holidays

“We have to acknowledge. This is hard. This is insane,” said Dr. Robert Keder, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Keder said recognizing how isolating and confusing this year has been is the first step towards processing it. He said acknowledging the challenges of the pandemic is especially important with the holidays and colder months...

The CDC released suggestion to help people celebrate Thanksgiving safely amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr. Anthony Fauci says people are going to have to make a choice “where they fit in the risk-benefit ratio” as they decide how to celebrate Thanksgiving this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The New Haven Board of Alders voted to change the name of the Christopher Columbus holiday in the city, opting for “Italian Heritage Day.” But some in the Italian-American community told NBC Connecticut it doesn’t make a lot of difference. “You can name it that way, I’m still gonna say Columbus Day,” said Tom Aquaro, who grew up in...

The New Haven Board of Alders voted to change the name of Columbus Day to Italian Heritage Day.

Before each holiday season, Walmart gathers hundreds of kids at a convention center near its Arkansas headquarters. The young testers try out lots of toys and pick those they would like to get from Santa. That shapes the retailer’s list of top toys and determines which ones it orders in abundance. This year, the company mailed toys to several dozen kids...

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 —…