Christmas tree recycling is a good alternative to landfills
December 29, 2022 GMTTaking down the Christmas tree is only one task after the holiday season. For those with a real tree, figuring out what to do with it can be as easy as placing it by the curb.
In most states, it can be the gift that keeps on giving.
Handmade holiday cards are gifts in themselves; some tips
December 7, 2022 GMTAround this time of year, Rose Keiko Higa often finds herself making holiday cards for family and friends. An art history major at Oberlin College, in Ohio, she uses cut and layered paper to craft Christmas cards, and paints traditional Japanese New Year's cards on watercolor paper.
Mini but very merry: Holiday villages a flexible tradition
December 6, 2022 GMTWhether in cardboard, wood or porcelain, little villages — with houses, shops, miniature figures and snowy fir trees — have long been part of many families' holiday decorating tradition.
They're also popular now as part of an ongoing love of the cozy and the do-it-yourself.
Hawaii eruption brings tourism boon during slow season
December 2, 2022 GMTHILO, Hawaii (AP) — The spectacle of incandescent lava spewing from Hawaii's Mauna Loa has drawn thousands of visitors and is turning into a tourism boon for this Big Island town near the world’s largest volcano.
National Christmas Tree blazes to life with Biden lighting
December 1, 2022 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — “Five, four, three, two, one!” and the towering National Christmas Tree blazed with bright color Wednesday evening as President Joe Biden marked a century-old American tradition leading the lighting near the White House.
Review: Slice into the holiday spirit with ‘Violent Night’
November 30, 2022 GMTThe holiday season is upon us and how better to celebrate than watching Santa slip several pool balls into a Christmas stocking, swing them in the air menacingly and see him cave in someone's face?
Santa’s back in town with inflation, inclusion on his mind
November 28, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Don't look for plastic partitions or faraway benches when visiting Santa Claus this year.
Sober or bright? Europe faces holidays during energy crunch
November 26, 2022 GMTVERONA, Italy (AP) — Early season merrymakers sipping mulled wine and shopping for holiday decorations packed the Verona Christmas market for its inaugural weekend. But beyond the wooden market stalls, the Italian city still has not decked out its granite-clad pedestrian streets with twinkling holiday lights as officials debate how bright to make the season during an energy crisis.
Biden, family attend Christmas tree lighting on Nantucket
November 26, 2022 GMTNANTUCKET, Mass. (AP) — The Biden family's tradition of eating lunch, shopping and watching a Christmas tree lighting in downtown Nantucket on Friday became mostly about keeping the president's 2-year-old grandson from having a meltdown.
AP PHOTOS: St. Nicholas and devils parade in Czech villages
December 7, 2019 GMTVALASSKA POLANKA, Czech Republic (AP) — Dozens of people in grim reaper and devil costumes accompany St...
Land Between the Lakes offers free Christmas trees
November 22, 2022 GMTGOLDEN POND, Ky. (AP) — Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is offering permits for free cedar Christmas trees.
Permits, along with maps and cutting guidelines, are available beginning Friday and must be obtained online. A permit allows each family to cut one tree through Dec.
Parade crash judge mulls Wisconsin Supreme Court run
November 17, 2022 GMTMADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Judge Jennifer Dorow drew fan mail and gifts from people who admired her handling of the often disruptive actions of a man on trial for killing six people by driving through a Christmas parade.
The busiest days to fly during the winter holidays
November 16, 2022 GMTMost weeks of the year, Fridays are the busiest days to fly, and Tuesdays are the least busy. But during the holidays, that trend doesn’t necessarily hold true.
In most years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving is actually the busiest travel day for U.S.
Flying home for the holidays will cost you more this year
November 14, 2022 GMTPeople still looking to book trips home to visit family or take a vacation during the holidays need to act fast and prepare for sticker shock.
Airline executives say that based on bookings, they expect huge demand for flights over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.
Smaller food cos. get set for a high-priced holiday season
November 13, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Holiday celebrants in Hilo, Hawaii, might notice something different about the traditional Yule Log cake from the Short ’N Sweet bakery this year.
Maria Short typically makes her popular $35 bûche de Noël with two logs combined to look like a branch.
Holiday arrival: Rockefeller tree ushers in Christmas season
November 12, 2022 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — An iconic sign of Christmas arrived in New York City on Saturday as a crane hoisted an 82-foot (25-meter) Norway spruce into place at Rockefeller Plaza, where the 14-ton tree will be festooned with thousands of lights and topped with a star encrusted with millions of crystals.
