What Los Angeles doesn’t have in snow, it makes up for in soul. Case in point: The Venice Fest, which started as an intimate block party in Mar Vista and has grown into a Westside staple and massive showcase for the local creative scene. This Saturday’s Venice Winter Fest, a holiday incarnation of the event blending retro ski lodge aesthetics with a surfside atmosphere, will include thousands of one-of-a-kind holiday finds from SoCal makers, along with food vendors, live music, a beer garden, free fitness classes, kid activities — oh, and an announcement.
Starting next year, the Venice Fest will move from Venice Boulevard to the iconic Venice Beach sign, a milestone that co-founder Sarah Fisk describes as “a genuine love-fest for the entire community.”
The day is filled with free fitness classes hosted by The Gym Venice.
(The Venice Fest)
Venice Fest was created by Fisk and Kristopher Herbert, two business owners who were trying to rally their communities during the pandemic. Fisk, who owned the former home goods boutique Shop Morpheus, and Herbert, who had just opened The Gym Venice, were independently brainstorming ways to get people back together in fun and safe ways after being cooped up at home. After being connected by mutual friends, the duo came up with the idea of an outdoor festival that could bring neighbors face to face again.
When the first Venice Fest launched in November 2021, about 50 vendors set up booths and roughly 200 people came through. They considered it a success. “Nothing like that had really been done around Mar Vista before,” Fisk says. Now more than 20,000 people typically make their way to the festival, which happens three times a year. And in the process of building this unique movement, another unexpected connection was made: Fisk and Herbert fell in love, married and just celebrated their daughter’s first birthday.
Heading to the free Venice Winter Fest this weekend? Here’s a bit of what you can do while there.
Shop local for the holidays. “We love curating vendors whose work tells a story and makes people feel something,” Fisk says. A couple businesses she’s especially excited about include Vintage Menu Art, which turns old menus from classic restaurants into nostalgic prints, honoring a bygone era of dining (“It’s perfect for anyone who loves design, food history, or the feeling of an old-school diner,” she says) and Ceremonia, which offers handcrafted décor and accessories inspired by nature.
Visitors can check out goods made by more than 300 local creators.
(The Venice Fest)
For a musical gift, stop by Orangewood Guitars, which crafts instruments that look as beautiful as they sound. And for jewelry, look for L.A.-based De Céa, whose pieces are “timeless, elegant and full of heart,” Fisk says.
Jam to local music. From the musicians busking along Venice Beach to the intimate shows at Winston House, music is part of the fabric of Venice. It’s the same at the Venice Fest, which has partnered with local music company Breaking Sound to create an impressive lineup of up-and-coming artists across three stages.
Catch All Alone & Rockin, Western Medicine, Kaity B, Freddy, Joe’s Band and more. “Each artist brings something unique, and together they capture that free-spirited Westside energy we love.”
Eat the best of the West(side) and beyond. Fifty food vendors span the diverse offerings of L.A.’s food scene, both of the brick and mortar and truck persuasion. Some standouts include The Original Tamale, Sending Noods and plant-based street food innovators MANEATINGPLANT. For dessert, Creamy Boys Ice Cream and Da Bomb Treatz will satisfy every sweet tooth. And if you’re in the mood to learn a new culinary skill, Impastiamo will also be hosting free mini cooking classes and live demos throughout the day.
Some of L.A.’s top food trucks will be serving tasty fare.
(Amandala Photography / The Venice Fest)
Have some family time. Bringing the kids along? Smart move. The festival’s Playtime Paradise will be a popular spot for the Santa-loving, sticky-handed set. It’s bigger than ever this year thanks to a collab with online guide California Kids Club. Kids can enjoy crafts with Rediscover, adopt a furry friend from Pup Culture Rescue and grab treats from Fantasy Cotton Candy Truck. And it wouldn’t be a winter fest without Santa, so don’t forget to get a free holiday photo with him at the Venice Paparazzi booth.
It’s all about the après scene. If you find yourself needing a little break from the festival crowd, the Après Surf Social Club is your spot to chill. The 21+ beer garden is $40 for the open bar pass or $25 for the zero proof pass. While listening to DJ sets, you can sip on craft ales from Kona Brewing and Donna’s Pickle Beer, and get fresh sushi from MOF Sushi, helmed by Chef Takanori “Kuma” Shishido, whose background includes Michelin-starred Mori Sushi and L.A. favorites Kushiyu and Brother Sushi. A portion of every ticket sale goes to Nourish LA, a local nonprofit helping families facing food insecurity.
