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tree

Oslo’s Mayor Says London’s Trafalgar Square’s Christmas Tree Must Cut Its Carbon Footprint

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Norway and London have a long standing holiday tradition in which Norway sends London a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square as a way of thanking Britain for its support during World War 2. 

Anne Lindboe, the newly elected mayor of Oslo, Norway’s Capital, has recently stated that she’s looking for new ways to reduce the tree and its transport’s carbon footprint. 

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Every year a tree that’s around 60 feet tall is transported from the woodlands near Oslo to Trafalgar Square by road and sea. A month after Christmas, the tree is then turned to wood chips, which Lindboe claims is hardly environmentally friendly. 

“It’s very important for us to continue the tradition. Now it’s maybe even more important to have these good relationships between cities and between people,” Lindboe said.

“But at the same time, we have to make sure that the carbon footprint is as low as possible. So that is also something we have to take into consideration: how to decrease it as much as possible.”

Since transportation is such a major factor, Lindboe suggested that they could instead give a tree that was grown in Britain, which citizens weren’t a fan of, so she explained that she’s considering how to adjust the transportation of the tree.

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Some Norwegian media outlets have also suggested that they simply end the tradition in general. City council votes on continuing the tradition every few years, and are set to do so again next year, however, Lindboe says there’s no serious talks about discontinuing the gifting of a tree to London. 

“I haven’t heard anyone in the city council saying that we should not continue. And … as the mayor of Oslo, this is really important, so I can promise that I will do everything I can to make sure that this tradition continues,” Lindboe added.

The tree itself also garners criticism every year due to its overall look, with some citizens this year claiming the tree looked “half dead,” according to the Guardian. However, Lindboe says that the criticism doesn’t really impact whether or not the tradition should end, and making fun of its appearance is even part of it.

“It’s part of the tradition isn’t it? That you should criticize the tree. We like to criticize, particularly if there’s something we’re really fond of. That’s really important to us.”

“It’s a natural-looking tree from a natural forest, not one of these cultivated Christmas trees that you sometimes see, which are more ‘perfect’, but maybe not so natural,” the mayor added.

airport

US Airlines Gearing Up For Record-Breaking Air Travel For Thanksgiving 

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US airlines are expecting record breaking travel demand this year for Thanksgiving, with multiple executives across many airline companies gearing up to prepare for the influx in travel.

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US Forest Service Initiative Encouraging People To Cut Their Own Christmas Trees

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Christmas tree prices in recent years have been on a steady rise, motivating many people to branch out, and cut their own. A decades-old initiative run by the US Forest Service is encouraging individuals to cut their own trees during the holiday seasons as a means of maintaining healthy forests throughout the nation. 

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airport

2022 Thanksgiving Travel Expected to Top Pre Pandemic Levels

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Despite rising airfares due to inflation, many Americans are taking to the skies to spend the holidays with loved ones and celebrate the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. The number of travelers in just the few days leading up to this Thanksgiving has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

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Santa on Video Call

Santa Claus Is Staying Safe By Video Chatting Nice Boys And Girls For Christmas This Year

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Santa’s opting for a more “work from home” approach to speak to all the boys and girls who made it to the nice list this year. 

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Holiday Zoom Call

Using Technology To Keep In Touch Over The Holidays 

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The holidays are obviously going to be much different this year. As most of us have already experienced with Thanksgiving, taking advantage of the multitude of digital tools out there that keep us connected with our loved ones has been the best way to keep the holidays alive this year. Since we won’t be able to celebrate Christmas and all the other holidays normally this year, it’s time to start planning some digital festivities to keep the positive spirit up!

First, choose a good medium to use to connect you with your loved ones. As most of us know at this point, Zoom is one of the best platforms for video-chatting with multiple individuals at once, however, for most users they’re limited to a 40-minute time-stamp for video calls which then prompts users to create a new room and send out the link again. On Thanksgiving, Zoom removed the 40-minute limit so that families could talk for an unlimited amount of time, and while they will likely do this again at some point for Christmas, there are other platforms one could easily use too. 