Vintage Christmas exhibit in Ohio has ‘Brady Bunch’ theme
November 2, 2022 GMTLANCASTER, Ohio (AP) — An exhibit in Ohio is evoking Christmas memories with a display of historic storybooks, vintage toys and costumes from the sets of the “Brady Bunch” of TV and movies.
The show, “A Storybook Christmas Featuring a Very Brady Holiday,” opened Tuesday at the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio and runs through Dec.
Kaibab National Forest opens Christmas tree permit season
October 10, 2022 GMTWILLIAMS, Ariz. (AP) — 'Tis the season for permits for cutting down potential Christmas trees in Arizona.
The Kaibab National Forest will make Christmas tree permits available online starting Thursday.
Trial begins in shooting death of 7-year-old in Atlanta
August 14, 2022 GMTATLANTA (AP) — The trial is underway for a man accused of fatally shooting a 7-year-old girl who was riding in a car with her family after a day of Christmas shopping in Atlanta.
Fulton County prosecutor Pat Dutcher said in his opening statement on Friday that Kennedy Maxie was struck by gunfire after the defendant, Daquan Reed, was robbed of his cellphone and money outside the Phipps Plaza mall in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood.
California woman sentenced in crash that orphaned 3 kids
July 29, 2022 GMTNEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — A California woman sentenced Friday to between 21 years and life in prison for killing a mother and father and injuring their three young children in a 2020 drunk driving crash while the family was out looking at Christmas lights.
Guilty plea in crash that killed parents, injured 3 children
June 24, 2022 GMTSANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A drunken driver who killed a mother and father and seriously injured their three young children as they looked at Christmas lights in Southern California pleaded guilty Friday to second-degree murder.
Holiday lights drape homes in vigil for slain Duluth family
April 25, 2022 GMTDULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Organizers of a vigil for four slain family members lit up their Duluth house with Christmas lights to celebrate their lives and their love for the holidays.
Riana Lou Barry, 44; Sean Christopher Barry, 47; Shiway Elizabeth Barry, 12; and Sadie Lucille Barry, 9, were shot and killed by a relative last week.
Arrest of longtime Canadian fugitive stuns Puerto Rico
March 4, 2022 GMTSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Last week, phones across Puerto Rico began to ring as members of a private WhatsApp group dedicated to helping others in the U.S. territory stared at their screens in disbelief.
2 charged in killing of Chicago man hanging Christmas lights
March 4, 2022 GMTCHICAGO (AP) — Two men were charged with murder and other felonies Friday in the December attacks on 14 people in Chicago, including a man who was beaten to death with a crowbar and baseball bat in front of his 14-year-old daughter as he was hanging Christmas lights on his home.
Maine man not criminally responsible for killing tree farmer
February 2, 2022 GMTPORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A judge on Wednesday accepted the defense contention that a man accused of killing a Christmas tree farmer in a random attack was not criminally responsible for his actions because of mental illness.
Garbage and recyclables pile up as omicron takes its toll
January 14, 2022 GMTNASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The omicron variant is sickening so many sanitation workers around the U.S. that some cities have had to delay or suspend garbage or recycling pickup, angering residents shocked that governments can’t perform this most basic of functions.
Christmas tree behind fire that killed 12, officials confirm
January 12, 2022 GMTPHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Christmas tree fire caused the blaze that killed 12 relatives in a Philadelphia rowhome duplex, investigators confirmed Tuesday as they identified victims and announced preliminary findings, but stopped short of officially saying a 5-year-old boy playing with a lighter was behind it.
Girl fatally struck by police vehicle was headed to store
January 12, 2022 GMTRED OAK, Iowa (AP) — A 12-year-old Iowa girl who was struck and killed by a police vehicle that was headed to an apartment fire had been on her way to a grocery store to buy snacks with a gift card she got for Christmas, her older sister said.
‘Reef Rodeo’; Unused Christmas tree giveaway at lake
January 9, 2022 GMTHOMER, La. (AP) — Christmas trees that went unsold will be given to anglers to sink at their favorite fishing spots in a north Louisiana lake to attract fish.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries said it has obtained more than 200 trees from local vendors.
SLU collecting used Christmas trees to enhance wetlands
January 8, 2022 GMTHAMMOND, La. (AP) — Although Christmas has come and gone, Southeastern Louisiana University said area residents still have time to give a gift to the environment.
The university will be collecting discarded Christmas trees again this year to benefit the state's wetlands.
‘I can feel it’: Djokovic sends thanks for the support
January 7, 2022 GMTThe top men's tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, spent Orthodox Christmas in an immigration detention hotel in Australia on Friday as he sought to fend off deportation over the country's COVID-19 rules and compete in the Australian Open.
