holidays

Christmas may seem like a far off thought for some, but for local Christmas tree growers, the upcoming holiday season is top of mind. The Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association is already making plans for the 2020 season with safe sales top of mind amid COVID-19. “With Christmas tree farms you are out in the open but there’s a lot…

An Atlanta couple said they came home from a winter vacation to find their house had been ransacked by an unusual suspect: a squirrel. Kari and Dustin Drees returned to find their house in disarray with floors scratched, baseboards chewed, and squirrel feces all around. Reports say a squirrel had fallen down their chimney and became trapped in the house,...

A stray dog wandering around Philadelphia this weekend took matters into her own paws and found herself a new home, just in time for the holidays.

With camels, kids, and a parade, Hartford celebrated 3 Kings Day on Monday.

Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection is urging consumers to return or exchange unwanted holiday gifts as soon as possible. The agency typically receives about 500 complaints about refunds, credit, and exchanges each year. But the agency received 714 complaints in 2019. ″“We’re encouraging consumers to handle any returns or exchanges as soon as they’re able,” Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H….

Christmas produces a lot of joy…and garbage. Americans produce 25% more trash between Thanksgiving and Christmas, according to the EPA. Learn what should go into the recycle bin and what might be better suited for the landfill — or swapped out completely.

With the holidays in full swing, business is not as usual. Companies are wrapping up the year with office parties, airports are abuzz with homeward bound travelers and most 9 to 5’ers have at least two days off this week. What better time to slap an “away” auto-reply on your email, close your laptop and unplug completely for a few…

A new survey found that most people assume they will make at least one return this holiday season

Holiday shopping doesn’t end with Christmas. Shoppers can take advantage of fatter discounts on clothing, home decor and other items between Christmas and well into January. In fact, a National Retail Federation survey of nearly 8,000 adults conducted Nov. 27 through Dec. 5 found that 68% of holiday consumers will likely shop the week after Christmas. Nearly 50% plan to…

For many, it’s the most wonderful time of the year. For others, not so much. It all depends where you celebrate Christmas, according to a recent study. WalletHub looked at a variety of factors to determine which cities are the best to celebrate the Christmas holiday. To determine the ranking, WalletHub compared the 100 biggest cities in the country based…

It’s going to be a very merry Christmas for quite a few children in Manchester this year thanks to the generosity of their police department. Leaders of this holiday goodwill effort said it’s not just about the gifts, but also an opportunity to connect with the members of the community they serve. From bikes to Barbies to board games,...

There’s only so many boxes that can be delivered in a day. Warehouse space is nearly full, with vacancy near an all-time low. Streets are crammed with delivery vans blocking traffic. City curbs are increasingly a turf war between delivery drivers and everyone else. Even grocery store aisles can feel crowded — at least, when staff for delivery services are…

Ever wonder how astronauts celebrate Christmas in space? Well, the crew onboard the International Space Station shared a video showing how they are enjoying the holiday season.

A father says he tried to give his 2-year-old daughter the “worst” Christmas gift ever — a banana. She absolutely loved it. Twitter user @lgndfrvr tells NBC News he decided to give his little one an early gift last week because she’s “so eager for Christmas and Santa to come already.” The idea was to make it a joke —…

Catalogs, those glossy paper-and-ink offerings of outdoor apparel, kitchenware and fruit baskets, are not yet headed for the recycling bin of history. Until recently, the future appeared grim for the mailbox-stuffers. A one-two punch of postal rate increases and the Great Recession had sharply cut their numbers. Common wisdom had everything retail-related moving online. But a catalog-industry rebound appears in…

For 10 years, Mothers United Against Violence has hosted a holiday party for families who have lost loved ones to violence. So when they found out there weren’t enough gifts for the kids, police stepped up to help.

With bags full of gifts, Hartford police officers arrived just in time. They heard Santa’s 911 and rushed right over. “It’s great. If we can make their holidays a little better, put a smile on their face on an otherwise difficult time of year around the holidays, we did our job,” said Lt. Paul Cicero. For 10 years, Mothers United…

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, travelers were staying spirited despite Friday night traffic. “I-84 was kind of a nightmare,” said Nicole Insolia of New York. The normal commute mixed in with last-minute Christmas shoppers and people traveling to holiday parties. “I love the holidays. This is probably my favorite time of year,” said…

The normal commute mixed in with last-minute Christmas shoppers and people traveling to holiday parties, making for some seriously busy roads.

As many prepare to spike the eggnog or pop the champagne, the state Department of Consumer Protection is reminding residents that you need to go out and buy your spirits and libations before the actual holiday. Package stores must be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day in Connecticut. Bars must be closed by 3 a.m. on New...