Unseasonably warm weather may be the forecast for late December, but once winter finally sets in, it will be ice fishing season. Anyone looking for one of the country’s best fishing spots need look no further than the mountains along the Front Range of Colorado — more specifically, Lake Granby.

That’s according to FishingBooker, a website that connects anglers with guiding companies and excursions across the U.S. The site recently named its top 10 ice fishing destinations, in no particular order, and Lake Granby was the sole Colorado locale to make the list.

Located at nearly 8,300 feet in elevation, Lake Granby offers alpine serenity as well as plenty of lake trout and kokanee salmon to make your fishing excursion both peaceful and invigorating, FishingBooker said.

“The lake’s clear waters and high elevation make for a picturesque outing, and the experience often feels like a true wilderness escape,” the site said. “Local guides and outfitters will also help ensure your time on the ice is both safe and successful.”

Plus, there’s more to do than just fishing, FishingBooker touted, from snowshoeing to relaxing at a mountain lodge. “The combination of solitude and natural beauty makes it a standout location,” it added.

Lake Granby was one of 10 places featured on FishingBooker’s list, alongside Green Bay in Wisconsin and Flathead Lake in Montana. See the full list here. If you’re a newbie to the sport, don’t forget to check out these tips before you go.

The holiday season is the perfect time to get lost in a good mystery or thriller.

A particularly well-crafted one can take your mind off the stress that comes with the end of the year, and the books make great presents for friends and family (or for yourself — you deserve it). They’re also a staple of airport bookstores, so it’s easy to find one to keep you company on your next flight. (Maybe don’t pick a T.J. Newman novel in that particular circumstance, though.)

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Finally, you’ve got a lot to choose from — we combed through a bunch of bestselling mysteries and thrillers published this year, and found 32 standouts.

You’re bound to find something to keep you on the edge of your seat.

SEE ALSO: 24 award-nominated 2025 books to read and add to your TBR pile

“Beautiful Ugly” by Alice Feeney

British author Feeney is one of the most reliable thriller authors in the game. Her new book follows Grady Green, a London author whose wife, Abby, goes missing near a cliff; a year later, Grady goes to a small Scottish island, where he spots a woman who looks exactly like Abby — and then things get even weirder.

“Best Offer Wins” by Marisa Kashino

This darkly funny novel follows a publicist desperate to find a house in Washington, D.C., and who keeps losing bidding wars. When she finds the perfect home, she decides she’ll stop at nothing to get it. Kashino’s debut novel became a bestseller after being selected for the “Good Morning America” book club.

“The Big Empty” by Robert Crais

This year, California author Crais published his 20th novel featuring his beloved characters, private eye Elvis Cole and his partner, Joe Pike. This time, the pair investigates the case of a man who disappeared 10 years ago in a town near L.A., and find themselves in the crosshairs of a gang of violent criminals.

“The Black Wolf” by Louise Penny

The 20th novel in Penny’s massively bestselling series of novels featuring Armand Gamache, a Quebec police inspector, sees the lawman and his associates discover a terrorist plot involving domestic terrorism and officials in high places. 

SEE ALSO: Crime author Tod Goldberg is fascinated by characters who make poor decisions

“The Bluest Night” by Aaron Philip Clark

L.A. author Clark’s third book featuring Trevor Finnegan, an ex-LAPD cop who now works as a private investigator, finds his hero trying to find out who killed his half-brother’s girlfriend in Malibu — and uncovering a large-scale conspiracy.

“The Dentist” by Tim Sullivan

In this novel, British filmmaker and author Sullivan introduces his readers to Detective Sergeant George Cross, an investigator who’s on the autism spectrum. Already a success in the U.K., the series launched in the U.S. in October and will continue rolling out books in 2026 (the follow-up, “The Cyclist,” is in stores in January with more coming in February, March and beyond).

“Count My Lies” by Sophie Stava

Southern California author Stava’s debut novel follows Sloane Caraway, a habitual fabulist who lies her way into a job as a nanny for a rich family, and discovers they might not be who they seem. Hulu is developing a limited series adaptation of the novel, starring Lindsay Lohan and Shailene Woodley.

“Dead Money” by Jakob Kerr

Lawyer and debut novelist Kerr drew on the 15 years he lived in San Francisco for this novel, which follows Mackenzie Clyde, a problem solver who works for a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, and who tries to solve the murder of a tech startup CEO.

SEE ALSO: Charles Beaumont was a spy. Now he’s writing spy novels.

“Don’t Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell

The latest novel from prolific British author Jewell hit the No. 1 spot on the New York Times bestseller list. It follows three women who are drawn into the orbit of a handsome, mysterious man who might be harboring dark secrets.

“Don’t Open Your Eyes” by Liv Constantine

Constantine is actually the pen name for two sisters, Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine, and their debut novel, “The Last Mrs. Parrish,” is in the works as a film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Jennifer Lopez. Their latest novel follows Annabelle Reynolds, a woman with a good life who is beset by nightmares that start to come true.

“Exit Strategy” by Lee Child and Andrew Child

The 30th novel featuring ex-Army police officer Jack Reacher — and the sixth since Andrew Child came on to write or co-write the series launched by his brother — sees the towering vagabond helping a young man with a gambling addiction who is being blackmailed by a shadowy criminal.

SEE ALSO: ‘Slow Horses’ author Mick Herron reveals the secret origins of Slough House

“The First Gentleman” by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

The third novel by the former president and the thriller king, following “The President Is Missing” and “The President’s Daughter,” tells the story of Cole Wright, a former professional football player who has been accused of killing his girlfriend almost two decades ago. Complicating matters is that Wright’s wife happens to be the president of the United States.

“Fog and Fury” by Rachel Howzell Hall

L.A. author Hall is known for her standalone novels and her series of books featuring Detective Elouise Norton. She kicked off a new series this year with this novel, which follows Sonny Rush, an L.A. cop turned private eye, who hopes to escape her former life by moving to a calm seaside town. Those plans go awry when the body of a teenager is found by a hiking trail.

“Gone Before Goodbye” by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben

Witherspoon has long been connected to literature as the founder of her mega-popular book club. She teamed with thriller author Coben on this novel about a former Army surgeon who takes a job treating a Russian oligarch. Complications, needless to say, ensue.

“Happy Wife” by Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores

A pick for Jenna Bush Hager’s “Today” show book club, this novel follows Nora Davies, a 29-year-old woman in Winter Park, Florida, who marries Will Somerset, a wealthy lawyer and single dad. The day after Nora throws a birthday party for her husband, he disappears, and she goes in search of him.

SEE ALSO: The badass return of crime novels by Nicola Griffith and Elizabeth Hand

“The Impossible Fortune” by Richard Osman

British television host Osman scored a huge hit with his debut mystery novel, “The Thursday Murder Club,” which Netflix recently adapted as a movie. His latest novel, the fifth in his series of cozy books about crime-solving retirees, sees them trying to find a man who has disappeared and possibly been kidnapped.

“The Intruder” by Freida McFadden

Physician and author McFadden is having a big year: A film based on her bestselling thriller “The Housemaid,” starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried, is scheduled to open on Christmas Day, and she’s published three novels in 2025 alone, including this one about a woman who finds a young girl, covered in blood and grasping a knife, outside her isolated cabin.

“Julie Chan Is Dead” by Liann Zhang

This debut novel by the Canadian author shot up the bestseller lists shortly after its release; it tells the story of the title character, a supermarket cashier who discovers the body of her identical twin sister, a popular influencer, and proceeds to pretend to be her — only to discover she was keeping some seriously dark secrets.

“King of Ashes” by S.A. Cosby

One of the most prominent breakout authors of the past several years, Cosby has developed a reputation as a master of the Southern noir genre. His latest novel follows a family being stalked by a dangerous drug gang; it is being developed as a Netflix series backed by the production companies of Steven Spielberg and Barack and Michelle Obama.

SEE ALSO: 100 Christmas and holiday gift book recs from Southern California bookstores

“The Maid’s Secret” by Nita Prose

Canadian author Prose took the mystery world by storm in 2022 with her bestselling novel “The Maid,” about Molly Gray, a hotel housekeeper suspected of murdering a wealthy guest. In her latest book, Molly learns that she owns a lucrative artifact, just before it’s stolen in a brazen heist.

“Murder Takes a Vacation” by Laura Lippman

Lippman is best known for her novels featuring Baltimore private eye Tess Monaghan (soon to be a television series). Her latest book focuses on a side character from those books, Muriel Blossom, who meets a man on her flight to a vacation to France; he turns up dead not long after.

“Nemesis” by Gregg Hurwitz

L.A. author Hurwitz launched his popular Orphan X series of thrillers, featuring Evan Smoak, an ex-assassin who now helps people who need it, in 2016. The 10th installment in the series finds Smoak trying to track down his former best friend to get revenge after a betrayal (and an 11th is coming in February).

“The Proving Ground” by Michael Connelly

Attorney Mickey Haller is back in the eighth installment of Connelly‘s The Lincoln Lawyer series of novels, which has been adapted into a Netflix series starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. In this novel, Haller files suit against an AI company after its chatbot advises a teenage boy to murder his ex-girlfriend.

“Not Quite Dead Yet” by Holly Jackson

Jackson is well known to young readers for her popular A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder books. This year, she made her adult fiction debut with this novel — a “Good Morning America” book club pick — about a woman assaulted by an intruder, who learns that she will die of an aneurysm, and has only a few days to solve her own murder.

SEE ALSO: 11 books and last-minute indie gift ideas for Christmas and the holidays

“The Perfect Divorce” by Jeneva Rose 

Rose had a massive hit with her 2020 novel “The Perfect Marriage,” about Sarah Morgan, a defense lawyer whose husband is suspected of killing his mistress. In this follow-up, Sarah is dealing with infidelity on the part of her new husband, just as the case against her first one is reopened.

“She Didn’t See It Coming” by Shari Lapena

Lapena had a breakout hit in 2016 with her thriller “The Couple Next Door.” Her latest novel tells the story of a woman who disappears without a trace from the luxury condominium she lives in with her husband and daughter.

