holidays | 88.5 WFDD

Deena Prichep

7:53am Dec 21, 2019

Religion Religion

'Blue Christmas' Services Offer Refuge From Holiday Cheer

by Deena Prichep

Loss and pain are especially hard amidst the joy and tinsel of the holidays. A growing number of churches are offering "Blue Christmas" services to hold a space for often unwelcome feelings.

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Bullit Marquez / AP

10:03am Dec 24, 2018

World News World News Religion

Love The Holidays? The Philippines Celebrates 4 Months Of Christmas Mania

by Julie McCarthy

Counting down from September, nine days of Mass, heaps of roast pig, colorful lights and festivities all over the place — the Filipinos know how to make the season bright, and eternal.

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3:39pm Dec 20, 2018

Economy Economy

Holiday Spending Expected To Be Higher This Christmas Season

North Carolina store owners are expecting seasonal spending to be a little higher this year.
8:04am Dec 16, 2018

Health & Safety Health & Safety

Set The Table, Then Let Them Work It Out: Surviving Holiday Family Drama

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

For this segment of our series "Help I'm Hosting," NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to standup comic Megan Gailey about getting through family drama during the holidays.
Katherine Du / NPR

4:56pm Dec 05, 2018

National National

How Have Your Holiday Traditions Been Impacted By The Loss Of A Loved One?

by Cameron Jenkins

How has your family carried on holiday traditions or created new ones after the death of a loved one? NPR wants to hear from you.
6:00am Dec 23, 2017

Arts Arts

I'm Dreaming Of A (Black And Brown And Native And) White Christmas

by Leah Donnella

In need of some racially diverse children's Christmas literature? Here's our holiday Code Switch sampler.
eli_asenova / Getty Images/iStockphoto

9:15am Dec 22, 2017

Arts Arts

NPR's Ultimate Podcast Wish List For The Holidays

by Emily Barocas

Sitting in traffic? Stuck on a plane? Here's a podcast playlist for all your holiday needs, delivered in poem form.
Bruce E. Beans / Carolyn Beans

10:00am Dec 20, 2017

World News World News National Arts

On Christmas Eve, Pass The Pierogi And The Memories

by Carolyn Beans

Sometimes it takes years to get a family recipe right. And in the meantime, new holiday traditions emerge, like arguing over how to seal "Grandmom's" Slovakian pierogi perfectly.
Allegra Boverman / Courtesy of VINS

11:36am Dec 19, 2017

National National Science

No Eggnog, But Rescued Animals Enjoy Holiday Celebrations, Too

by Barbara J. King

If you involve your pets in holiday festivities, you'll immediately get why sanctuaries and nature centers fuss over their animals at this time of year, says anthropologist Barbara J. King.
Esther Lui for NPR

7:02am Dec 09, 2017

National National Health & Safety

This Year, Consider Giving Presence Instead Of Presents

by Juli Fraga

Science says consciously spending time with our loved ones is more important to them than receiving expensive presents.
Getty Images / Getty Images

5:28pm Dec 05, 2017

National National Economy

'Grinch Bots' Attempt To Steal Christmas By Driving Up Toy Prices

by Samantha Raphelson

Sen. Chuck Schumer is urging retailers to stop "Grinch bots" who use sophisticated software to buy out the most popular toys of the season and sell them for a hefty markup on third-party sites.
Katherine Streeter for NPR

6:00am Nov 22, 2017

Health & Safety Health & Safety National

This Thanksgiving, Carve Out Time To Talk About End-Of-Life Wishes

by JoNel Aleccia

Turkey dinner with a side dish of death isn't everyone's idea of a festive meal. But end-of-life planning advocates say the holidays are an ideal time to have these conversations with family members.