Our experts on parenting, frugal living and the best that the Triangle has to offer have scoured their sources and shopped the stores (and the internet) for the best suggestions for your holiday giving. No matter the age or interest, you'll find gift ideas here.

WRAL 2023 Holiday Gift Guide

From "Bull Durham" to Academy Award-winning dramas, the state has played host to multiple films based on fact and fiction.

20 famous movies filmed in North Carolina

20 popular movies made in NC

Hugs Coverage

The 'Free Moms' movement at NC State University has grown from one mom and one cake three years ago to 70 moms serving about 500 students every week. 

>> THE QUESTIONS CONTINUE TO BE RAISED. MATT TALHELM LIVE IN RALEIGH TONIGHT. THANKS, MATT. AND SHE STATE UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A FRESHMAN FOUND IN HIS DORM ROOM. THIS IS THE 6TH STUDENT DEATH THIS SCHOOL YEAR. AND TONIGHT, CAMPUS POLICE. WE'RE STILL LOOKING INTO HOW THAT STUDENT DIED. WRAL'S JOE FISHER IS LIVE FOR US ON CAMPUS. JOE, THE 6 STUDENT NOW THIS SCHOOL YEAR. IT REALLY IS AN ANXIOUS TIME FOR THE STUDENTS IN THAT STUDENT BODY LIVE THERE ON THE CAMPUS. >> DAN, IT'S BEEN A REALLY TOUGH YEAR HERE AT NC STATE. AT LEAST 4 STUDENTS HAVE DIED BY SUICIDE TONIGHT. CAMPUS OFFICIALS TELL ME THIS LATEST STUDENT DEATH WAS UNINTENDED, BUT IT IS ADDING EVEN MORE HEARTBREAK TO AN ALREADY HEARTBROKEN CAMPUS. >> IT IS A LOT INSIDE ONE RESIDENT HALL IS WHERE NC STATE POLICE FOUND A FRESHMAN DEAD ON SUNDAY. THE UNIVERSITY SAYS ADAM FOSSETT WAS A STUDENT IN THE COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE'S MENTAL HEALTH IS LIGHT IN A GOOD PLACE RIGHT A KILLER RIGHT SAYS THE DEATHS OF 6 STUDENTS IN 6 MONTHS ONLY ADDS TO THE ANXIETY OF COLLEGE CLASSES AND COLLEGE LIFE WOULD BE YEAH, I'M SO GLAD >> IT'S THE POWER OF THE HUG THAT KATE HOPES WILL BRING COMFORT TO CAMPUS WERE HERE TO BE THEIR FAMILY WERE HERE TO LOVE ON THEM THE WAY THEIR MOM OR DAD WOULD TELL AS A LOON LOON AND THE STUDENTS ARE LINING YEAH. THESE MOM SHOW THAT THERE'S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, LIKE NO STRINGS ATTACHED AND YOU ARE RIGHT. THE FREE MOMS FREE DOG, BUT HE'S WITH THE FREE MOMS THAT YOU NOT TECHNICALLY EVER DO COME TO CAMPUS EVERY THURSDAY. I JUST DO IT BECAUSE I WANT TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, KINDNESS, LOVE, HOGS, FRIENDSHIP. THE MOVEMENT HAS GROWN FROM ONE MOM AND ONE CAKE TO 70 MOMS SERVING ABOUT 500 STUDENTS EVERY WEEK. WHEN I STARTED TALKING TO SOME OF THE MOMS, WE GOT THEIR NUMBERS. WE GOT HUGS. IT WAS MUCH MORE LOW KEY. AND NOW THERE'S SORT OF A BIG HIT ON CAMPUS. A SENSE OF COMMUNITY CONVERSATION AND CONNECTION THAT STUDENTS >> ARE CLEARLY CRAVING. JUST LET HIM KNOW SOME THINGS HERE. WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE ANY MORE STUDENTS IN ANY WAY. >> AND ORGANIZERS OF THAT FREE MOMS MOVEMENT. TELL ME LAST WEEK, MORE THAN 100 STUDENTS WERE WAITING IN LINE FOR THOSE MOMS EVEN GOT SET UP HERE ON CAMPUS. OFFICIALS TELL ME THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS STILL LOOKING INTO EXACTLY HOW ADAM FAWCETT DIED. THEY HAD COUNSELORS ON HAND ALL WEEK LONG AND THEY WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO TO SUPPORT ANY STUDENTS WHO NEED THAT HELP STAND GUARD LISSA. JOE FISHER, THANK YOU. REGARDLESS OUR THOUGHTS.

'Free Moms' give out hugs, comfort in tough times at NC State

Halloween isn't all about scaring people away. Sometimes it's about bringing them closer.

Man gives out hugs, scares in Michael Myers mask along small town sidewalk

Tennessee man giving hugs dressed as Michael Myers

A Tennessee man is bringing one of the creepiest movie characters to life on a street in his city

<p>a usually quiet gallatin square today was full of honks and wide eyed kids at first it's kind of creepy over a spooky citing white stone faced Michael hugs. Then once, you know why he's doing it. It's actually kind of cool. The man behind the mask stood at the busy intersection and offered hugs to all, not every day. You get to hug Michael Byers most time he's going to kill you. People jumped out of cars this afternoon to grab a hug and a picture and kids love him. We saw him yesterday standing out here giving free hugs and my boys love Halloween and they wanted to come and get a hug. The little one's been talking about it all day at daycare. You wanna hug. Michael hugs first came out yesterday afternoon and plan to be here for about an hour, one hour turned into four and now he plans on posting up here all week. It's unbelievable. I mean, it's I mean I had over 100 people probably yesterday stop and hug me and just thank me for what I'm doing. As for why he's doing it. I want a hug conversations like this where a man told him his dog just passed away. You know, you never know who really needs a hug. Michael hugs, wife and Children say this is just his character. It's heartwarming. It's definitely a thing like I think he would think about to do because I was sitting there and I was thinking like, I would have never thought to dress up in a Michael Myers costume and never give out hugs, you know, like that's a that's a him thing. As for the man in the mask, it's just about spreading love. I love it.</p>