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Google Meet doesn’t require any additional software to be downloaded onto your device, you just need a Google account. FaceTime also allows for over 30 individuals to be in a call at once, so if you and your loved ones all own Apple devices this is another great option for you to connect. 

Next, make a nice set up for your device. Chances are you don’t want to spend the whole night sitting at a table or desk and talking with your family, so set it up in a comfortable spot in your home that makes it feel as though your entire family is in the room with you. If you have a smart TV or streaming box of any kind, you likely will be able to stream your device’s screen onto the television. By setting up your computer where the TV is as well, it will seem as though your entire family is at the center of your space.  

If you’re alone for the call, or can manage it with multiple people, wear headphones for the call. This way you’re able to move throughout your space and still hear everyone clearly, assuming you own wireless headphones. Additionally, most video-chatting platforms work better when the users wear headphones in terms of audio feedback. 

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For most platforms, when one individual is speaking, everyone else’s mics are typically muted, so sometimes the audio can sound really choppy when multiple people are trying to speak at once. If everyone’s wearing headphones, this problem is much less persistent. 

Make it a full on event and sync up a cocktail hour, appetizer, and dinner time with your family. By having and sticking to a schedule, it will really feel like you’re all together and celebrating at once. If you want to take it a step further, try to sync up the entire menu so that everyone is eating and enjoying the same meal. This is a great way to keep any holiday traditions alive in terms of the meal and what you and your family tend to create together. 

Finally, have fun with it. Maybe set up some digital holiday games that everyone can enjoy within their living rooms, or set up a secret Santa drop off so that everyone can open their gifts to one another on screen in front of the individuals who got them the gifts. Just because our holidays are looking different this year doesn’t mean we have to sacrifice any of the joy and spirit that makes this time of year so magical.

Royal Crest

Queen Elizabeth II to Deliver Christmas Message

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The U.K. is currently embroiled in a major political controversy as the newly-elected Conservative government works to finalize the country’s departure from the European Union. The decision to leave the E.U., known as Brexit, has proved to be one of the country’s more controversial political changes, as the decision led to years of fierce government debate and a historical election in which the Conservative Party gained near-total control of the government for the first time in decades. It is in this context, alongside numerous personal issues relating to the royal family, that Queen Elizabeth II will deliver her yearly Christmas message to the nation.

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Though the message is prerecorded, it will not broadcast until tomorrow, Christmas Day. However, Buckingham Palace released some excerpts from the transcript, revealing that the queen will refer to 2019 as a “quite bumpy” year. It’s not clear as of yet what exactly the queen is referring to, but there are a number of reasons why the year may have felt rough for the queen. The excerpts also reveal that the queen will mention the fact that this year is the 75th anniversary of D-Day and will deliver a general theme highlighting the importance of reconciliation and unity.

Early this year the queen’s husband, the 97-year-old Prince Philip was involved in a car crash that injured two women, leading him to apologize and relinquish his driver’s license, and generating a public debate about older drivers. While the royal family makes every effort to avoid getting directly involved in political matters, some U.K. government functions require the queen’s participation; for instance, this summer the newly-elected Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked the queen to suspend Parliament before his request was ruled unlawful by the U.K. Supreme Court. But perhaps the most controversial event involving the royal family this year was the aftermath of a disastrous interview between Prince Andrew and the BBC, during which he failed to adequately explain the nature of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, leading him ultimately to step down from his public duties, an extremely rare decision for a member of the royal family.

