Christmas

More and more congregations are making a space for sad feelings during the holidays. First Congregational United Church of Christ in Portland, Ore., held its Blue Christmas service earlier this month.

Religion

'Blue Christmas' Services Offer Refuge From Holiday Cheer

7:53am December 21, 2019

by Deena Prichep

Loss and pain are especially hard amidst the joy and tinsel of the holidays. A growing number of churches are offering "Blue Christmas" services to hold a space for often unwelcome feelings.

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"It was important for me to stay away from [religious themes with] this special, because I think there's a lot of other things that a lot of different people could enjoy about the holidays," Musgraves says.

Music & Culture

'The Kacey Musgraves Christmas Show' Revives A Classic Holiday Tradition

7:53am December 21, 2019

The country star thought it "would be a fun way to bring my old Christmas album back in the form of those old Christmas specials that we love."

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Thousands of new holiday songs have been released since 1994, but none have become standards in the way pop songs about Christmas routinely did in the '60s, '70s and '80s. What's the challenge of cracking the tiny yuletide canon?

Music & Culture

Why Are There No New Christmas Songs?

5:34pm December 17, 2019

by Chris Klimek

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" is back at the top of the chart a quarter century after it was first released. So why haven't there been any lasting Christmas songs to take its place?

A sweet view along one of the many canals of Venice, which in this case are filled with blue jellybeans.

Candy Canals: Architects Craft Gingerbread Replica Of Venice

8:03am December 08, 2019

by Sophia Alvarez Boyd

A competition brought hundreds of architects, designers and engineers together to build a mini version of the Italian city out of Snickers, Mars bars, Jellybeans, cereal, gummy bears and more.

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A Norwegian spruce stands at the center of London's Trafalgar Square on Wednesday. Many are calling this year's tree — a gift from Oslo — meager and sparse.

World News

'Britain's Most Famous Christmas Tree' Criticized For Looking Sparse, Droopy And Sad

4:32pm December 05, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

Every year, a Norwegian city gives London a Christmas tree in gratitude for British aid during World War II. However, many are not impressed with this year's present.

President Trump takes phone calls from children as he participates in NORAD's Santa tracker on Christmas Eve at the White House. He caused a stir by asking a 7-year-old caller if she still believed in Santa Claus.

Girl Still Believes In Santa, Even After Trump Casts Doubt On His Existence

2:55pm December 26, 2018

by Laurel Wamsley

The president caused a stir when he asked a 7-year-old caller to the Santa tracker hotline whether she still believed in Saint Nick.

Sabri Canaan, 30, dons a Santa suit to deliver presents as Baba Noel (Father Christmas) on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem. His driver Mohammed Battah (left) briefs him on the list of children receiving gifts.

World News

In Bethlehem, 'Baba Noel' Delivers Christmas Gifts To Palestinian Children

12:53pm December 25, 2018

by Daniel Estrin

In the Holy Land, Santa doesn't come down the chimney or wait till kids are asleep to deliver presents. "Baba Noel" or Father Christmas hops out of a red van and makes house calls while they're awake.

Vintage pixie elf Christmas tree ornament. Made in Japan, circa 1950's.

Arts

A New Twist On The 'Santaland Diaries' Tradition

7:56am December 25, 2018

by Heidi Glenn

David Sedaris' "Santaland Diaries" is an NPR tradition. This year, we asked you to describe your imaginary shift as a Santaland elf. Responses ranged from heartwarming to devilish.

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Ed Mabaya on his parents' farm in Zimbabwe.

Health & Safety

I Gave A Spur-Of-The-Moment Christmas Gift — And Asked Myself A Hard Question

3:19pm December 24, 2018

by Edward Mabaya

I had gone home to rural Zimbabwe for the holiday. In the village shop, two skinny young boys came in to buy cooking oil and bread. They hoped to use any leftover change to buy treats.

Filipinos pose for souvenir shots at the "Christmas House" owned by businessman Alexander Cruz in suburban Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines, on Dec. 12, 2017. The whole house, decorated with hundreds of thousands of LED lights, has attracted local and

Love The Holidays? The Philippines Celebrates 4 Months Of Christmas Mania

10:03am December 24, 2018

by Julie McCarthy

Counting down from September, nine days of Mass, heaps of roast pig, colorful lights and festivities all over the place — the Filipinos know how to make the season bright, and eternal.

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