“The Unraveling of Julia” by Lisa Scottoline

Beloved legal thriller author Scottoline’s new novel follows Julia Pritzker, a woman still reeling from the murder of her husband in a mugging, and who is shocked when she finds out that she has inherited a large sum of money, a vineyard, and a villa in Italy from someone she doesn’t know — and finds herself embroiled in a deadly conspiracy.

“Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)” by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Sutanto introduced her titular amateur sleuth — an elderly owner of a San Francisco tea shop — in the 2023 novel “Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.” In this follow-up, Vera is determined to solve the murder of a social media influencer with a shadowy past.

“We Are All Guilty Here” by Karin Slaughter 

You might know Slaughter as the author of the Will Trent series of novels that have been adapted into the ABC show starring Ramón Rodríguez. Her latest novel kicks off a new book series, focusing on Emmy Clifton, a sheriff’s deputy in a small Georgia town searching for two missing teenage girls.

SEE ALSO: These 2025 children’s books make great holiday gifts for every age group

“Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy

Reese Witherspoon gave her imprimatur to this novel about a man and his children who live on a remote island near Antarctica, and who discover a woman who has washed ashore after a storm — and who might not be who she says she is. Amazon named this the best book of 2025.

“The Widow” by John Grisham

Grisham needs no introduction to legal thriller fans who have long read his novels like “The Firm” and “The Pelican Brief.” This year, he published his first-ever whodunit, about a lawyer representing Simon Latch, an elderly widow who is murdered, leaving Simon as a suspect.

“You Belong Here” by Megan Miranda

In her latest thriller, the “All the Missing Girls” author tells the story of Beckett Bowery, a woman who has done her best to stay away from the Virginia college where her parents taught, and where a tragedy upended her life. When her daughter receives a full scholarship to the school, she realizes that she can’t escape her past.

By AYESHA CURRY

I call this the “So This Is Christmas Cocktail.” But the drink, from my cookbook “The Full Plate,” is perfect for any family celebration, whether it’s actually Christmas or not.

In the cold winter months, the Champagne keeps you warm and the rosemary reminds you of the crisp, fresh air.

First, make the rosemary simple syrup, then combine with the other ingredients.

Rosemary Simple Syrup

Combine ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 cardamom pods and 2 small fresh rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Strain, transfer to a lidded jar, and refrigerate; the syrup will keep for up to 2 weeks.

So This Is Christmas Cocktail

Ingredients

½ ounce (1 tablespoon) Rosemary Simple Syrup

½ ounce (1 tablespoon) pomegranate juice

1 teaspoon fresh pomegranate seeds

Champagne, for topping glass

Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Directions

In a Champagne flute or highball glass, combine the rosemary syrup, pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds. Top off the glass with Champagne and add a rosemary sprig for garnish.

Ayesha Curry is the bestselling author of “The Seasoned Life” and “The Full Plate,” and is an entrepreneur, television host and restaurateur. She is mom to four children, and wife to basketball star Stephen Curry. She lives in the Bay Area.

Excerpted from “The Full Plate” by Ayesha Curry. Copyright (copyright) 2020 by Ayesha Curry. Photograph by Eva Kolenko. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.

By KRYSTA FAURIA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — At the movies this fall, Josh O’Connor plays a hot priest with a complicated past, Keanu Reeves is an angel who lost his wings and Elizabeth Olsen has a romantic dilemma in the afterlife.

Hollywood, it seems, has found God.

But it’s not just starry big-budget Netflix films or A24 indies that are grappling with religion and its place in entertainment. In recent years, there’s been an explosion of films and television made from a confessional perspective that evangelize or portray a particular faith, often Christianity, that have performed particularly well with audiences.

There are animated biblical films from Angel, like the upcoming musical “David,” which the company said has already exceeded $14 million in theatrical pre-sale tickets ahead of its release this Friday, to docudramas like Martin Scorsese’s “The Saints.” While episodes from Season 2 are still being released, the first season of the Fox Nation series, which premiered last year, was the most watched on the platform.

“There has been a revival, a revolution of sorts, of spirituality and faith content,” proclaimed Traci Blackwell, head of targeted content for Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, at a recent Variety event in Beverly Hills for faith and spirituality in entertainment. Earlier this year, Amazon premiered the first season of its own biblical drama, “House of David,” and gained exclusive U.S. streaming rights to “The Chosen,” a massively popular drama series about the life of Jesus.

‘The Chosen’ effect

Historically some faith-based entertainment has performed well at the box office — Mel Gibson’s 2004 epic “The Passion of the Christ” was notoriously the highest-grossing R-rated film in the U.S. and Canada for two decades. But faith-based hits have been few and far between for most of this century.

“Hollywood has taken a lot of criticism by those in the faith community for not providing films that speak to them, that reflect their values,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s senior media analyst, emphasizing the box-office potential of faith-based films.

Studios are realizing faith-based film and television is a worthwhile investment at least in part due to the success of “The Chosen,” which Angel helped launch in 2017, even if it initially took time to see those results.

“It was like pulling teeth to get people to watch it,” recalled Angel CEO and co-founder Neal Harmon. “People have this idea that faith means cheesy or preachy. And we had to break through that barrier.”

Once they did, it paid off. Since Fathom Entertainment began distributing “The Chosen” theatrically in 2023, the series has grossed more than $116 million domestically.

Though not a Christian company, Angel aims to distribute and market “values-based entertainment” that includes but is not limited to stories of faith. They’ve released a host of religious films, with “Zero A.D.,” a biblical epic about the Massacre of the Innocents recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, on the docket for 2026.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate is set to premiere “I Can Only Imagine 2” in theaters February, a sequel to the 2018 biopic starring Dennis Quaid, which was one of the highest-grossing Christian films of all-time in the United States.

Co-director Andrew Erwin said he noticed a “massive shift” take place about five years ago, after years of disconnect between the demand for these kinds of films and Hollywood’s willingness to make them.

“For the first time, movie studios are really giving us a fair shake,” he said, though he thinks the quality of the content was also a factor. “We didn’t have the knowledge of how to do the filmmaking side of things. And so, I think the storytelling has gotten a lot better.”

Lionsgate is also set to distribute the first of Gibson’s two-part sequel to “The Passion of the Christ” in 2027.

Defining ‘faith-based’

Trying to define what counts as faith-based programming is a bit like trying to define what counts as pornography.

Themes of belief, guilt and “foolish grace” abound in O’Connor’s “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” — the third of filmmaker Rian Johnson’s hit Netflix franchise. But few would call it a religious film.

Amanda Seyfried preaches celibacy and endures persecution in “The Testament of Ann Lee,” the musical biopic about the founder of the Shakers sect, in theaters Christmas. But in all the acclaim and Oscar buzz surrounding the film, there’s little talk of its engagement with faith.

Even Scorsese’s 1988 “The Last Temptation of Christ” or filmmaker Paul Schrader’s Oscar-nominated “First Reformed,” which also stars Seyfried, are hardly thought of broadly as Christian films, despite the fact that both men have been outspoken about their respective traditions.

“This film was his way of exploring his faith and exploring who his God is,” Scorsese’s daughter Francesca, who directed one of the episodes of “The Saints,” said of “The Last Temptation of Christ.”

Conversely, the people behind some of these recent projects resist them being called explicitly religious, even when audiences perceive them as such.

“I wouldn’t characterize it so much as overtly Christian,” Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in “The Chosen,” told The Associated Press last year. “It’s a historical drama that centers on Jesus.”

For studios and filmmakers, acknowledging that a project is told from a religious perspective can be a double-edged sword.

“If you’re buying in on going to the movie theater for a faith-based movie, you know you’re gonna have people around you who are really into the experience,” Dergarabedian said. “The minute you say faith-based though, it kind of puts a movie in a box.”

A fad or here to stay

Many Christians celebrate the trend beyond its monetary potential. Phil Wickham, a Grammy-nominated Christian recording artist who voices the character of David in the upcoming Angel film, said it’s been gratifying to see the success of shows like “The Chosen” and “House of David.”

“Growing up, anything that was Christian media felt so preachy,” Wickham said. “Even as a pastor’s kid, it was a turn off. But now I think there’s just more opportunity to tell bigger stories over the course of a series and more people willing to really dig in and tell something with excellence and beauty.”

While it’s too soon to tell whether there’s been a sea change in Hollywood or if it’s a short-term fad, the success of some of these projects has stood out amid an otherwise perilous time in the business.

“Hollywood usually follows money,” Jason Klarman, Fox News Media’s chief digital and marketing officer, said as he touted Fox Nation’s packed slate of upcoming faith-based content, including Zachary Levi’s “David: King of Israel” docudrama. “Even when the trend ends, we’ll still be doing it.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Wrestling great Mick Foley has called it quits with the WWE over its cozy relationship with President Donald Trump, he said Tuesday, citing “incredibly cruel comments” Trump made about film director Rob Reiner’s murder.

Long concerned with the WWE’s cozy relationship with Trump amid the administration’s “ongoing cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants,” Foley wrote in his announcement on social media, “reading the President’s incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death is the final straw for me.”

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, known in the wrestling world as Triple H, is a fixture at many White House events. Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon helmed the U.S. Small Business Administration during Trump’s first term and currently serves as U.S. Secretary of Education.

“I no longer wish to represent a company that coddles a man so seemingly void of compassion as he marches our country towards autocracy,” Foley wrote. “Last night, I informed WWE talent relations that I would not be making any appearances for the company as long as this man remains in office.”

Both Foley and Trump were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013, Trump as a celebrity honoree.

Hours after Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were discovered Sunday in their Los Angeles home with their throats slit, Trump posted a social media diatribe blaming Rob’s death on anger he incited with his liberal views. Blowback has come from all sides of the political spectrum. Their younger son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested for their murders.

Foley’s breakup with WWE was thorough.