Ethiopia grants amnesty to high-profile political detainees
January 7, 2022 GMTNAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia’s government on Friday announced an amnesty for some of the country’s most high-profile political detainees, including opposition figure Jawar Mohammed and senior Tigray party officials, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed spoke of reconciliation for Orthodox Christmas.
Orthodox Christians observe Christmas amid virus concerns
January 7, 2022 GMTMOSCOW (AP) — Orthodox Christians in Russia, Serbia and other countries observed Christmas on Friday amid restrictions aimed at dampening the spread of the coronavirus, but few worshipers appeared concerned as they streamed into churches on Christmas Eve.
Warrant: 5-year-old might have started deadly Philly blaze
January 7, 2022 GMTPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Investigators are looking into whether a 5-year-old who was playing with a lighter set a Christmas tree on fire, sparking a conflagration that killed 12 family members in a Philadelphia rowhome, officials revealed Thursday.
Christmas trees to enhance fish habitat in Kentucky
January 3, 2022 GMTLEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky residents can donate their natural Christmas trees for use as fish habitat.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is accepting Christmas trees through Jan.
Tahoe-area skiier who vanished on Christmas presumed dead
December 31, 2021 GMTLAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — A skiier who vanished in a Lake Tahoe-area ski resort on Christmas day is presumed dead, authorities said.
The search for Rory Angelotta of Truckee, Calif. was being called off because there was “no realistic possibility Rory has survived the severe winter conditions," the Placer County Sheriff's Office said in a statement Thursday.
Hurley, sick with COVID, says virus has taken a mental toll
December 30, 2021 GMTSTORRS, Conn. (AP) — UConn coach Dan Hurley was reveling in the return of basketball this season — the ability to travel to a tournament his team played in the Bahamas, the loud crowds at home and away games — when just before Christmas he began feeling sick.
Before Harbaugh, Smart play Orange Bowl they shared birthday
December 30, 2021 GMTMIAMI (AP) — It’s been a big few days for Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and Georgia coach Kirby Smart.
They’ve got the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup at the Orange Bowl on Friday. Christmas was this past Saturday, of course.
2 men charged in shooting at packed Chicago-area mall
December 29, 2021 GMTCHICAGO (AP) — Two Chicago men have been charged in a shooting at a suburban Chicago shopping mall that wounded four bystanders and sent thousands of last-minute Christmas shoppers running for cover last week.
Mom: 14-year-old shot by LA police ‘died in my arms’
December 29, 2021 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — A 14-year-old was shopping for Christmas clothes last week with her mother when the pair heard screams and hid in a dressing room, where the girl was fatally shot by Los Angeles police after an officer fired a rifle at a suspect and a bullet pierced a wall, the family said Tuesday.
Man sought in deaths of wife, her daughter slain by police
December 28, 2021 GMTDETROIT (AP) — A Detroit man wanted in connection with the Christmas Day slayings of his 57-year-old wife and her 13-year-old daughter has been fatally shot by police searching for him.
Dwayne McDonald, 62, was killed Tuesday in an apartment a few miles north of downtown, Police Chief James White told reporters.
Hawaii: Don’t burn Christmas trees at sacred Oahu sandbar
December 28, 2021 GMTHONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii's public lands agency is warning people that they face arrest if found burning Christmas trees at an oceanic sandbar.
The sandbar that rests between the open Pacific Ocean and Kaneohe Bay on Oahu's windward side is a popular gathering place for local boaters and tourists.
Skier missing amid blizzard conditions at Tahoe-area resort
December 27, 2021 GMTRENO, Nev. (AP) — Searchers were battling blizzard conditions at a closed Lake Tahoe-area ski resort in a bid to find a 43-year-old California ski shop manager who was reported missing during after failing to meet friends for Christmas dinner.
7 people wounded during shooting at party in Mississippi
December 27, 2021 GMTFAYETTE, Miss. (AP) — Seven people were shot and wounded during a Christmas party at a small town in southwestern Mississippi.
The shootings happened early Sunday at the Fayette Community Center.
Major storm dumps snow, closes mountain routes in California
December 27, 2021 GMTCOLFAX, Calif. (AP) — A major Christmas weekend storm caused whiteout conditions and closed key highways amid blowing snow in mountains of Northern California and Nevada, with forecasters warning that travel in the Sierra Nevada could be difficult for several days.
Detroit police seek man after wife, her teen daughter slain
December 27, 2021 GMTDETROIT (AP) — Detroit police are searching for a man after his 57-year-old wife and her 13-year-old daughter were found shot to death Saturday by relatives arriving for Christmas dinner.