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Right after the queen recorded her Christmas message, her husband was admitted to a hospital in London, where he spent four days, giving the queen a stressful end to an already-stressful year. While the queen generally does not get into specifics about political situations in her country during her Christmas address, she is likely to allude to the political turmoil that Britain underwent in 2019 and its effects on citizens. In this time of intense political conflict, the queen is likely to focus on reconciliation, stressing the importance of unity after an election that virtually guaranteed Brexit and ensured Conservative party rule for the next five years. The queen will say that “small steps taken in faith and in hope can overcome long-held differences and deep-seated divisions to bring harmony and understanding.”

Because the queen follows a principle of remaining neutral with respect to politics, it’s not exactly clear which specific events she is referring to by stressing the importance of mutual understanding and harmony, but it’s not hard to imagine she’s talking about Brexit, which has polarized the nation. The address will be broadcast on the BBC at 3 p.m. local time tomorrow, Christmas Day. The address was filmed in Windsor Castle, in the Green Drawing Room, as the queen sat beside family photos. Notably, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their 7-month old son Archie were not present among these photos, further suggesting a rift in the royal family that has been reported in tabloids over the past several months.

Holiday Cookies

How To Avoid Overindulging During The Holiday

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The holiday season is meant to be a time of overindulgence on all things Christmas. There are twinkling lights everywhere, huge trees with piles of presents underneath, and of course food as far as the eye can see. So many individuals create a New Year’s resolution to get fit after all of the amazing homemade meals they eat during the holiday’s. However, since many gym memberships are eagerly taken out then forgotten about from January 16th on wards, it just seems like taking some preventative measures during the holiday’s might be the easiest option.

1 – Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast

While the appeal of a huge cooked breakfast can be a great way to start your Christmas Day, why not opt for something healthy such as fruit, porridge or even Greek yogurt? By eating a healthy breakfast you should feel less inclined to over indulge for the rest of the day.

2 – Do some exercise

Instead of standard forms of exercise like heading to the gym or doing a workout video (although you can if you really want) why not go for a family walk? Head out and about in your hometown and see what’s happening in your area. Or if you have a games console, why not have a dance competition? Even better, play some Christmas songs loud and dance to your heart’s content. Not only will the exercise be good for keeping you feeling healthy, it can also help keep your stress levels down too.

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3 – Be Mindful Of What You Eat 

This is definitely not something you want to hear over the holidays, but it may be an idea to think twice about that fourth bowl of ice-cream or some more stuffing balls. By chewing slowly you not only get to enjoy your food more, savoring the taste of each mouthful, but your body will also be able to tell you that it is full, stopping you from feeling bloated later.

4 – Be prepared

If you have long breaks between activities, such as traveling to a relative’s house or even during a church service, make sure you pack some healthy snacks to keep you going. You can also keep a bowl of them at home too. I do not mean boring food either; fruit and nuts can be a great way to keep you going until the main event.

5 – Take a nap

It is a well known fact that a good night’s sleep can help you maintain your weight. A sleep deprived body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can increase your appetite. If you are unable to get a good night’s sleep in the lead up to the day, try taking power naps and making sure you are as refreshed as everyone else.

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6 – Fill up before you head out

An old one but a good one. If you are heading out to a party or event, make sure you eat healthily before you go. This should reduce your temptation for any of the sugary or fatty foods that may be offered as well as reducing your need for a takeaway on the way home. An added bonus is that if you are pleasantly full you should soak up a bit more alcohol, meaning your hangover may not be as lethal the next morning.

7 – Choose your drinks wisely

Many alcoholic drinks have hidden calories but these can easily be avoided without ruining your favorite beverage. Opt for the low-calorie or slimline options when having a mixer or even try some of the low-calorie alcoholic drinks that are now available on the market. As always it is a good idea to try and alternate between alcohol and water to reduce the potential of a hangover the following day.

8 – Stop picking!

Food will most likely be everywhere and it is easy to pick up bits here and there. However, if you are hungry, stop what you are doing and have a plate of food. Not only will it help you keep track of what you are eating it can also curb any emotions created by being hungry.