“Additionally, I will not be signing a new Legends deal when my current one expires in June,” Foley wrote. “I love WWE, will always treasure my time with them, and I am deeply appreciative for all the opportunities they afforded me. But, in the words of Popeye the sailor, ’I stands all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.’ ”

With News Wire Services

As President Trump takes fire from all sides of the political spectrum for mocking slain director Rob Reiner, it’s the Hollywood icon who may have the last word.

Clips of Reiner’s compassionate response to the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk when he discussed the horrifying incident with Piers Morgan in September are flooding the internet.

“When you first heard about the murder of Charlie Kirk, what was your immediate gut reaction to it?” Morgan asked Reiner on “Piers Morgan Uncensored,” as shown in a clip posted by show staffers and then reposted by its eponymous host.

“Well, horror. Absolute horror,” Reiner said. “And I unfortunately saw the video of it, and it’s beyond belief what happened to him. And that should never happen to anybody. I don’t care what your political beliefs are. That’s not acceptable. That’s not a solution to solving problems.”

On Sunday — just three months later — Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found stabbed to death in their Los Angeles home. Their son Nick Reiner has been charged with their slayings.

Reiner was especially struck, as were many observers, when Kirk’s widow, Erica Kirk, forgave her husband’s attacker during a national memorial service held in Kirk’s honor.

“I felt like what his wife said at the service, at the memorial they had, was exactly right,” Reiner continued. “And totally. I believe, you know, I’m Jewish, but I believe in the teachings of Jesus, and I believe in ‘do unto others,’ and I believe in forgiveness. And what she said, to me, was beautiful and absolutely, you know, she forgave his assassin, and I think that that is admirable.”

Reiner’s remarks resonated in a soft-spoken rebuke to Trump’s widely denounced vitriol, in which he blamed the director’s killing on anger supposedly generated by his liberal views, described him as “tortured and struggling” and said he suffered from “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”

“Rob Reiner responded with grace and compassion to Charlie’s assassination,” Turning Point USA spokesman Andrew Kolvet wrote on X, echoing the public support for the 78-year-old director. “This video makes it all the more painful to hear of he and his wife’s tragic end. May God be close to the broken hearted in this terrible story.”

With News Wire Services

This was supposed to be a year that “was kind of quiet” for Trisha Yearwood.

Instead, the country star released two albums — “The Mirror,” her first album in six years, in July and then “Christmastime” in November. Both put her on the road, too, including a concert Friday, Dec. 19, with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at Orchestra Hall.

“So it turned out to be one of the busiest years so far. I wasn’t expecting that to happen,” Yearwood says. “Somebody called me not too long ago and said, ‘When are you gonna start your next cookbook?’ (laughs) I said: “You’ve got to give me a minute. I’ve got to get through 2025 first!'”

“Christmastime” — produced by Oak Park native Don Was — is Yearwood’s first holiday release since “The Sweetest Gift” in 1994. She and husband Garth Brooks teamed up for “Christmas Together” in 2016, and Brooks appears on the “Christmastime” track “Merry Christmas, Valentine,” which the couple also co-wrote.

“I just love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday,” says the Georgia-born Yearwood, 61, who began her recording career with the 1991 single “She’s in Love With the Boy” and has since released 17 albums and scored 18 Top 10 country hits, with three Grammy Awards. “And since it’s been so long since I’ve made a (holiday) record, I had a list of songs I knew I wanted to record someday.

“When I made my first Christmas album, I’d only been making records for a couple of years … so I’ve had a long time to think about this.”

Also among the songs is “Pure Imagination” from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,” which she walked down to aisle to when she and Brooks married in 2005. And “Merry Christmas, Valentine” was a personal highlight on a number of levels.

“I used to be really hard to write with,” Yearwood says, “because in my head, I didn’t believe in myself. It was like pulling teeth to work with me. But I got this newfound confidence a couple of years ago (she co-wrote all 15 tracks on ‘The Mirror’), so I said to him: ‘You need to write with me again, ’cause I’m really fun now. The switch has flipped. I’m not afraid anymore.’

“Then, I had to strong-arm my husband into singing harmony on it. But because it’s a love story for two people, he had to be the guy to sing on it … and I’m really happy with the way it came out.”

Brooks joined her for the song on their wedding anniversary, Dec. 10, in Atlanta.

Yearwood’s holiday tour features Christmas fare as well as other hits, and she plans on touring more extensively to support “The Mirror” in 2026. She also plans to explore some new food-related endeavors, perhaps even another cooking show.

“If you would’ve asked me at 5 years old what I wanted to do when I grew up, I know I wanted to be a singer. That’s all I ever wanted to do,” said Yearwood, who was a studio singer before releasing her 1991 debut studio album. “I don’t take it for granted that I can say I have been getting to do this for 35 years. To be able to live the dream. … It’s not a job, this is really a vocation, and it’s a calling, and I can’t believe I actually get to do the thing I love the most.

“And as long as I can sing, as long as my voice will do the things it needs to do, I’ll do it.”

Trisha Yearwood performs at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19 at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.

Other music events of note this weekend (all subject to change) include …

FRIDAY, DEC. 19

• Global EDM star GRiZ — Southfield native Grant Kwiecinski — concludes his charitable GRiZMas event, supporting the youth nonprofit Seven Mile, with a pair of concerts through Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Masonic Temple Theatre, 500 Temple St., Detroit. Doors at 7 p.m., with different supporting acts each night. 313-548-1320 or themasonic.com and 12daysofgrizmas.com.

• Carl Craig hosts a Detroit Love — Holiday Edition with two stages of DJs at 9 p.m. at Lincoln Factory, 1331 Holden St., Detroit. paxahau.com.

• The eclectic Rob Schwimmer partners with Ethan Iverson for “A Science Fiction Holiday” at 7 p.m. for the Detroit Institute of Arts’ Friday Night Live series. 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-833-7900 or dia.org.

• Polka parody troupe the Polish Muslims holds its annual holiday/anniversary show at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. The Redones open. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• Green Bay’s TAE & the Neighborly hope to pack(er) ’em in at 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• Charles and Gwen Scales are home through Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Dirty Dog Jazz Cafe, 97 Kercheval, Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5399 or dirtydogjazz.com.

• The James Carter Organ Trio presents “Yule Log of Soul & Swing” through Sunday, Dec. 21 at Cliff Bell’s, 2030 Park Ave., Detroit. 313-961-2543 or cliffbells.com.

• The Orbitsuns and the Carolyn Striho group team up again at 8:30 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• The Shamrock Jazz Orchestra brings its Christmas Show back at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Mild Pup and the Ethan Marc Band pair up at 8 p.m. at the Lager House, 1254 Michigan Ave., Detroit. 313-500-1475 or thelagerhouse.com.

• Finvarra’s Wren gets Celtic for a Solstice Show at 7:30 p.m. at the Trinity House Theatre, 38840 W. Six Mile Road, Livonia. 734-436-6302 or trinityhousetheatre.org.

• A Magical Motown Christmas happens at 7:30 p.m. at the Music Hall Center, 350 Madison St., Detroit. 313-887-8500 or musichall.org.

• The Nine Inch Nails tribute This Broken Machine plays two sets at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. Access to Concrete and DJ Pinknoise also perform. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.

• The Ark in Ann Arbor hosts a couple of nights of Celtic music, starting with Tartan Terrors at 8 p.m. and then, at the same time Saturday, Dec. 20, the acoustic quartet Blackthorn. 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.

• Saxophonist Marcus Elliot opens the weekend at 7 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: Boston horror rock outfit Ice Nine Kills premieres its concert special “I Heard They Kill You” live at 3 p.m., via veeps.com.

• Virtual: Dogs In a Pile rocks at 8 p.m. From Ardmore, Pennsylvania, with shows through Sunday. Nov. 21, via nugs.net.

• Virtual: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Port Chester, New York, at 8 p.m. and again on Saturday, Dec. 20, streaming both shows via nugs.net.

• Virtual: The Disco Biscuits play three different venues in Chicago this weekend, streaming each night at 9 p.m. via nugs.net.

• Virtual: Queens of the Stone Age’s new concert film “Alive in the Catacombs” and the companion documentary “Alive in Paris” are streaming now, for free, via YouTube.

SATURDAY, DEC. 20

• The Detroit Symphony Orchestra plays the live soundtrack for “Home Alone” at 7:30 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21 at Orchestra Hall, 3711 Woodward Ave., Detroit. 313-576-5111 or dso.org.

• Dutch DJ Sam Feldt mans the decks at the Magic Stick, 4120 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Doors at 9 p.m. 313-833-9700 or themajesticdetroit.com.

• DJ Minx headlines a Holiday Your Life celebration with Jon Dixon, KRW and more at 9 p.m. at Spot Lite, 2905 Beaufait St., Detroit. paxahau.com.

• The Steve Taylor Three, Stephen Clark and J.T. Harding repeat their annual Home For the Holidays Songwriter’s Round at 6 and 8 p.m. at 20 Front Street in Lake Orion. The late show is sold out. 248-783-7105 or 20frontstreet.com.

• Detroit rapper Tay B celebrates his birthday with a 6 p.m. performance at El Club, 4114 W. Vernor Highway, Detroit. 313-757-7942 or elclubdetroit.com.

• The Motortown All Stars, the Shades of Blue and Leisa Parham are part of A Motown Merry Christmas at 7 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. 313-943-2354 or dearborntheater.com.

• Warhorses, Haf Life and the Seatbelts perform as part of Detroit Santarchy, a party and pub crawl at three Corktown venues. Get details via thelagerhouse.com.

• Local punk favorite PT’s Revenge starts a two-night stand at Small’s, 10339 Conant, Hamtramck. Doors at 7 p.m. and also on Sunday, Dec. 21. Middle Out, Frank White and Newburgh are on the bill both nights. 313-873-1117 or smallsbardetroit.com.

• Boys of Fall is at home on a bill with Stories Untold, Young Pioneer and Cloud Season at the Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-820-5596 or thelovingtouchferndale.com.

• FinalBossFight! tops a hard-rocking five-band bill at 6 p.m. at the Sanctuary Detroit, 2932 Caniff, Hamtramck. 313-462-4117 or sanctuarydetroit.com.

