In a calendar rarity, Hanukkah starts this year on Christmas Day

Hanukkah, Judaism’s eight-day Festival of Lights, begins this year on Christmas Day, which has only happened four times since 1900. For some rabbis, the intersection of the two religious holidays provides an auspicious occasion for interfaith engagement. “This can...

Pope has a cold and will skip outdoor Sunday prayer ahead of a busy week

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is suffering from a cold and will deliver his Sunday blessing from indoors, the Vatican said, announcing the precautions ahead of a busy Christmas period and launch of the Holy Year that will sorely test Francis' stamina and health. The Vatican cited the...

Officials say a 9-year-old child is among the 5 killed in the Christmas market attack in Germany

10 people including children die in stampede in Nigeria at a Christmas charity event

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Ten people, including four children, were killed in a stampede in Nigeria’s capital city as a large crowd gathered to collect food and clothing items distributed by a local church at an annual Christmas event, the police said Saturday. It is the second such...

AP PHOTOS: Holiday lights illuminate the world

Holiday lights are everywhere – and everywhere they look a little different. In recent weeks, Associated Press photographers have captured glistening scenes around the globe. In Jemez Springs, New Mexico, traditional luminarias, also known as farolitos, flickered through the Jemez...

It's eggnog season. The boozy beverage dates back to medieval England but remains a holiday hit

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Edited by Anna Furman for movement Saturday, Dec. 21 at 8 a.m. ET. Prelinked photos CATC101-107 and video by Terry Chea. At Scoma’s Restaurant in San Francisco, this holiday season 's batch of eggnog began 11 months ago. The process typically...

Ten people including children die in a stampede in Nigeria at a Christmas food distribution event

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Ten people, including four children, have been killed in a stampede in Nigeria’s capital city as a large crowd gathered to collect food items distributed by a local church at a Christmas event, the police said Saturday. The stampede occurred in the early...

Ten people including children have been killed in a stampede in Nigeria at a Christmas food distribution event

NORAD's Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost. Now it attracts millions of kids

The Christmas tradition has become nearly global in scope: Children from around the world track Santa Claus as he sweeps across the earth, delivering presents and defying time. Each year, at least 100,000 kids call into the North American Aerospace Defense Command to inquire about...

Government funding difficulties create gloom for federal workers before Christmas

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Johnny Zuagar says he’s tried to hide his worries about a potential government shutdown from his three boys as he weighs how much to spend on Christmas presents. “I’ve got to keep a poker face,” Zuagar, a statistician at the U.S. Census Bureau, said...