Leftover pie milkshakes are the sweetest way to give your extra pie new life! Just grab a slice, blend it with creamy ice cream, and sip your way to dessert bliss.
Reasons to Love Every Sip
Zero Waste, All Flavor: Turn leftover pie into a brand-new treat that’s just as dreamy as the original dessert.
Mix-and-Match Fun: I love making this shake with apple pie, but I’ve had just as much fun trying it with pecan, pumpkin, or cherry pie. Each one gives the milkshake its own unique, delicious twist!
Dessert in Minutes: No baking required, just blend, pour, and enjoy a creamy, nostalgic treat in under 5 minutes.
Leftover Pie Milkshake Ingredients
Pie: Use any flavor of pie, crust and all! Traditional pies work best, like pecan, apple, pumpkin, or cherry.
Milk: If you like your shakes thick and spoonable, use a little less milk. If you want them extra sippable, add a splash more milk!
More Pie Flavor: Add an extra slice of pie for more pie flavor!
How to Make a Pie Milkshake
Leftover Thanksgiving pie never tasted so good! In just a few minutes, you can turn an extra piece of pie into a creamy, dreamy milkshake everyone will fight over.
Combine: In a blender, add the milk, vanilla ice cream, and 1 slice of your favorite pie.
Blend: Blend until smooth, then top with whipped cream and enjoy!
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Toppings and Garnish: This is the fun part! Get creative and stick with the ingredients in your pie. Add whipped cream, sprinkle with spices, nuts, extra crust, drizzle with caramel sauce, and more!
If you’re looking for tasty ways to use up holiday leftovers, I’ve got you covered! From turkey to cranberries, these recipes turn every leftover into something delicious.
An explosion on a Polish railway line used to deliver aid to Ukraine was “initiated by Russian secret services”, a Polish government official has said.
Evidence suggests the blast over the weekend was “initiated by the Russian secret services”, Jacek Dobrzyński, the spokesman for Poland’s security services minister, said after a meeting of the National Security Committee.
The Polish prime ministerhas said the two people responsible are Ukrainian, that they collaborated with Russian intelligence, have left Poland and are now in Belarus.
In what Prime Minister Donald Tusk called an “unprecedented act of sabotage”, a segment of a rail line linking Poland’s capital, Warsaw, to the border with Ukraine was blown up over the weekend.
Another segment further south was also damaged in what officials say was likely sabotage as well.
The prime minister has announced he will introduce a higher threat level on certain railway lines and use the military to protect key infrastructure.
The third tier threat level will apply to certain railway lines, while the rest of the country will remain under the second alert level.
Image: A map showing the location of Mika between Warsaw and Lublin.
The investigation develops
Authorities are investigating the planned use of a camera found near the blast site and army patrols have been sent to check railways and key infrastructure in the east of the country.
Polish prosecutors have begun an investigation into “acts of sabotage of a terrorist nature” for the benefit of foreign intelligence.
Image: Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the act an “unprecedented act of sabotage”.
Polish prosecutors have initiated an investigation into “acts of sabotage of a terrorist nature” directed against railway infrastructure and committed for the benefit of foreign intelligence.
Both incidents took place on the Warsaw-Lublin line.
Prosecutors said the actions could have resulted in disaster and the large-scale loss of life.
Farewell, sweet penny. The last of you was minted last week, but you will never stray far from our thoughts and aphorisms.
Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images
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Matthew Hatcher/Getty Images
Alas, dear penny, you served us well.
We picked you up, you gave us luck.
We gave you to others in exchange for their thoughts.
And remember when we pondered whether dropping you from the Empire State Building could kill a pedestrian? That was fun. (More on that later.)
Now you are dead — but not gone (more on that later, too) — at the wizened age of 232. When polished, you look as young as when you were first minted, but you are worth less to us now, and we’ve moved on to greater expenses. The nation once used you to pay Union soldiers in the Civil War; now, you barely buy a gumball (and only in bulk!).