• Aaron Caruso croons a special Christmas Show at 8 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• Helen Welch channels the late Karen Carpenter in the Carpenter’s Christmas tribute show at 7:30 p.m. at the Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac. 248-309-6445 or flagstarstrand.com.

• Android Paranoid pays tribute to Radiohead at the Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward Ave., Ferndale. Doors at 7 p.m. 248-544-1991 or themagicbag.com.

• The Nick Collins Sextet sets up at 6:30 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. The Karim Gideon Quartet follows with a 10:15 p.m. show. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: Improvement Movement livestreams at 8 p.. from Atlanta, via nugs.net.

• Virtual: The Terrapin Family Band jams at 11 p.m. and again on Sunday, Dec. 21 from Menlo Park, California, via nugs.net.

• Virtual: Ariana Grande hosts, but it’ll be Cher who sings on the holiday episode of “Saturday Night Live” at 11:30 p.m. on NBC (WDIV, Channel 4 in Detroit).

SUNDAY, DEC. 21

• R&B singer Eric Roberson souls it up at 7:30 p.m. at Sound Board in the MotorCity Casino Hotel, 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. 800-745-3000 or soundboarddetroit.com.

• A corps of all-star musicians band together for an All-Star Detroit Organ Jazz Party at 7 p.m. at the Cadieux Cafe, 4300 Cadieux Road, Detroit. The venue also hosts A Tribute to Vince Guaraldi at 3 p.m. 313-882-8560 or cadieuxcafe.com.

• Ann Arbor guitar hero Laith Al-Saadi struts his stuff at 8 p.m. at the Token Lounge, 28949 Joy Road, Westland. 734-513-5030 or tokenlounge.com.

• The Motor City Brass Band plays “Sounds of the Season” at 3 p.m. at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. 313-943-2354 or dearborntheater.com.

• The Prolifics offer a third Motown Tribute Show at 7:30 p.m. at The Roxy, 401 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 248-453-5285 or theroxyrochester.com.

• DRAW presents the Christmas of Hope concert, featuring more than 60 musicians to raise money for disaster victims, at 6:30 p.m. at the Flagstar Strand Theatre, 12 N. Saginaw St., Pontiac. 248-309-6445 or flagstarstrand.com.

• John Prine tribute specialist Mark Laavengood headlines a John Prine Tribute Show that also includes a lineup of Michigan artists at 7:30 p.m. at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. 734-761-1800 or theark.org.

• Trumpeter Maurice Mobetta Brown blows his own horn at 6 p.m. at the Blue Llama Jazz Club, 314 S. First St., Ann Arbor. 734-372-3200 or bluellamaclub.com.

• Virtual: Brandi Carlile settles down at her log cabin for a “Merry & Gay Holiday Special” at 3 p.m., streaming via veeps.com.

• Virtual: Michigan alt-rock favorite Chiodos streams the final performance of its All’s Well That Ends Well 20th Anniversary Tour at 11:45 p.m. from Anaheim, California, via veeps.com.

By VIRGINIA MAYO

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Getting ready for the holiday season has never been stressful for Christel Dauwe — after all, her holiday period lasts all year long in her Christmas ornament shop in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Her collecting began in her teenage years, and she now has more than 64,000 ornaments in her personal collection and another 18,000 displayed in her shop, the Christel Dauwe Collection.

“My personal wish is to have a Christmas museum, where ornaments and the idea of Christmas can be on permanent display,” she told The Associated Press. But until that day comes, her small shop uses every corner to display its vast inventory.

Its wares include birds of every feather, fruit arrangements, cars, angels, snowmen and other figurines, ranging from a few euros for a wood laser-cut Cathedral of Antwerp to more than 500 euros ($580) for a special ornament of Alexander the Great on horseback.

The store began 35 years ago as an antiques shop, selling a few ornaments on the side, but Dauwe wanted to try selling more.

On the suggestion of a Polish au pair, Dauwe and her husband traveled to Poland and found a factory that could produce exactly the ornaments she wanted. The only catch was that 200 pieces of each design had to be ordered at a time.

They returned home deflated.

“After second thoughts though, we decided to order 20 shapes of 200 each, and one day they arrived — all 4,000 of them. We gave some away and the rest we put in the shop and, well … That’s the story from there,” she said.

The original Polish factory still supplies many of the shop’s ornaments, in addition to 32 other European companies.

“There is an ornament here for everyone. We’ve had people come in who say they have a new pet or even a new car and we try to match an ornament to them. In the end the goal is not to have some kind of posh tree decorated all with the same colors and Christmas balls. The goal of ornaments is to make you smile,″ she said.

Some ornaments are more personal. And one year there was an ornament of Christel herself, designed by her husband as a surprise.

She’s been asked to provide ornaments for weddings and other events as well.

As far as having Christmas all year round, Dauwe says she is never bored with it. Twice a year she goes around the shop and dusts each ornament individually. She has met people from all over the world, and entertains die-hard locals who stop into the store just for a morning chat.

“There are two ways to go with Christmas. It’s either the nostalgia of the past or the hope for the future,″ she said. ″Hope is what is the most important to me. It’s what keeps you going.”

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH — Thiago Leite has a simple philosophy when it comes to making cocktails, and it applies whether you’re hosting a fancy dinner party for friends or simply curling up on the couch for a quiet night with your partner and Netflix.

“Make what you like,” he says.

Consider the Caipiroska he was stirring together on a test run for Fairmont Pittsburgh’s holiday cocktail classes.

Leite, who is both the Downtown hotel’s banquet director and restaurant manager, was born in the U.S., but he spent every summer of his childhood in Brazil with his family. The national drink there is the Caipirinha, a sweet and tangy cocktail made with fresh lime, sugar and cachaca, a vegetal distilled spirit made from fresh sugarcane juice.

Like most bartenders, Leite is a fan of vodka, a “sponge” spirit that readily takes on the flavors of whatever it is mixed with. On this day, he was tweaking the long-established recipe by using Absolut Elyx instead of cachaca, and brown sugar in place of the superfine cane sugar that traditionally sweetens the drink.

Known for its refreshing quality, this twist on a Caipirinha might seem like an odd choice in Pittsburgh in December. But remember Leite’s No. 1 rule about following your bliss.

“Christmas is hot in Brazil. We’re in sandals and flip-flops,” he explained as he muddled wedges of lime and slices of orange with what looked to be heaps of the caramel-colored sugar in a rocks glass.

Here, it’s hot chocolate and hot toddies, but there everything is iced.”

After a taste test, you, too, would have to agree it’s delicious.

A second cocktail featuring whiskey felt a little bit more like Christmas.

Called the Bashful Boulevardier, the spirit-forward drink is also known as a whiskey-based Negroni because it includes Campari, a bitter bright-red Italian aperitif. Here, rich cherry syrup adds a sweet and tangy twist and a dash of raspberry-flavored Chambord lends a definite luxe, holiday feel.

“It’s what we call a conversation drink,” explained Leite.

That is, a sipping cocktail that encourages social interaction while it is enjoyed over time instead of quickly gulped down.

A Prohibition-era drink generally made with rye whiskey, the Boulevardier is also a perfect “freezer door” cocktail that makes entertaining a breeze, he added, because it can be made in advance in large batches. You can scale up the recipe to serve eight, 10 or even 12 people, depending on the size of your guest list.

This is the second year for the hotel’s holiday cocktail classes. Depending on the day, each will feature one of four spirits — vodka, gin, whiskey or tequila.

“Since it’s a cocktail class, you’ll learn to pour from the bottle,” Leite said.

Attendees also will get instruction on blending ingredients, flavors and botanicals, and try their hand at fundamental techniques like shaking, stirring and muddling.

Aromatics used to flavor drinks also will be addressed “since you remember things through smell more than anything,” he said.

One example: cinnamon sticks that are scorched lightly on one end with a lighter and added to espresso martinis in the Fairmont’s upscale bar fl.2. (They sell more than 1,000 a month.)

Once you’ve got the recipes down pat, Leite will offer tips for setting up a home bar so you can create your favorite cocktail whenever the mood strikes. They include:

—Be sure to have the fundamentals: whiskey, vodka, gin, rum and tequila.

—Have the right tools at the ready, including a good shaker for mixing cocktails. He recommends either a two-piece Boston shaker (a metal tin and a mixing glass) or a three-piece cobbler shaker featuring a metal container, a lid with built-in strainer and a cap.

—A muddler to gently mash and mix ingredients like fruit and sugar. The stainless-steel ones used at the hotel have a “tenderizer” head to better crush herbs and fruits.

—A long-handled spoon for stirring cocktails with spirits, liqueurs and vermouth (like a martini, Old Fashioned or Manhattan). Stirring chills and dilutes a cocktail without introducing air bubbles.

—A jigger to precisely measure ingredients. A double-sided, 1 ounce over 2 ounce measuring vessel allows you to maintain consistency and quality in every drink.

—Love cocktails that contain fresh juice, cream, milk or egg whites? A strainer is essential for straining out ice and other solid ingredients in shaken cocktails.

—No bar is complete without a corkscrew for opening wine bottles and some spirits.

—Mixers including bitters (Angostura is considered the standard), tonic water, soda and ginger beer.

—Finally, a selection of glassware — highball and lowball glasses for mixed drinks, martini and coupe glasses for cocktails, and wine and champagne glasses for celebrating special occasions.

Below, we share the recipes for Leite’s cocktails, along with two others that will be served this holiday season at two local restaurants, Downtown’s Ritual House and Shorty’s Pins x Pints on the North Shore.

Happy holidays!

Caipiroska

PG tested

Christmastime is hot in Brazil, so holiday celebrations usually feature iced cocktails instead of hot toddies. This refreshing cocktail from the Fairmont Pittsburgh is a vodka-based twist on the Caipirinha, a classic Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca, sugar and lime.

You can make it sweeter or more tart, depending on the amount of brown sugar.