9 – Enjoy yourself

It may seem like I’m suggesting not allowing yourself to have any fun this holiday season, but that’s not the case. To make sure you have the best of everything why not start as you mean to go on; preparing a healthy Christmas dinner and being mindful of things such as the way you cook your vegetables, the type of meat you choose and the desserts you have to offer, allows you to have all the fun without any of the worry.

Christmas TV

Christmas TV For Every Generation

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This holiday season is offering so many choices of entertainment for you and your loved ones to watch on all platforms, such as Netflix, Amazon or Hulu; there are also channels dedicated to cheesy Christmas movies.

We all love nothing more than settling in with the family on Christmas Eve and watching one of the latest holiday movies, so we have put together a list of some of the best Christmas viewing available this year so you can spend more time watching and less time searching!

Good Trouble Holiday Special
December 16, 9pm ET, Freeform

This two-hour special brings back all of our favorite characters from “Good Trouble”, and follows them as they reunite with cast members from “The Fosters”.

Greatest Holiday Commercials Countdown
December 16, 9pm ET, CW

If you still watch the commercials rather than skimming through your phone then this show is ideal for you. The producers have put together some iconic holiday-themed commercials for you to enjoy, but will your favorite be there?

Holidays With The Houghs
December 16, 10pm ET, NBC

Fans of the duo will love watching the siblings appear in a musical/dance special with many ‘friends’ helping them to recreate some of your favorite Christmas routines.

A Very Brady Renovation: Holiday Edition
December 16, 10pm ET, HGTV

For those of us old enough to remember “The Brady Bunch”, “A Very Brady Renovation” will be the perfect program to watch during the lead up to the holidays. We catch up with them as they create festive crafts that you can decorate your home with.

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Live in Front of a Studio Audience: All in the Family and Good Times
December 18, TBC, ABC

ABC’s “Live in Front of a Studio Audience” is back and they are ready to show you their recreations of sitcoms “All in the Family” and “Good Times”.

Masters of Illusion: Christmas Magic 2019
December 18, 9pm ET, CW

If you are a fan of magic this show is a must for your Christmas wish list. Full of some of our much loved celebrity magicians, this is magic, with a festive twist.

A Christmas Carol
December 19, TBC, FX

Christmas just isn’t the same without “A Christmas Carol”. If you love your celebrities as well as the Charles Dickens’ classic you will love this new mini series. Catch up with Ebenezer Scrooge – played by Guy Pearce – as well as Tom Hardy, Stephen Graham and Andy Serkis in this festive treat for all of the family.

iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2019
December 19, 8pm ET, CW

If your idea of the perfect Christmas viewing is watching the Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, and many others performing their hits then iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball tour is a must watch!

I Love Lucy Christmas Special
December 20, 8pm ET, CBS

Lucille Ball was much loved both throughout her career and in the years afterwards, so this original “I Love Lucy” Christmas Special re-run will appeal to those that remember her sparkle.

Christmas Love Letter
December 21, 6pm ET, Lifetime

When a relationship advice columnist receives an anonymous love letter just before Christmas she decides to investigate who the sender may have been, with interesting results.

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Christmas on my Mind
December 21, 9pm ET, Hallmark Movies and Mysteries

Lucy wakes up one morning with a wedding dress and realizes she is running late to her own wedding to her ex-boyfriend. But all is not as it seems. Not only does she not remember anything from the past 2 years, she soon finds out she is engaged to another man.

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
December 21, 8pm ET, Hallmark

In a traditional Christmas movie of one-upmanship, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” follows the competition between two small town mayors to win the title of best holiday-decorated town in New England.

Ultimate Hanukkah Challenge
December 21, 9pm ET, Food Network

Follow the chefs as they compete against each other, making Hanukkah favorites, to win a trip to Paris.

A Home for the Holidays With Idina Menzel
December 22, 9pm ET, CBS

If you loved “Frozen” and its recent sequel “Frozen 2”, you will love watching Broadway star Idina Menzel in this holiday special. Joined by celebrity guests, Idina works her way through a mix of original and classic songs.