Like nearly all Americans, you descended from an immigrant, the British penny. Those coins were once so valuable that they were split into halves and even quarters — your late British cousins, the halfpenny and the farthing. In Britain, the coin’s history goes back to the time when kings and queens had names like Offaand Cynethryth and Aethelred the Unready, and your name likely traces its lineage from the German for pan — pfanne, for pan, which evolved to pfennig, for penny.
The first one-cent coin in the United States rolled off a private mint in 1787 and wasn’t called a penny. It was the fugio cent — fugio for “fly away” in Latin, signifying time flies. The 100% copper coin was inscribed with the surprising words, “mind your business,” more a take on “penny wise, pound foolish” than an admonition against nosiness.
A child could buy bubble gum for a penny in 1975. You’d have to buy in bulk to get that rate today.
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Peter Keegan/Keystone/Getty Images
The U.S. minted its firstofficial penny in 1793. Abraham Lincoln was pictured on the coin starting in 1909, to honor the centennial of his birth, the first time a president’s image graced U.S. currency. The words “In God We Trust” were added at the same time. Ever the trailblazer, you, the humble penny, were the first to carry those words before Congress added it to all currency and made it the national motto almost a half-century later.
Now, at just 2.5% copper and the rest zinc, you can’t even beat the cost of your own production, according to the U.S. Mint, which says it took 3.69 of you to make only one more in 2024.
Although we shall not meet any new pennies, we know you will hang around for another 30 years or so, because that’s the typical lifespan of a coin, according to the U.S. Treasury.
So, luckily for us, we’ll still have the perfect coins to put in our penny loafers in the 2050s, when we can expect them to cycle back in style. (In the 1930s, young people put money in their shoes for emergency pay phone calls, and thus the Weejun was born. Maybe someone will design a stylish cellphone shoe before the penny disappears?)
Meanwhile, you live on in other ways. We will most certainly celebrate you aphoristically, and this is where the penny drops. We will always be in for a penny, in for a pound. We will proudly trade pennies for thoughts while continuing to give our own two cents’ worth. We will still pinch you, because a penny saved is, as ever, a penny earned. We will put a shiny penny in a bride’s shoe for luck.
James Geary, author of The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism, says the penny is the perfect coin forthese little pearls of wisdom.
“The penny lends itself to aphorisms because they are both small — the aphorism is the shortest form of literature, and the penny is the smallest monetary denomination,” Geary says.
Yes, you are small but mighty. Yet we will never kill anything with you, from the Empire State or any other tall building. Your dimensions — three-quarters of an inch thick and weighing less than a tenth of an ounce — are better suited to flipping and fluttering in the air than reaching fatal velocity.
As the Mythbusters demonstrated, the penny-drop myth isn’t worth a dime. But, at 10 cents, the dime is at least profitable to mint.
Along with the dime, your survivors include the nickel and the quarter.
Wicked fans knew this day would come — the end of the Yellow Brick Road. As we approach the release of Universal Pictures’Wicked: For Good, rumors about the second movie’s conclusion have already spread, and some fans are wondering whether there is a post-credits scene after the film.
Co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, who play Elphaba and Glinda, respectively, have been hard at work over the past two years promoting both Wicked films. From their iconic interviews to on-stage performances, the multi-talented singers are finding it difficult to bid Oz “farewell.” Earlier this month, the duo performed for NBC’s Wicked: One Wonderful Night, and they brought viewers to tears in March with their Academy Awards collaboration.
Here, Hollywood Life has compiled everything we know so far about Wicked: For Good! (Warning: spoilers are ahead for Wicked: For Good)
Does Wicked: Part One Have a Post-Credits Scene?
No, the first Wicked movie does not have a post-credits scene. The first installment of the dual film series concludes with Elphaba (Erivo) flying away into the west as she closes out the movie with “Defying Gravity,” leaving Glinda behind with Madame Morrible.
Is There a Post-Credits Scene in Wicked: For Good?
The only hint of any post-credits scene for Wicked: For Good was the Dunkin’ Donuts commercial that Erivo and Jonathan Bailey filmed ahead of the film’s release. In the ad, the pair promotes the doughnut company’s limited-time matcha and pink refreshers and Munchkins while calling it the “Dunkin’ End-Credit Scene, Wicked: For Good.” Bailey and Erivo call it their “bonus scene” as they act out a melodramatic scene between their characters, Elphaba and Fiyero.