• 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 slice orange
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 ounces vodka
• Dried lime slice, for garnish

Place lime wedges in a sturdy glass, such as a rocks glass, or a cocktail shaker. Add orange slice and sugar, and using a muddler, gently crush them together to release the juice and essential oils from the rind. (But be careful not to over-muddle the rind, which can make the drink bitter.)

Pour vodka into the glass or shaker with the muddled lime mixture.

Fill the glass with crushed ice. If using a shaker, add ice and shake well to chill and dilute the mixture.

Pour all contents (liquid, lime pieces and ice) into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice.

Garnish with dried lime slice and serve immediately.

Serves 1.

— Thiago Leite, Fairmont Pittsburgh

Bashful Boulevardier

PG tested

• 2 ounces whiskey
• 1/2 ounce Luxardo cherry syrup
• 1/2 ounce Chambord
• 1 ounce Campari
• 3 dashes bitters

Add whiskey, cherry syrup, Chambord, Campari and bitters into a mixing glass.

Fill the glass with ice and stir until the mixture is well chilled and silky.

Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube to keep the drink cold without diluting too quickly.

Finish with a Luxardo cherry or a gentle twist of orange peel for a subtle aromatic lift.

Serves 1.

— Thiago Leite, Fairmont Pittsburgh

Nutella Espresso Martini

PG tested

This sweet and creamy martini can double as a dessert. It includes Kahlua and Buttershots, a butterscotch-flavored schnapps.

• 1 scoop Nutella
• 1 ounce espresso, cooled
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 1/2 ounce Buttershots

Add 1 generous scoop of Nutella to your shaker.

Add espresso, then give it a quick stir to help the Nutella blend smoothly.

Pour in vodka, Kahlua and Buttershots.

Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the mixture is chilled and velvety.

Strain into a martini glass for a clean, glossy finish.

Garnish with a light drizzle of Nutella or a few espresso beans for an elegant touch. You also can line the rim of the martini glass with Nutella and roll in crushed nuts or cookies.

Makes 1 cocktail.

— Thiago Leite, Fairmont Pittsburgh

Shorty’s Gingerbread Smash

This festive cocktail is Shorty’s Pins x Pints’ riff on a classic Old Fashioned. It brings together the warm spice of gingerbread cookies and the smoothness of whiskey in a cocktail that’s perfect for the holiday season.

To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved, then allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

• 2 ounces Bird Dog Gingerbread Whiskey
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Sliced lemon, for muddling
• Orange rind, for garnish

Combine whiskey, simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass.

Add a lemon wedge, and muddle.

Add ice, and stir for 14 rotations, until the dilution is at desired consistency.

Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.

Rub the rim of the cocktail glass with an orange rind to express it, then drop into the glass.

Serves 1.

— Shorty’s Pins x Pints, North Shore

Ritual House Holiday Beach Margarita

Margaritas are one of the most popular and recognizable cocktails. This one from Ritual House, Downtown, gets the holiday treatment with coconut milk and a cinnamon-brown sugar syrup. It’s best served in a rocks glass.

• 1 1/2 ounces tequila blanco
• 1 ounce coconut milk
• 1 ounce cinnamon brown sugar vanilla syrup
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce Cointreau
• 3-4 dashes orange bitters

Combine tequila, coconut milk, syrup, lime juice, Cointreau and bitters in a cocktail shaker and shake hard.

Strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with cinnamon stick and fresh grated nutmeg.

Serves 1.

— Ritual House, Downtown

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

If you’ve tried flying with seven swans a-swimming and six geese a-laying during the holidays, you know how Grinch-like the airlines get by Day 7 of Christmas. And TSA? It turns downright frosty by the top of the second week. Limiting eight maids a-milking to just 3.4 ounces doesn’t make anyone happy — least of all the cows with swollen udders.

In an effort to bring sanity to the act of giving true loves gifts that travel better than two turtle doves and three French hens, we’ve rounded up some favorite on-the-go goods for a holiday shopping guide. It’s not the whole sleigh, but it’ll get your gift-giving gears in motion.

And to all the Scrooges out there, kindly curb your cynicism: Aside from receiving samples and trials for review, we receive no compensation from these companies. Our holiday wish is simple — to take the guesswork out of shopping for the travelers in your life. Or go ahead and gift yourself. Whoever these 12 portable picks are for, each is sure to shine under the Christmas tree, beside the menorah or wherever thoughtful presents are exchanged.

Don we now, our tray apparel: TripTrays makes placemat-sized table covers that are a first-class upgrade for passengers who don’t quite trust that planes are cleaned between flights. Once at cruising altitude, simply whip out your tray table and lay the 100% cotton, machine-washable mat on top. It’s a more sanitary and elegant way to eat and drink in the air, and what traveler in your life wouldn’t love a gift that does that? Plus, the non-skid backing helps keep devices in place during turbulence. Made in Sacramento, TripTrays (triptrays.com) come in 27 designs, each priced at $25.

Sleep in heavenly peace: The Manta Pro Sleep Mask won’t block airplane noise (that’s where Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 shine), but for visual serenity, it delivers a 100% blackout seal with zero pressure on eyelids or lashes. Even side sleepers will find it comfortable — ideal for those curled up in a window seat. The premium version runs $85, but the benefits are priceless for us in-flight insomniacs. If your holiday budget is tight, Manta (mantasleep.com) offers a $39 alternative that’s not quite as plush.

Walking in a tourist wonderland: GPS is a travel godsend, but VoiceMap (voicemap.me) goes further by acting as a professional tour guide with storytelling, literal step-by-step directions and friendly course correction if you stray. Just pop in your earbuds, tap start and let the app guide you on walks, bike rides, drives, even boat tours. With nearly 2,000 tours across 600 destinations, there’s something for every traveler. VoiceMap’s one walking tour in Knoxville, Tenn., had this visitor ambling through downtown for 75 minutes, stopping at such key historical sites as the 1790s home of territorial governor William Blount, who was a symbol of the city’s early political roots, along with the majestic, century-old Tennessee Theatre and the iconic Sunsphere tower. Gift vouchers range from $25 for three tours to $100 for 20.

Ow Christmas tree, ow Christmas tree: Owies aren’t fun anywhere, but they’re a real pain while on holiday. A well-stocked, up-to-date first-aid kit can be a lifesaver. KeepGoing First Aid (keepgoingfirstaid.com) offers a full line of travel-ready kits in multiple sizes and styles, including a collection for kids. Each compact pouch is water- and stain-resistant, and refillable when supplies run low or expire. The carry-on-friendly KeepGoing First Aid Go-Kit ($42) is a bestseller, packing 130 essentials into a creatively designed and tidy case.

O learn, all ye faithful: The ReadBright Take Home Backpack is a smart holiday gift for parents invested in early literacy — and for children eager to catch up or get ahead. Geared for kindergarten through second grade, each ReadBright (readbright.com) toolkit supports reading fluency with phonics-based books, practice drills and progress tracking. The Level 1 set sent for review is excellent (my first-grade teacher-wife agrees), focusing on short vowels, digraphs and blends — essential building blocks for young readers. Inside are 19 decodable books with colorful illustrations and engaging plots that reinforce phonics and high-frequency words. The stories follow a cumulative learning path to build confidence. Also included: a homework book with fluency cards and activity sheets, plus a progress chart that turns reading into a celebration. Kids can color, sticker and smiley-face their way through each book, tracking milestones and momentum. Priced from $50 to $100, depending on level, these travel-friendly kits give the gift of literacy long after the holidays.

Say “bah humbug” to passport panic: Just over half of Americans now hold valid passports — a sharp rise from 30% in 2008 thanks to increased international travel and the rise of passport expediting services. One standout is ItsEasy.com, whose mobile app made passport renewal refreshingly painless for this citizen who in the past had used a brick-and-mortar agency that charged half a grand for their services. With ItsEasy.com (itseasy.com), clear instructions simplified even the trickiest parts, like taking an acceptable photo at home and paying the correct fees. Went rush, too, with no hiccups. Fees start at $40, and while there’s no process to surprise someone else with this service, when dealing with bureaucracy, convenience is a gift you should give yourself.

Deck the halls and head: Sure, Santa’s got his signature red cap, but when he’s catching rays on his annual after-Christmas vacation in the Southern Hemisphere, he swaps it out for a handcrafted, high-performance hat with strong built-in sun protection. Hemlock Hat Company (hemlockhatco.com), based in Carlsbad, makes one that puts the “fun” in functional. Available in over 30 cool styles, the Hemlock UPF 50+ Lifeguard Straw Hat ($45) is lightweight, breathable and durable, and features a uniquely designed under-brim that shows off one’s personality and fashionably shields the face, ears and neck.

Dashing through the sew: For the traveler who appreciates the journey as much as the destination, on-the-go kits sold at Needlepoint.com (needlepoint.com) make thoughtful gifts that make even more gifts. The website’s stock of travel-related products include a Hawaii-inspired travel coaster that brings island vibes to your stitching. Another fine choice among the massive selection of designs for all skill levels and budgets is the collection of destination-themed luggage tags ($48). Just beware — in a classic situation of beauty and the beast, once attached, these colorful crafts are at the mercy of suitcase-sadistic baggage handlers.

Ho ho ho gyro: Playing Powerball has weak odds, but using Powerball is all about strength. And, yes, we’re talking about two very different things. The non-lottery Powerball (mydfx.com)  is a gyro exerciser — a dynamic spinning handheld tool that after three to five minutes on an airplane, in a hotel or wherever, provides a solid workout geared to tone forearms and boost wrist endurance. They start at $35, but for splurging Santas, there’s the top-of-the-line DFX Powerball Iron Forearm Muscle Builder that costs $140. This model, engineered for athletes and advanced users, is capable of spinning up to 16,000 RPM, generating 50 to 60 pounds of dynamic gyroscopic resistance. The metallic protective case makes for an even more impressive gift.