Man dressed as Michael Myers gives hugs to spread the love

While the pandemic kept many of us from hugging our loved ones, a farm in California is providing a different kind of comfort for those in need of a moooooving touch.

prepare to be moved, wow. In a year when we haven't been able to hug each other. Some are hugging animals instead. Big animals a at the gentle barn animal rescue nonprofit in Los Angeles County owner Ellie lacks has let people hug her rescued cows for years after she discovered they kind of hug back. But she shut everything down during Covid. We kept hearing from people how desperately they needed a cow hug and how lonely they were an isolated. They weren't scared they were. And how if they just had a cow hug, they could make it through. So she reopened the cow hugging operation, which costs $200 for a one hour session. Come on in, you guys! All right. Among those utterly fascinated as Karen do Bowie. She's had a tough year working at the V. A. And watching many patients die of Covid. What have they done for you? Acceptance warmth and acceptance day. Bowie even took up the violin during the pandemic, but she's only had enough courage to play for the cows. Now though, we're back to hugging each other. So who needs this? The world is opening up and people are moving on. But I think the scars of the Covid era are still within us and there's something about being next to this mommy energy and feeling their hugs, feeling their wisdom, feeling their sturdiness. Who doesn't want a good cow hug? Mm jane Wells CNBC Business News, Los Angeles.

Moooving touch: Farm provides cow hugs

Farm offers cow hugs 

Social distancing is important, even when you want to hug a loved one. you can't be a "hippo" crit.

MURDER FOR HIRE PLOT TO KILL A WOMAN NAMED CAROL BASCOM WHO OWNED A BIG CAT RESCUE IN FLORIDA. HIS SUPPORTERS SAY HE WAS FRAMED. >>> SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IMPORTANT EVEN WHEN YOU WANT TO LOVE A HIPPOPOTAMUS. THE STAFF AT A NURSING HOME HAD COSTUMES TO ALLOW FAMILY MEMBERS TO HUG EACH OTHER AND EVEN UNDERNEATH THE SUITS, VISITORS WERE MASKS AND GLOVED HANDS BEFORE THEY TOUCH THEIR LOVED ONES. ARE YOU SURE YOU ARE IN THERE? WRONG FAMILY MEMBER? >> A GREAT IDEA.

Virginia woman dresses in sanitized hippo costume so she can hug mother

Virginia woman dressed in sanitized hippo costume so she can hug mother

Even after a vaccine's developed for COVID-19, we may not go back to the way things 'used to be' around each other.

OAKWOOD PARK OUR SAYS THEY ARE GLAD TO SEE PEOPLE BEING WORSE BECHTEL AND USING THE DESIGNATED SPACES. >> EVEN IF A SCIENTIST DEVELOPER VEXING FOR COVID-19, WE WE ARE TRYING TO PROBABLY CHANGE FOR OTHER. IT WILL BE HARD FOR A LOT OF US. >>> I AM A HUGGER. I HUG STRANGERS. IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS RIGHT. >>> FOR MANY SAFE DISTANCES MAYBE THE SAVING US PHYSICALLY BUT IT'S TAKING A TOLL SIDELOAD PSYCHOLOGICALLY. >> EVER NEEDS A HUMAN TOUCH EVERY NOW THEN. IT IS KIND OF DRIVING ME A LITTLE CRAZY. >> Reporter: THE NEW NORMAL WITH NO HOGS, NO HANDSHAKES IS LIKELY TO LINGER LONG AFTER THE CORONAVIRUS IS CONQUERED. >> I HANDSHAKE I THINK IS GOING TO BE DOOMED TO HISTORY. AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST AS WELL, MAYBE WE WILL FIND NEW WAYS OF GREETING ONE ANOTHER THAT IS JUST AS MEANINGFUL AND ENDURING THAT DON'T CARRY THE RISK. >> Reporter: A PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR JAMES CONNOR AND SAYS THE FOCUS IS RIGHTFULLY ALL ABOUT PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. >> MY NEW MOTTO IS I WOULD RATHER BE 6 FEET OVER AND AND 16 UNDER. >> ADAPTING TO WILL REQUIRE A BRIGHT NEW WORLD. >> WHEN THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL, IT DEFINITELY WILL BE WAVES AND LESS BODY CONTACT. >> I DON'T THINK I WILL BE HANDSHAKE OR OR HUGGER ANYMORE. ON THE REAR OCCASION I SEE A CLOSE FRIEND WE ARE 6 FEET APART. I AM NOT HUGGING YOU. I AM THIS FAR. IT SAID. >>> TO MANY, A SAD REALITY.

New normal of no hugs, no handshakes likely to linger after coronavirus

A viral video of a 2-year-old boy hugging a pizza delivery driver is going viral after it was learned the driver recently lost his daughter.

Two-year-old boy's hug to pizza driver who lost daughter melts hearts

A Massachusetts mother is looking for answers after her 12-year-old son was suspended from school for hugging a teacher. 



Student suspended from school after officials said he hugged teacher

Student suspended for hugging teacher

A new study published by PLoS One has revealed the surprising benefits of hugging. People who are hugged more are less afflicted by interpersonal conflict. 