Holidays

NEW YORK (AP) — St. Patrick’s Day, the annual celebration of all things Irish, is being marked in cities across the country on Monday with boisterous parades and celebrations. New York City hosts one of the largest and oldest parades... Read More

NEW YORK (AP) — From Sydney to Mumbai to Paris to Rio de Janeiro, communities around the world welcomed 2025 with spectacular light shows, embraces and ice plunges. The New Year’s Eve ball dropped in soggy Times Square, where thousands of... Read More

Bells are ringing. Snow is glistening. But you’re bummed out. You could be suffering from a case of the holiday blues, which experts say is not uncommon. A strained relationship with family, for example, can make this time of year... Read More

WASINGTON — If you are in charge of preparing the holiday desserts, keep in mind there are ways to make them healthy and delicious! Here, we’ll give you the secret ingredients to add to your favorite sweet treats, their health... Read More

WASHINGTON — Does drinking a warm mug of cocoa sound comforting on these cold nights? Choosing an unprocessed cocoa high in antioxidants can not only comfort you, but could also boost your health. Just in time for hearty holiday meals,... Read More

WASHINGTON — First Lady Dr. Jill Biden delivered her final holiday message to the nation on Monday, saying it’s been the “honor of our lives” for her and the president to serve as the first family, and that she hopes... Read More

WASHINGTON — You could call it a day of holiday cheer. And yet at the White House on Monday, the air was heavy with a sense of sentimentality and maybe even a touch of sadness. This Thanksgiving and Christmas are... Read More

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden continued a White House tradition on Monday, granting two turkeys a permanent reprieve from the Thanksgiving dinner table. This year’s pardonees were Peach and Blossom, two Minnesota-bred turkeys, weighing 40 and 41 pounds, who were... Read More

Ready or not, the holidays are here. It's a time when many Americans accustomed to preparing simple meals find themselves responsible for safely serving multi-dish feasts. It's no easy task. Outbreaks of some types of food poisoning tend to rise in November and December,... Read More

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Workers who clean airplanes, remove trash and help with wheelchairs at Charlotte's airport went on strike Monday during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to demand higher wages. The Service Employees International Union announced the strike in a... Read More

WASHINGTON — While Thanksgiving side dishes may vary, most people agree on the main dish: the turkey. From the presidential pardon to turkey-themed art projects in elementary school, it’s all about the turkey. Turkey is a nutrient-dense food high in... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Capitol Christmas Tree arrived on the west lawn of the Capitol Friday with a police escort and ceremonial welcome befitting a visiting dignitary. “There’s no doubt this Christmas tree is the Alaskan of the week,” a smiling... Read More

WASHINGTON — The election may just be barely over, the House schedule crammed with hearings and votes, but already across Washington, ready or not, the holiday season is about to begin. On Friday, the U.S. Capitol Christmas tree will arrive... Read More

WASHINGTON — Halloween is a fun time for everyone and what symbolizes the fall holiday better than a big orange pumpkin? From pumpkin patches to carving jack-o’-lanterns; spiced lattes to pumpkin-shaped candy, the quintessential fall harvest item is everywhere.  Did... Read More

WASHINGTON — The sky smiled Tuesday on workers preparing for this weekend’s annual national Memorial Day Concert on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. As scaffolding and lighting was lifted into place, a pair of American flags waved in... Read More

It's beginning to look a lot like a hectic holiday travel season, but it might go relatively smoothly if the weather cooperates. Travel over Christmas and New Year's tends to spread out over many days, so the peaks in the... Read More

ALTOONA, Pa. — With Christmas and New Year’s gatherings just around the corner, health officials in Pennsylvania are encouraging state residents to remain up to date on their vaccinations, particularly those intended to protect against COVID-19 and the flu. “Getting... Read More

WASHINGTON — The White House kicked off the Christmas season this week by debuting a spectacular presentation of the “magic, wonder and joy” of the holiday through the eyes of a child. Anyone familiar with the traditional White House tour... Read More

WASHINGTON — President Biden on Monday pardoned the latest pair of national turkeys, an annual tradition that marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Washington, and had a little fun at his own expense, as his birthday happened... Read More

WASHINGTON — Have you ever been out for a walk on Thanksgiving Day and seen a crowd of people running in turkey costumes? You weren’t hallucinating — you saw The Turkey Trot. The costumes are a newer addition, but the... Read More

WASHINGTON — The holiday season is upon us, and Thanksgiving is next week. A holiday centered around eating and drinking may cause stress if you’re trying to eat healthy. Thanksgiving is only one day — or maybe a few days,... Read More

CHARLESTON, W.Va. —  Believe it or not, it is that time of year again. This year’s Capitol Christmas tree began its journey from the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia to the nation’s capital Wednesday morning. That’s when West Virginia... Read More

WASHINGTON —Walking through the streets of Washington, D.C., you’ll notice pumpkins, spider webs and skeletons: it’s officially spooky season. Halloween may call to mind dressing up in a costume and eating and drinking sweet treats. If you’re trying to live... Read More

From Alcatraz Island to a park in New York City, Native American people will celebrate their centuries-long history of resilience on Monday with ceremonies, dances and speeches. The events across the U.S. come two years after President Joe Biden officially commemorated... Read More

WASHINGTON — The air is getting cooler, pumpkins are on doorsteps and plastic skeletons are posing in yards. Halloween is coming to Washington, D.C. There are many upcoming events for people of all ages to enjoy. Planning ahead and taking... Read More

WASHINGTON — Total Halloween spending could reach a record $12.2 billion this year, significantly outpacing last year’s record $10.6 billion in sales, according to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation. The annual market appraisal, which was performed on... Read More

WASHINGTON — With Independence Day just around the corner, it’s time to get ready for the annual road closures associated with “A Capitol Fourth,” the holiday concert broadcast live by PBS from the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. This... Read More

WASHINGTON — Just two years after becoming a formal federal holiday, Juneteenth has truly become a national day of celebration and remembrance with public events commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans scheduled from coast to coast. Here in Washington,... Read More

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines said it expects to return to normal operations Friday after slashing about two-thirds of its schedule in recent days, including canceling another 2,350 flights Thursday. Southwest is struggling to recover after being overwhelmed by a... Read More

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Tens of millions of Americans endured bone-chilling temperatures, blizzard conditions, power outages and canceled holiday gatherings Friday from a winter storm that forecasters said was nearly unprecedented in its scope, exposing about 60% of the U.S. population to... Read More