Nutty and nice: When it comes to protein-packed pistachios, the only brand to crack this list is Nichols Farms, located in the San Joaquin Valley, which produces over 99% of U.S. pistachios. Let me shell out some reasons why they make great gifts. Nichols Farms (nicholsfarms.com) grows its pistachios sustainably and roasts them without oils — no added fat, just 6 grams of protein per serving. Their flavors let the nut shine, from such organic no-shell picks as habanero lime, rosemary garlic, hot honey and maple butter to nonorganic standouts that include jalapeño lime and garlic garden herbs. The cocoa cookie flavor? Think nutty Cocoa Puffs. Purists will appreciate the shelled and unshelled sea-salted classics. Gift sets start at $40.

Jingle all the whey: You don’t need to be as wise as the Magi to know that protein bars can be messy. If it’s not crumbs all over the place, it’s melted chocolate left on the wrapper and possibly your face. But they are smart to bring on a trip and make great stocking stuffers. CirC (circbites.com) offers a tasty and healthy solution: five poppable, protein-packed bites in a resealable tray, perfect for on-the-go lifestyles. Each tray of Protein Bites delivers 18 grams of whey protein for muscle and metabolism. The peanut butter-banana flavor is awesome. So is the chocolate mint from CirC’s Energy Bites line that contains 10 grams of balanced nutrition for sustained energy per serving. A giftable 12-pack costs around $40.

Comfort and joy: One of the quiet indignities of travel is surrendering your bathroom routine to unfamiliar plumbing and paper-thin toilet rolls. Enter Pristine Cleansing Sprays (pristinesprays.com), which is in the business business to relieve some of this discomfort with a spritz of grace. They make the travel-size Pristine Toilet Paper Spray (from $7) that turns ordinary bathroom tissue into a flushable wet wipe — scented or fragrance-free — offering a touch of your own abode in a foreign commode. Plant-based and TSA-friendly, this pocket-sized present restores dignity to the most basic necessity.

By JESSICA DAMIANO

I’ve planted the potted mums in the garden and packed away the scarecrows — now it’s time to deck the halls.

That means filling vacant pots with evergreen branches foraged from my trees and shrubs, hanging cedar swags on the porch and placing a wreath on the door.

They’ll look great at first, of course, but that threatens to change as December marches on. And since nothing says “The Addams Family” like a house adorned with crispy spruce boughs, my challenge will be to keep them fresh for as long as possible.

The best way to do that would be to treat them like produce. After all, both evergreen stems and vegetables are clipped from a plant, at which time their countdown clocks start ticking.

The secret to longevity for both is moisture. Just as supermarkets use misters to keep produce fresh, we can keep holiday greenery fresh longer with water.

How to cut them

If harvesting stems from your garden, cut them in the morning, when they are the most hydrated and the least stressed. Make cuts at a 45-degree angle, which will provide a larger surface through which water can enter.

If bringing them home from the store, clip the end of each stem in the same manner. The fresh cut will remove the dried-out layer of tissue that would otherwise block water absorption.

How and where to soak them

Whether purchased or harvested, immediately place the cut ends of your branches into a bucket of room-temperature water and set it outdoors in a shady spot. Allow them to soak for at least 2 hours (24 would be ideal) until you are ready to use them.

How to arrange them indoors and out

When arranging branches in vacated plant containers outdoors, moisten the soil first, then insert the freshly cut ends. Check moisture levels between freeze-thaw cycles and amend, if needed.

Wreaths and garland used outdoors are exposed to drying winter winds, which hasten dehydration. Combat that with a light misting two or three times a week. But be careful not to overdo it, as that would encourage mold.

In the South, heat and sunlight can quickly turn greenery brown, so place wreaths, garlands and pots in the shadiest available spot. When making container arrangements, push stems deeply into moistened soil and water every day or two in the morning or evening, when the sun is at its weakest.

Keeping indoor greenery fresh is even more of a challenge. Inserting branches into moistened floral foam helps. Water as needed to keep the foam moist. And display all evergreen decorations away from radiators, forced-air heating vents, fireplaces and drafts.

Will these tips guarantee fresh greenery on New Year’s Day?

Not exactly. Even with the best care, two important factors remain out of our control: the weather and the age of the branches at the time of purchase. But keeping them moist and shaded will ensure they stay fresh for as long as possible.

Jessica Damiano writes weekly gardening columns for the AP and publishes the award-winning Weekly Dirt Newsletter. You can sign up here for weekly gardening tips and advice.

For more AP gardening stories, go to https://apnews.com/hub/gardening.

In my childhood home, we had a leg of lamb two Sundays a month. I loved those Sundays, as did my Shetland sheepdog who was the recipient of the leftover bone. Mom’s recipe was simple. The meat was topped with olive oil, salt and pepper prior to roasting.

This recipe takes it up a notch making it the perfect entrée for special occasion holiday entertaining. This approach studs the meat with little “bouquets” made of rosemary sprigs, slivered garlic and anchovies. Don’t be put off by the anchovies; they taste delicious, offering just-right saltiness. Plan ahead when making this version; it tastes best if it is seasoned 1 to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator to let the flavors meld.

My local supermarket rarely carries leg of lamb. I guess it is because it is so darn expensive. Markets such as Whole Foods, Bristol Farms and Gelson’s have them. I tested the recipe using a smaller bone-in leg, one that weighed in at a little less than 4 pounds. I used 2/3 of the amount of garlic, anchovy, rosemary and salt, and reduced the roasting time by about 25 minutes (roasting it only 48 minutes after turning the oven temperature down).

Yes, my guests will get smaller servings, but I will make up for it by providing loads of vegetables.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Anchovy, Rosemary, Garlic and Piment d’Espelette

Yield: 8 to 10

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole bone-in leg of lamb, 7 to 8 pounds, preferably with hip bone removed, with 1/8-inch layer of fat, see cook’s notes
• 5 large garlic cloves, peeled, cut into thin slivers
• 4 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and cut into 20 little pieces
• 4 leafy sprigs rosemary, cut into twenty pieces
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons piment d’Espelette, see cook’s notes
• 1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth

Cook’s notes: My local supermarket rarely carries legs of lamb. I guess it is because it is so darn expensive. Markets such as Whole Foods, Bristol Farms and Gelson’s have them. I tested the recipe using a smaller bone-in leg for this recipe, one that is severed at the knee, weighing only a little less than 4 pounds. I use 2/3 of the amount of garlic, anchovy, rosemary and salt, and reduced the roasting time by about 25 minutes (roasting it only 48 minutes after turning the oven temperature down). Yes, my guests will get smaller servings, but I make up for it by providing loads of vegetables.

Piment d’Espelette is a brick-red powder made from chilies from the town of Espelette in the Basque region of France. It is milder than cayenne; its light heat is nuanced with sweetness. It is available at Savory Spice Shop in Corona del Mar (928 Avocado Ave.), or from several sources online. If you prefer, substitute hot paprika (not smoked paprika).

DIRECTIONS

1. Using the tip of a paring knife, make 20 small holes on all sides of lamb. Stuff each hole with a sliVer of garlic, a bit of anchovy and a small sprig of rosemary, leaving the tips of the rosemary sticking out. (It may help to gather the seasonings into a little “bouquet” and use the point of the knife to tuck a “bouquet” into each hole.) Season surface with salt and piment d’Espelette. Set in a large baking dish and refrigerate, uncovered or loosely covered, for 1 to 2 days. Let lamb come to room temperature for about 2 hours before roasting.

2. Arrange oven rack in the lower third of oven and heat to 450 degrees (425 degrees convection).

3. Roasting: Rub surface with olive oil. Place lamb with the rounder, meatier side up in roasting pan just large enough to accommodate it (it’s fine if the top of the shank rests on the edge of the roasting pan.) Roast 25 minutes and then pour wine over lamb. Lower temperature to 325 degrees (300 degrees convection). Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the meatiest part of the leg reaches 120 to 125 degrees for rare, about 1 hour from the time you lowered the oven heat; or 130 to 135 degrees for medium rare, about 1 1/4 hours.

4. Remove lamb to carving board, preferably one with a trough, to rest for 20 to 35 minutes. Tilt roasting pan and spoon off as much of the clear fat as you can. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up the pan drippings (if they are too stuck to the pan to scrape up, add 1/4 cup water to dissolve them). Set aside the pan drippings to drizzle over the carved lamb. Carve and serve drizzled with the pan drippings, or layer the slices in the roasting pan so they soak up the pan juices and serve family style (I really like this soak-in-the-pan approach), from the roasting pan.

Source: Adapted from “All About Roasting” by Molly Stevens (W.W. Norton, $35)

By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Foreigners who are allowed to come to the United States without a visa could soon be required to submit information about their social media, email accounts and extensive family history to the Department of Homeland Security before being approved for travel.

The notice published Wednesday in the Federal Register said Customs and Border Protection is proposing collecting five years worth of social media information from travelers from select countries who do not have to get visas to come to the U.S. The Trump administration has been stepping up monitoring of international travelers and immigrants.

The announcement refers to travelers from more than three dozen countries who take part in the Visa Waiver Program and submit their information to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which automatically screens them and then approves them for travel to the U.S. Unlike visa applicants, they generally do not have to go into an embassy or consulate for an interview.

DHS administers the program, which currently allows citizens of roughly 40 mostly European and Asian countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for three months without visas.

The announcement also said that CBP would start requesting a list of other information, including telephone numbers the person has used over the past five years or email addresses used over the past decade. Also sought would be metadata from electronically submitted photos, as well as extensive information from the applicant’s family members, including their places of birth and their telephone numbers.

The application that people are now required to fill out to take part in ESTA asks for a more limited set of questions such as parents’ names and current email address.

The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed changes before they go into effect, the notice said.

CBP officials did not immediately respond to questions about the new rules.

The announcement did not say what the administration was looking for in the social media accounts or why it was asking for more information.

But the agency said it was complying with an executive order that Republican President Donald Trump signed in January that called for more screening of people coming to the U.S. to prevent the entry of possible national security threats.

Travelers from countries that are not part of the Visa Waiver Program system are already required to submit their social media information, a policy that dates back to the first Trump administration. The policy remained during Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration.

But citizens from visa waiver countries were not obligated to do so.

