so-called loftier perches of the stage and big screen actors. After all, don't many television actors aspire to move onto the more prestigious film world. Is television still something to be ashamed of?

Yesterday at Christie's in New York, Tony Soprano's costumes went up for auction. You not going to believe how much money a bloody wifebeater goes for these days. One fan of the show paid $43,750 for the outfit pictured to the right: a bloody tank, a stained button down shirt, and pants. The outfit was the one the Jersey mob boss wore when Uncle Junior mistakenly shot him.

Also up for bid was a four-piece set containing boxers, a robe, a sleeveless undershirt, and a pair of slippers (a costume Gandolfini donned many times on the show). It took home $21,250. Another robe (the tan one with an "S" monogram that Gandolfini wore in the pilot) went for $13.750. Overall, the iconic mafia boss's clothes brought in over $185,000.

(S04E15) Do you remember what you were doing on May 16, 2004? Think hard, it's important. Seriously, that information could determine exactly how you feel about tonight's episode.

On May 16, 2004, The Sopranos aired an episode called "The Test Dream." Tony, reeling from an impending separation and problems in Mafia-town, went a little funny in the head and spent most of the episode engaged in the longest, most weirdly symbolic dream sequence in the history of television (until, that is, the show broke its own record two years later). If you remember, fans of the show were pretty angry; my father, for instance, shot out his screen, Elvis-style.

Anyway, I'm going to guess that you either loved that episode or hated it. How you felt about it probably informs how you felt about tonight's House. My own feelings about it are simple...

What's the name of the bowling instructor who almost wooed Marge Simpson away from her family?

Let's face it ... everybody can acknowledge that it's mother who knows best.

Beloved TV moms from Carol Brady to Claire Huxtable to Lorelai Gilmore have given sage advice, fixed boo-boos and given tongue-lashings for decades.

How well do you know these magnificent mamas? Take our TV moms quiz now and find out.

Blogsmith, the software that we write TV Squad on, keeps a running tally of how many words we've written for the site. I can therefore tell you with precision that since I was hired in November of '06, I've written exactly 169,676 words of news, reviews, and opinion. While I'd like to think that most of those 169,676 words were entertaining, I have no illusions about whether or not they were helpful. My future brother-in-law is a surgeon; his job helps people. I write reviews of The Office.

That changes today. Last night, as I was drifting to sleep, I happened upon an idea that will not only make television better, it's something that we can all start doing right now. My idea, after the jump....

10:04: OK, that's it for me. I haven't even eaten yet. Don't forget to head on over to Moviefone for complete coverage of the awards (and if you missed the show, TNT is going to repeat it at 11).

See you next Friday night at Zac Efron's house.

10:01: Did Josh Brolin just make a snide reference to Julie Christie's "tiniest actor" comment when she accepted her award a few minutes ago, or was it just a joke I didn't get?

9:59: Looks like there's just movie-centric awards left. I forgot there isn't a Best TV Drama or Best TV Comedy category at the SAG Awards.

9:50: Matthew McConaghey and Kate Hudson: king and queen of the crappy romantic film.

9:46: This Farmer's Help Point ad is freaky, but I had a dream the other night that was even stranger. I won't go into details, but it involved a mutant cannibal family and a used record store. That's the last time I eat 8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups right before bed.

9:36: Blair Underwood talking about the new technology that has come to film and television. The hidden message here is...pay the damn writers for stuff on the internet and cell phones!

9:29: These tributes to the people who died in the past year always make me nervous, because I'm afraid they'll forget someone. But this was well done, including TV character actors with the big name stars, and was even up to date as late as last week.

9:24: Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries is...a tie! Queen Latifah wins. Um, wait, I thought it was a tie? I'm confused.

9:20: Um...Mickey Rooney is aware that this isn't his tribute show, right?

9:18: Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries...Kevin Kline, As You Like It.

9:17: James Spader is slowly morphing into William Shatner.

EW.com put up the The Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations and we've got the nominees in the television categories for you. Not surprisingly, The Sopranos swan song continues to get awards show nods, with bids in all three categories it qualifies for. 30 Rock accomplished the same feat in the comedy categories. No other show was represented in all three drama or comedy categories.

Newcomers include Jon Hamm (Mad Men) and Michael C. Hall (Dexter) in male dramatic actor. Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) was a new face in female dramatic actor, while Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?) and Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) represented comedic actresses. Only Mad Men was able to creep in as a new show in the ensemble drama category. The complete list is after the jump.

It's that festive time of year when children put tinsel on the television antennas and hang mistletoe over their favorite DVDs. Where celebrities check into rehab to spend the holidays with all their celebrity friends. And where the rest of America is invited to corporate non-specific, non-religious, non-alcoholic generic winter holiday luncheons where they can mingle with their co-workers and say things like "Remember when this company used to have real Christmas parties?"

But while political correctness may have ruined most holiday functions, nothing can ruin Festivus! That magical season in which TV Squadders hope and pray for televisions dreams come true. And I know just what I want...

According to an interview in the latest GQ magazine, Sopranos creator David Chase probably crushed the dreams of show fans as he told them not to expect a movie based on the series. Show devotees were left dangling with the end of the series' six and a half year run on HBO. There has been rampant speculation that a film adaption would be in the works.

Chase told the magazine, "There is no thought about making a movie now and chances are we will probably not do it. But, at the same time, I'm a writer, and this is how my mind works: I could wake up some morning or James Gandolfini (Sopranos star) could wake up some morning and say 'how about it?' If it was great enough, we might be tempted to do it, but I don't think that's going to happen."

The series creator went on to say that everyone has moved on, including himself. At least he didn't say "fuggedaboudit."

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• Mark Cuban said goodbye to Dancing with the Stars last night, with some words of wisdom that don't really make sense.
  
• If you thought you had the ending to The Sopranos all figured out, you were wrong.
  
• Three words: Trick My Trucker!

The video's embedded below, or you can subscribe to this podcast via our feed. Plus, you can also download the file directly.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily: Hi. I'm back. It's been too long.

• It's never too early to think about the perfect Christmas present. Especially when it's a Sopranos stripper pole on Ebay.
  
• Why is Ryan Seacrest hosting the Emmys this year?
  

The video's embedded below, or you can subscribe to this podcast via our feed. Plus, you can also download the file directly.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• Really really miss The Sopranos? Maybe you need one of these bricks.
  
• The American Idol baby should get to be on the show! It would be unfair, but awesome.
• Grey's Anatomy's Ellen Pompeo went off about Hollywood glorifying rich girls for no good reason.
  

The video's embedded below, or you can subscribe to this podcast via our feed. Plus, you can also download the file directly.

The Emmy Award nominations won't be announced until July 19, but some of the shows on the list might have been leaked online already.

TheEnvelope.com says that they have the list for the "intermediate" stage of Emmy voting, and that the ten shows in the running for Best Drama are Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, Dexter, House, 24, Rome, The Sopranos, and Boston Legal. The ten shows in the running for Best Comedy are The Office, Scrubs, Desperate Housewives, My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, Ugly Betty, Two and a Half Men, Entourage, Extras, and Weeds. The final list will be cut down to five nominees in each category.