Detroit Police Chief James White said Sunday the victims' bodies were found about 4 p.m.
Interstate 95 closed for a bit in Florida on busy travel day
December 26, 2021 GMTORMOND BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A section of Interstate 95 in central Florida was closed following a multi-car crash on Sunday, a busy travel day after Christmas.
Guests, workers at transitional facility receive $100 bills
December 26, 2021 GMTSIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Staff members and guests at a homeless and transitional facility in South Dakota each received $100 bills for Christmas, thanks to an anonymous donor.
The St. Francis House in Sioux Falls has 90 residents, one of whom is recovering from cancer and suffering from Parkinson's disease.
Old Christmas trees in Georgia county, city to become mulch
December 26, 2021 GMTVALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) — Residents in a south Georgia city and county looking to dispose of their old Christmas trees can do so at a recycling event that runs Sunday through Jan. 7.
The “Bring One for the Chipper” event is sponsored by the City of Valdosta and Lowndes County.
Bidens mark Christmas with holiday calls to service members
December 25, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden marked his first Christmas in office by making calls to military service members stationed around the world, offering them holiday wishes and gratitude for their service and sacrifice for the nation.
Another COVID Christmas brings anxiety, but also optimism
December 25, 2021 GMTChristmas arrived around the world Saturday amid a surge in COVID-19 infections that kept many families apart, overwhelmed hospitals and curbed religious observances as the pandemic was poised to stretch into a third year.
5 killed in Christmas morning gunfire in northeast Brazil
December 25, 2021 GMTBRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Five people were killed and six others were wounded by gunfire while celebrating Christmas on a soccer field in the northeastern city of Fortaleza early Saturday, according to the Ceara state Public Security Secretariat.
Man, 2 children killed in early Christmas Day fire; 2 hurt
December 25, 2021 GMTQUAKERTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A man and two children were found dead after an early-morning fire in an eastern Pennsylvania home on Christmas Day that may have been sparked by Christmas tree lights, authorities said.
Officers shower gifts on toddler randomly punched in face
December 25, 2021 GMTMIAMI (AP) — A 3-year-old boy in South Florida who was punched recently in the face by a stranger in a random attack was greeted for Christmas not by Santa but by police officers who showered him with gifts.
Queen recalls ‘familiar laugh missing’ in Christmas speech
December 25, 2021 GMTLONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II in her Christmas Day message shared the pain she felt after the death of her husband as she encouraged people everywhere to celebrate with friends and family, despite the grief caused by the ongoing pandemic.
Space telescope launched on daring quest to behold 1st stars
December 25, 2021 GMTThe world’s largest and most powerful space telescope rocketed away Saturday on a high-stakes quest to behold light from the first stars and galaxies and scour the universe for hints of life.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope soared from French Guiana on South America’s northeastern coast, riding a European Ariane rocket into the Christmas morning sky.
Iowa boy finds $100, spends it to buy gifts for needy kids
December 25, 2021 GMTCLEAR LAKE, Iowa (AP) — A northern Iowa sixth-grader could have enjoyed a windfall after finding a $100 bill, but instead, he decided to use the money to buy Christmas gifts for needy kinds.
COVID Christmas in French ICU: Fear, fatigue and loving care
December 25, 2021 GMTMARSEILLE, France (AP) — From the intensive care ward in France where he is spending the holidays, COVID-19 patient David Daniel Sebbagh said he has one overriding regret: that he didn’t get vaccinated.
COVID-19 makes Biden’s 1st White House Christmas less merry
December 25, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — So long eggnog, shrimp cocktail and pet-shaped sugar cookies.
It's been a less merry holiday scene at the White House this year under COVID-19's shadow.
Today in History
December 25, 2021 GMTToday in History
Today is Saturday, Dec. 25, the 359th day of 2021. There are six days left in the year. This is Christmas Day.
COVID-19 makes Biden’s 1st White House Christmas less merry
December 25, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — So long eggnog, shrimp cocktail and pet-shaped sugar cookies.
It's been a less merry holiday scene at the White House this year under COVID-19's shadow.
Biden, first lady visit hospitalized kids on Christmas Eve
December 25, 2021 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden brought some Christmas Eve cheer to hospitalized children who aren't well enough to go home for the holidays.
It's longstanding tradition for first ladies to visit Children's National Hospital at Christmastime, but Joe Biden's visit on Friday was a surprise.