Since January, the Trump administration has stepped up checks of immigrants and travelers, both those trying to enter the U.S. as well as those already in the country. Officials have tightened visa rules by requiring that applicants set all of their social media accounts to public so that they can be more easily scrutinized and checked for what authorities view as potential derogatory information. Refusing to set an account to public can be considered grounds for visa denial, according to guidelines provided by the State Department.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services now considers whether an applicant for benefits, such as a green card, “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused” anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views.

The heightened interest in social media screening has drawn concern from immigration and free speech advocates about what the Trump administration is looking for and whether the measures target people critical of the administration in an infringement of free speech rights.

By LEANNE ITALIE, Associated Press Lifestyles Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — In her early 20s, Kaci LaFon lived in Branson, Missouri, a tourist town known for its older population. She wanted to date but found it a challenge, so — like many her age — she headed to the apps.

Over five years, she’d get a date here and there, but they always petered out. “I tried and I failed,” she said. “There wasn’t really much I could do about it.”

The issue, in her eyes? LaFon, now 28, is chronically ill. She has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder, as well as a range of other health issues. Her matches had no idea how to navigate her challenges, or they had a god complex and wanted to treat her as an invalid. That, she said, was a hard no.

That all changed when LaFon went on Dateability, an app designed for both disabled and chronically ill people. LaFon’s mom spotted a news story about it and urged her to try it. Soon after joining, she found her forever person, Collin LaFon, who has cerebral palsy and endured a similar dating experience.

They married in September.

“We all have the fairy tale of falling in love and meeting our person in our head,” said Collin LaFon from their home near Birmingham, Alabama. “But at the end of the day, I don’t have full function in all four of my limbs. There’s an extra piece that goes along with everything.”

Dating while disabled made easier

What the LaFons describe is exactly why two sisters in Denver, Colorado, launched Dateability three years ago. One, 31-year-old Jacqueline Child, had become disabled due to Ehlers-Danlos, Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and a plethora of other conditions that impact her health from head to toe. She must use a feeding tube to stay alive.

Child recalls months of being ghosted or rejected on mainstream dating apps.

“Any mention of disability was completely negative,” she said. “They wouldn’t even give it a chance, had no idea what my life looked like, but they just assumed it would be miserable.”

She and her older sibling, Alexa Child, now have about 40,000 registered users and recently updated Dateability to improve the look and functionality. They’ve expanded their user base to include Canada, Mexico and the U.K.

“I just wanted an equal playing field of people that I would be interested in, and that other young people would be interested in, too,” Jacqueline said.

Millions of people report disabilities

More than 70 million U.S. adults, or one in four, reported having a disability in 2022, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s the year the Child sisters founded Dateability.

They had 1,000 people sign up in the first month. Their user base has increased 10-fold in the last year, the founders said.

The service has both free and paid options. Among the differences in tiers: Users who don’t pay must like or pass on a profile before seeing another. Paid users can see all profiles that have sent them a “like” at once.

Dateability also welcomes nondisabled users, screening as best it can to avoid those who fetishize chronically ill or disabled people. The sisters have found that most nondisabled people using it have some connection to the disability or chronically ill communities through a loved one or their own advocacy work.

“We wanted to make it truly inclusive,” Alexa said.

Finding long-term partners online

In Pikesville, Maryland, 23-year-old Sophie Brisker found her boyfriend on Dateability. She joined the app in 2022 after developing debilitating symptoms just before her 18th birthday from chronic fatigue syndrome and other long-term conditions. She has been housebound for months at a time, attending college online, and uses a wheelchair for long distances.

“It’s really exhausting trying to explain to someone all of your limitations and the illnesses you have,” Brisker said. At the time, she was looking for companionship, unsure whether a romantic relationship was doable.

“Knowing that someone would be OK with not necessarily doing many of the things that most normal couples do was important to me,” she said.

Her partner suffers from long COVID-19 and other chronic illnesses. Now, the two plan to move together to Louisville, Kentucky. “We hit it off on everything,” Brisker said. “We understood each other in ways that other people just couldn’t.”

Matthew Shapiro, 34, is a disability advocate in Richmond, Virginia. He works with businesses, organizations, state lawmakers and others who want to learn how to be more inclusive. He was born with cerebral palsy and uses a power chair to get around.

Shapiro has dabbled in online dating on the mainstream apps and another service for the disabled.

“People’s intentions on those apps weren’t always pure,” Shapiro said. “I was looking for a space where it felt like community.”

He’s had relationships over the years with people he’s met online and in person, including a relationship with a nondisabled woman who questioned her ability to cope with Shapiro’s personal care needs.

It was a woman he met on Dateability that changed his life. The older mom of two was born without fingers on her left hand and didn’t flinch at his challenges. The two have shifted to be close friends after several months of dating.

“It was the first time I ever felt fully seen and accepted and sort of loved in a relationship,” Shapiro said. “With traditional apps, you sort of have to hope that people are cool with who you are, but with Dateability, it’s all right there.”

App leads to friendlier dates for disabled

In addition to stigma and misconceptions about their abilities and challenges, people with chronic illnesses and disabilities face other obstacles in dating.

Not all social venues like bars and restaurants are fully accessible. That could mean no ramps, poor lighting or a noisy environment. Online, some dating apps have limited assistive technology, such as sign language support or screen reader compliance with common software for the visually impaired.

Opening up about their personal needs can also be daunting, Shapiro said. Some have given up on dating altogether, or never tried.

“People with disabilities deserve love and deserve relationships, just like anyone else,” he said. “Love without worry. Love without hesitation and question. There are a lot of people with disabilities who don’t know what that feels like.”

The year 2025, like many in this decade, can’t easily be summed up by a single word or phrase, but the top Google searches of the year certainly offer a reminder of the most memorable pop culture moments of the past 12 months.

From singer D4vd and “KPop Demon Hunters” to Labubus and “6-7,” little in 2025 has escaped the lens of polarity — but the annual rundown from the world’s preeminent search engine suggests that some names, trends and “ugly-cute” keychains might benefit from further explanation.

Below, a breakdown of some of the year’s most disturbing, intriguing and baffling trends…

D4vd

The 20-year-old, Queens-born singer, real name David Anthony Burke, is the world’s most-searched person of the year, and America’s most-searched musician — but not because of his craft.

D4vd was at the beginning of a world tour in early September when the dismembered and decomposing remains of 15-year-old runaway Celeste Rivas Hernandez were found in the trunk of his impounded Tesla, sparking a search frenzy and devastating investigation.

As of mid-November, D4vd is considered a suspect in Rivas Hernandez’s apparent homicide, while a second person is believed to have assisted in the dismemberment of her body.

‘KPop Demon Hunters’

The Sony animated musical, released by Netflix this summer and newly crowned TIME’s Breakthrough of the Year, is U.S. Google’s top-searched movie of the year, while Oscar Best Picture winner “Anora” is the most-searched movie worldwide.

“KPop Demon Hunters” centers on a K-pop girl group that moonlights as titular demon hunters, voiced by Arden Cho, May Hong and Ji-young Yoo.

The film — whose cast was also the top-searched of 2025 — was such a streaming hit that it was granted a singalong event in late October, which accounts for its surprise Golden Globe nomination on Monday for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement.

It also scored far less shocking nominations for Best Motion Picture-Animated and Best Original Song for “Golden,” which has been streamed more than 1.1 billion times on Spotify. “Golden” also topped the list of the world’s “hum to search” songs.

Labubu

You’ve probably seen them hanging off a handbag, as the star of an influencer’s unboxing or on PopMart’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float. Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, a Labubu — the No. 3 search of the year — looks like a plush, compact Furby meets a “Where the Wild Things Are” creature.

The dolls’ prominence comes a decade after their debut in Lung’s children’s books, “The Monsters,” in which they’re “zestful, curious elves about the size of your average house cat, who love a bit of harmless mischief.”

That mischief extends to the “blind boxes” in which Labubus are now sold, as proud owners don’t know which of the 300 options they’ll receive.

‘6-7’

If you’re old enough to read this, you may have been among those asking, “What does [insert chosen slang term] mean?” when it comes to, well, a lot, especially “6-7.”

New York’s top-trending slang search comes with a so-so hand motion, when the numbers are said or shown next to each other, according to some youngins who tried explaining it to Kelly Ripa and Mark Conseulos.

“But to be clear, it has no meaning at all?” Ripa asked, which was affirmed by adolescent “Live” audience members. “Basically it has no meaning at all.”

Dictionary.com’s Word of the Year, “6-7” — pronounced like six-seven, rather than sixty-seven — is Gen Alpha’s “viral, ambiguous” and “largely nonsensical” term, though it can sometimes connote “so-so” or “maybe this, maybe that.”

By DARLENE SUPERVILLE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that a deal struck by Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the combined market share.

“There’s no question about it,” Trump said, answering questions about the deal and various other topics as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors.

The Republican president said he will be involved in the decision about whether the federal government should approve the $72 billion deal. If approved by regulators, the merger would put two of the world’s biggest streaming services under the same ownership and join Warner’s television and motion picture division, including DC Studios, with Netflix’s vast library and its production arm.

The deal, which could reshape the entertainment industry, has to “go through a process and we’ll see what happens,” Trump said.

“Netflix is a great company. They’ve done a phenomenal job. Ted is a fantastic man,” he said of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, noting that they met in the Oval Office last week before the deal was announced Dec. 5. “I have a lot of respect for him but it’s a lot of market share, so we’ll have to see what happens.”

Asked if Netflix should be allowed to buy the Hollywood giant behind “Harry Potter” and HBO Max, the president said, “Well that’s the question.”

“They have a very big market share and when they have Warner Bros., you know, that share goes up a lot so, I don’t know,” he said. “I’ll be involved in that decision, too. But they have a very big market share”

Sarandos made no guarantees at their meeting about the merger if it is approved, Trump said, adding that the CEO is a “great person” who has “done one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies and other things.”

He repeated that a merger would create a “big market share” for the company.

“There’s no question about it. It could be a problem,” Trump said.

