HOLIDAY PREVIEW

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.one skull squeezed in a vise, two beatings with baseball bats, one hand smashing with a hammer -- okay, maybe Martin Scorsese's Casino isn't the season's most heartwarming movie, but it is one of the most eagerly awaited films of a decidedly non-cheery movie year. Still, if you're seeking something jollier in yuletide entertainment, you have a few other choices, including Toy Story, the animated Disney flick that's sending shivers of joy through merchandisers across the land. If books are more your bag, check out a new Lincoln bio, four Rabbits inside two covers (calling all Updike fans), and enough new cookbooks to keep your family fed till Labor Day. On video, there are boxed sets of Bonds, Monkees, and aliens; and computer buffs can find Sting on CD-ROM and the long-awaited sequel to The 7th Guest. And if you make it to New York, Broadway awaits with a trio of friendly faces -- Julie Andrews, Carol Channing, and Carol Burnett, none of whom will smash your hand with a hammer. Read on: If you make the right choice, the only thing you'll hurt this season is your wallet.