A Christmas Story Live!
Christmas Eve, 8pm ET, FOX

Although technically a rebroadcast, Maya Rudolph leads a cast of the Broadway musical version of our favorite movie.

Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade
Christmas Day, 10am ET, ABC

Christmas Day morning is not complete without the parade from Walt Disney World. See if you can spot your favorite Disney character on one of the many amazing floats.

Christmas Appetizer

3 Easy Christmas Party Appetizers To Make This Year

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Entertaining during the holidays can add a lot of additional stress to your already busy schedule. A time of year that’s meant to be about love, family, friends, and thankfulness seems to always get overshadowed by a never ending to do list. One of the greatest stresses that comes with hosting your family’s annual holiday bash is the food. You can always go for a “pot-luck” style to help ease the pressure of cooking for 20+ people, but sometimes, the details get lost. Appetizers are an amazing way to ensure that you have enough food for everyone, because regardless of how hungry someone may or may not be after eating your Christmas feast, you can always count on the extra box of cheese and crackers to hold people over. 

Appetizers are one of those details that tend to get overlooked. With such a heavy focus on gift giving, decorations, organization, etc. it’s no wonder that you forgot to assemble a platter of various olives and dips for your guests to enjoy. When it comes to the appetizers, the simpler, the better. Apps are meant to be the opening act to an otherwise extravagant and traditional Christmas dinner, however, we all know that the dessert is the real star of the show. 

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Appetizers should be the simplest and easiest checkpoint on your to do list. There are plenty of easy recipes that take no more than three ingredients to ensure you have apps that really pop this holiday season, without adding any extra stress to your schedule. 

Life With The Crust Cut Off is a lifestyle blog that is filled with easy holiday recipes for anyone to whip up this year. One of their most popular and trendy recipes is their Cranberry Pepper Jelly Dip, a dish that sounds complex, but only requires three ingredients and five minutes, if that. This dip is actually a holiday tradition in many parts of the South. All you need is a can of pepper jelly, cream cheese, and of course, cranberry sauce. Pepper jelly is much more common than it sounds; you should be able to find it in any grocery store wherever the traditional grape/strawberry jellies are kept. All you do is mix equal parts cranberry sauce and pepper jelly, and pour over a block of cream cheese, serve with crackers. This simple dip will look just as festive as it tastes!

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If you’re a fan of jalapeno popper appetizers, but don’t have the time or oven space for it, Recipe Girl is another cooking blog that has the perfect solution. All you need is salami, cream cheese, and pepperoncini peppers. Take a little cream cheese, smudge it on the salami and wrap in a pepperoncini pepper like a little burrito. Use a toothpick to hold it together and boom! You have a makeshift mini jalapeno popper. While this recipe definitely lacks all the aspects of a traditional popper, the same taste elements are still present enough to make a delicious and satisfying app for you and your guests who enjoy a little extra kick. 

If you want to up the ante on traditional cheese and cracker plates, but need it to be just as easy to prepare, look no further than making some Parmesan cheese crisps. These amazingly delicious cheese cracker-type crisps are easy to make and will only take you 13 minutes. The simple recipe comes from the blog Foodie With The Family. You mix together Parmesan cheese, everything seasoning (which is available in most grocery stores’ seasoning sections), and flour. Mix these three ingredients together, make a few powder piles, and stick it in the oven for 8 minutes and you’re set!

If it comes down to it, don’t stress about the appetizers when you want to be concentrating on what the holidays are really about: spending time with your loved ones. Worst case you can just buy some cheese, crackers, olives, and a few dips and you’re done! However, if you’re feeling the holiday magic and want to make even more simple 3 ingredient appetizers, click here. Parade Magazine compiled a huge list from blogs like the ones listed above of easy recipes that won’t take you longer than 10 minutes to make and enjoy!