Associated Press writer John Carucci contributed to this report.

For the past 13 years, Pentatonix has been as much a part of the holidays as egg nog, Santa Claus and sale-of-the-day emails.

The Texas-formed a cappella quintet, which landed a recording deal after winning “The Sing-Off” in 2011, has released seven Christmas albums so far. plus several holiday-themed EPs and compilations. This year’s “Christmas in the City,” meanwhile, finds the group working with a full orchestra on seasonal classics — including “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” with Frank Sinatra’s vocal grafted into the recording — as well as a fair number of originals and a pair of medleys.

That, of course, means Pentatonix is on the road for the holidays, too, focusing on the new album but still drawing from its litany of Christmas records over the course of each show…

• Co-founder Scott Hoying says from Zoom via Chicago that he and his Pentatonix mates “love making Christmas music, and we always have new ideas each year. For “Christmas in the City,” he explains. “One area of Christmas we hadn’t touched yet is that classic Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole kind of sound with the big, orchestral, sweeping tracks — but still very vocal forward. We were just inspired by that idea, and we wanted to capture the feeling of going into the city at Christmas time and seeing the decorates and the hustle and bustle of window shoppers and the skyline, so we based a whole album around that. It felt like we were writing musical.”

• Hoying, 34, adds that working with such a large ensemble “felt like a different art form. When you’re arranging completely a cappella, the background parts have to be long, sustained notes and you have to fill every ounce of the space. But when there’s an orchestra and a big band in the background you can focus on the background (vocal) parts being supplementary and just coming in at certain moments. They can be more tasteful. It feels like a whole different ball game when you’re doing that. It’s easier in some ways and harder in some ways. Because the frequency space is so covered, we had to find space for our vocals to make sure it sounds like us and felt very vocal forward, even though there’s all that sound.”

• The instrumentation for Pentatonix’s current show is pre-recorded rather than bringing an orchestra on stage. “We discussed doing that,” Hoying notes. “There were a lot of factors that came into play.” Much of the “Christmas in the City” album is part of the concerts, however, blended with the group’s other holiday material. “Over the years of doing so much Christmas touring we’ve really learned what moments the audience loves and things that really work. The trickiest part is we have a lot of ballads that have done well, but if we do them all a little close to each other the show gets a little, like draggy. So it’s spreading those out, and we’ve shortened a bunch of stuff to keep the show moving. It’s like a puzzle. It’s fun.”

• Hoying says he and his bandmates are working on non-holiday original songs as well as “a big project in TV/film that we’ve been working on for years that’s finally starting to come to fruition.” He’s also preparing a stage musical called “Grim” to premiere next October in La Hoya, Calif. And Hoying says there’s a loose idea for the direction of Pentatonix’s next holiday album. “We haven`t done a lot of the kid ones, like ‘All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth’ and the hippopotamus for Christmas song, the silly ones. We’re all having kids, so my first instinct is that our next one is, like a kids Christmas album.”

• Away from Pentatonix, Hoying was a contestant on the latest season of “Dancing With the Stars,” partnered with Rylee Arnold and finishing in 10th place. “Omigod, that was the best experience ever. It was so much fun. It was epic. It was really, really hard, but it was hard in a good way and very transformative for me. I felt like I was doing inner child therapy work out there on the dance floor in front of millions of people without a microphone in my hand. I have so much experience performing, and performing for sold-out arenas and winging it, and that’s totally fine. But out there, even totally prepared and ready, it’s so nerve-wracking. I felt like the seven-year-old-version of myself who was shy and scared was being seen by the world and had to dance and be messy and imperfect. But it was such beautiful experience. I came out on the other side and felt honestly changed by it, as dramatic as that sounds.”

Pentatonix brings “Christmas in the City” to town at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit. (313)471-7000 or 313Presents.com.

Fiddy is making good on his promise to expose Diddy.

Hip-hop superstar Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s eagerly anticipated documentary about Sean “Diddy” Combs will finally see the light of day two years after the project was announced.

Netflix is set to release “Sean Combs: The Reckoning” globally on Dec. 2, the streamer confirmed on Tuesday.

The four-part series — directed by Alexandria Stapleton and executive produced by 50 Cent — is described by the streaming giant as “a staggering examination of the media mogul, music legend and convicted offender.”

The documentary will feature new interviews with “those formerly in Combs’ orbit,” according to Tuesday’s announcement. It also promises to “[tell] the story of a powerful, enterprising man and the gilded empire he built — and the underworld that lay just beneath its surface.”

In a teaser also released on Tuesday, former Bad Boy Records rapper Mark Curry is heard saying: “You can’t continue to keep hurting people and nothing ever happens. It’s just a matter of time.”

Combs was found guilty in July on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution, following a nine-week trial in which his ex-girlfriend, R&B singer Cassie Ventura, served as the star witness.

Last month, he began serving his four-year federal prison sentence at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey. He’s also currently facing a barrage of civil lawsuits connected to sexual misconduct allegations as he attempts to appeal his conviction and sentence.

“This isn’t just about the story of Sean Combs or the story of Cassie, or the story of any of the victims, or the allegations against him, or the trial,” said Stapleton, whose previous credits include documentaries on Reggie Jackson, Chelsea Handler and JonBenét Ramsey.

“Ultimately, this story is a mirror [reflecting us] as the public, and what we are saying when we put our celebrities on such a high pedestal,” she continued. “I hope [this documentary] is a wake-up call for how we idolize people, and to understand that everybody is a human being.”

50 Cent, meanwhile, said he’s “grateful to everyone who came forward and trusted us with their stories,” adding that he’s proud to have Stapleton to “bring this important story to the screen.”

The “In Da Club” rapper has had long-standing beef with Diddy, dating back to the 2006 diss track “The Bomb,” in which 50 accused Combs of having something to do with the 1997 murder of the Notorious B.I.G.

The feud has continued ever since through social media jabs and rival business ventures. Actress, model and entrepreneur Daphne Joy, who shares a son with 50 Cent, was also named as one of Diddy’s “sex worker[s]” in a lawsuit filed by Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones.

50 Cent has said he suspected Combs’ alleged illegal behavior for years and that the documentary was already in the works prior to Diddy’s arrest in September 2024.

By Sarah Hepola, The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS — One of the happier narrative arcs in Hollywood belongs to Macaulay Culkin, who shot to superstardom as a kid in the 1990 smash “Home Alone.” It’s hard to endure the fame machine at only 10 years old, but Culkin turned out OK. These days, he lives in Los Angeles with his partner, Brenda Song, another former child star (Disney’s “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody”), and their two little boys.

After years of distancing himself from “Home Alone’s” Kevin McCallister, the precocious boy left behind on a family Christmas trip to Paris, Culkin has learned to accept his fate as the (screaming) face of a generation.

I spoke with Culkin by phone on Nov. 17, a day after “Home Alone’s” 35th anniversary. When I mentioned this, there was a beat of silence as he checked the date. “What do you know? I missed it!” He laughed. “Thank you for reminding me.” He’d spent the previous day with Song at a Los Angeles Rams game that the team won by two points. “Man, that was a nailbiter,” he said.

Q: Everyone has to deal with growing older, but you’re like a mirror held up to the rest of the world. As you grow older, we grow older, too.

A: Exactly. I am the opposite of Dorian Gray. This movie being 35 years old doesn’t just age me, it ages everyone else. Someone at the grocery store will ask how old I am, and I’ll say, aw, man, you don’t want to know. I’m 45, and sometimes, it’s a little punch in the gut.

Q: You pushed away from “Home Alone” for a long time. What convinced you to come back?

A: I’ve been embracing it a lot over the last few years, because I have kids of my own [Dakota, 4, and Carson, 2]. I show it to them, and my kids don’t even know it’s me. I’m taller now, I’m bearded, so they don’t quite put it together. My oldest thinks he’s Kevin. I’ll ask him if he remembers sliding down the stairs on the sled, and he’s like, sure do. What a liar! [Laughs.]

But the movie has taken on a different meaning for me. It’s fun getting people together to see this movie in a theater. Laughter is infectious. I did the tour last year, and I was touched by the reception. People want to share it with their kids the way I want to share it with my kids.

It’s a different experience watching it as an adult. There are a number of jokes that go past the kids’ heads. And slapstick is funny. Watching people get smashed in the face and fall on their butts — who doesn’t love that?

Q: I’m curious if you have any memories attached to Dallas.

A: Dallas was the first city I flew on a plane to visit. I went there to work on Oliver Stone’s “Born on the Fourth of July.” I was cast in that movie, and they cut my part out. I’ve never seen the scene in any DVD extras, so Lord knows it’s probably lost to time.

Q: No way! What was your role?

A: I was probably just “boy in the crowd No. 1.” It was the third movie I’d done, so this would have been like 1988. I think Tom Cruise was in a parade or something, and my line was, “Mom, when I grow up I wanna be just like him,” and the mother turns to me and says, “No you don’t.”

Q: OK, rank these things: Dallas Cowboys, “Dallas” the TV show and the Von Erich wrestling family.

A: Ooh, the Von Erichs are No. 1 for sure. I’ve been a wrestling fan since I was a kid. I even got [my partner] Brenda into wrestling. So wrestling is a part of my DNA, and there’s quite a legacy in Texas.

Now, I don’t want to alienate any of your readers, but I’m going to say the show “Dallas” next, and I’m going to put the Cowboys last, simply because: Go Rams! Also, I grew up a Giants fan, because I’m from New York, and at the same time, the Rams are me and Brenda’s team. I can’t for the life of me put the Cowboys anywhere but last.

Q: I think a lot of our readers will agree with that ranking. Last question: You’re the one leaving your kids home for the holidays now. What will you miss most?

A: Everything. They’re such a fun age, where they believe in magic. Christmas is their favorite. Being away from them is tricky, but I make sure to go home, three days on, four days off. Last year I didn’t do that, and it was kind of a grind. Last year we had to get a plastic tree, because I’m the one who takes care of the tree. This year we got a real tree.

©2025 The Dallas Morning News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.