Daily COVID cases in Australia’s New South Wales top 6,000
December 25, 2021 GMTSYDNEY (AP) — Australia's most populous state recorded more than 6,000 new COVID-19 cases for the first time Saturday, adding a somber note to Christmas celebrations.
New South Wales reported 6,288 new infections over the past 24 hours, an increase of 676 cases from the previous day and by far the highest number of cases in any Australian state since the pandemic began.
Hochul takes on COVID critics, cuts health worker quarantine
December 25, 2021 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — New York is shortening the amount of time essential workers must stay home after testing positive for COVID-19, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Friday, seeking to strike a balance between staunching the virus' rapid spread and keeping critical jobs as fully staffed as possible.
COVID puts a damper on Christmas Eve again around the world
December 24, 2021 GMTFrom Bethlehem and Frankfurt to London and Boston, the surging coronavirus put a damper on Christmas Eve for a second year, forcing churches to cancel or scale back services and disrupting travel plans and family gatherings.
Spanish king’s annual speech warns against virus complacency
December 24, 2021 GMTMADRID (AP) — Citizens should remain cautious as the coronavirus can still inflict widespread damage, Spain's King Felipe VI said during an annual speech — as infections in the country climbed to a yet another record Friday.
Pope celebrates Christmas Eve Mass as virus surges in Italy
December 24, 2021 GMTROME (AP) — Pope Francis celebrated Christmas Eve Mass before an estimated 2,000 people in St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday, going ahead with the service despite the resurgence in COVID-19 cases that has prompted a new vaccine mandate for Vatican employees.
Yes, there is a Santa Claus. And no, COVID-19 won’t stop him
December 24, 2021 GMTPETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AP) — Rest assured, kids of all ages: Santa’s coming this Christmas Eve, and a second holiday with COVID-19 won’t stop him.
That’s the word from the joint U.S.-Canadian military operation that for 66 years has been tracking Jolly Old St.
Many US churches canceling in-person Christmas services
December 24, 2021 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Amid the surge of coronavirus cases across the U.S., numerous churches have canceled in-person Christmas services, disappointing pastors and churchgoers who consider them an annual highlight.
Rudolfo Anaya weaved bilingual holiday tale for children
December 24, 2021 GMTSANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An author known as the father of Chicano literature left behind a bilingual children’s book after his 2020 death, telling a story about Christmas in the American Southwest.
The tale from Rudolfo Anaya, who died from natural causes at 82, is being published posthumously for the holiday season by Museum of New Mexico Press with parallel text in Spanish and English.
Stocks mixed across global markets in quiet holiday trading
December 24, 2021 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Global stocks were mixed in quiet trading on Friday, with many markets around the world closed or ending early in observance of Christmas.
Stocks slipped in Paris and Tokyo, inched higher in Seoul and Hong Kong and were nearly unchanged in London.
In Tennessee Valley, Alabama Santa spends holidays on boat
December 24, 2021 GMTSHEFFIELD, Ala. (AP) — Donning a Santa Claus outfit is a Christmas season tradition that dates back nearly 40 years for John Schmidt. This year, he added a twist which comes with a special meaning.
Police search for gunman in Chicago-area mall shootout
December 24, 2021 GMTOAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — Police said Friday that they were searching for a man suspected of taking part in a shootout at a crowded suburban Chicago shopping mall in which four people were wounded, including another suspected gunman who was taken into custody.
Deputies in SC get gifts of $50 to give away at Christmas
December 24, 2021 GMTWALHALLA, S.C. (AP) — Deputies in one northern South Carolina county have 100 gifts of $50 to hand out to people over the Christmas holidays.
The Isaiah 40:31 Foundation gave $5,000 to the Oconee County Sheriff's Office, asking deputies to use the money to help 100 people in need and build better relationships with the community, Sheriff Mike Crenshaw said.
UK Queen’s Christmas speech set to be particularly personal
December 24, 2021 GMTLONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II is expected to offer a particularly personal Christmas Day message to the nation this year after Buckingham Palace released a photo of the monarch recording the speech alongside a picture of her and her husband, who died earlier this year.
Germany anticipates big omicron rise over holiday period
December 24, 2021 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Germany's health minister said Friday that the proportion of coronavirus infections with the new omicron variant will increase sharply in the days ahead, and he appealed to people to take steps to avoid infection during Christmas festivities.
4 people injured after shooting at Chicago-area mall
December 24, 2021 GMTOAK BROOK, Ill. (AP) — A shooting at a suburban Chicago mall full of Christmas shoppers left four people injured Thursday, police said.
The incident at Oakbrook Center in Oak Brook began with two males involved in a shootout in a corridor around 5:45 p.m., police Chief James Kruger said.