Who Plays Dorothy in Wicked: For Good?
Actress Bethany Weaver plays Dorothy Gale from Kansas. As fans of the original Wizard of Oz already know, the role was originally played by the late Judy Garland.
How Does Wicked: For Good Conclude? The Ending
If the movie follows the Broadway musical, it should end with the Wizard discovering that he is actually Elphaba’s biological father. So, he leaves Oz in Glinda’s hands. After Elphaba and Glinda sing one final time together (“For Good”), Dorothy splashes Elphaba — now the “Wicked Witch of the West” — with water, causing her to melt. But Elphaba later reveals that she faked her death and re-emerges through a trap door.
Now with Fiyero, who is a scarecrow as a result of Elphaba’s spell, the pair leaves Oz together, and Glinda informs the people of Oz that the Wicked Witch of the West is dead.
The Foreign Office has issued fresh warnings about the dangers of methanol poisoning across 11 countries worldwide. Even tiny quantities of methanol can prove toxic.
This industrial alcohol, produced through wood distillation, features in numerous commercial products including antifreeze, fuel and paint thinners.
However, in certain regions across the globe, methanol products are illegally blended with genuine alcohol in spirit-based beverages and cocktails. The Foreign Office reports a surge in serious illness cases linked to methanol-contaminated alcoholic drinks at popular holiday destinations worldwide.
A campaign is now underway to help travellers reduce their risk and identify methanol poisoning symptoms. The revised travel advice now includes Bangladesh, India, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, Papua New Guinea and Rwanda, following “a global increase in the number of reported cases” of methanol poisoning.
Identifying methanol poisoning proves challenging initially, as early symptoms mirror those of regular alcohol consumption. The Foreign Office warns travellers to watch for vomiting, impaired judgement, loss of balance and drowsiness, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Within 48 hours of consumption, additional symptoms may emerge including abdominal pain, vertigo, hyperventilation, breathlessness, blurred vision and/or blindness, coma and convulsions. Official guidance states: “If you or someone you are travelling with has any of these symptoms, seek urgent medical attention.”
Problems with vision are another warning sign, as methanol poisoning can lead to blurred vision, sensitivity to bright lights, and in severe cases total blindness.
Seeking immediate medical help could prove lifesaving or prevent lasting damage.
The Foreign Office states: “It is not possible to completely remove the risks from methanol poisoning when drinking alcohol, but you can take steps to reduce the risk.”
Measures you can take to minimise the danger include steering clear of homemade or street-sold alcohol, patronising licensed establishments only, inspecting bottles carefully and exercising caution with complimentary drinks.
Should you suspect methanol poisoning, whether in yourself or a companion, the Foreign Office advises swift action is essential.
You should secure insurance suited to your travel requirements. Travelling without adequate cover can prove extremely costly should problems arise whilst you are overseas.
If you opt for a basic policy offering insufficient medical protection, you risk facing a substantial bill should an unforeseen health matter occur during your holiday.
Since the decision was made to split Wicked into two films, “The first half of the stage musical is the better half” has been a frequent concern about Wicked: For Good. After all of that fretting, I’m here to say that… Yeah, that worry was pretty dead-on. In the end, among several missteps, it’s up to the lead duo of Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande to keep the audience invested. Fortunately, that’s a task they are well-suited for.
Picking up after a strangely nebulous time jump – at first it seems like just a few months, but then some changes in the characters’ lives insinuate it’s been many years – the sequel finds Elphaba (Erivo) firmly established to the public as the fiendish boogeyman of Oz, a.k.a. The Wicked Witch. And while her friend, Glinda (Ariana Grande), knows the terrible things said about Elphaba aren’t true, she is simultaneously keeping up appearances as the protective Good Witch of Oz, even if her lack of actual magical abilities means it’s all achieved through trickery.
Wicked: For Good often has a very haphazard feeling to it. Underlining that a film’s length and its pacing are not automatically intertwined, For Good drags far more than the first movie at times, despite being about a half hour shorter. With the characters much more spread out, no longer tied to the first movie’s university setting, there’s a lot more jumping around to catch up with everyone, and some sequences work far better than others. It is amusing to see Elphaba evoking Batman with a broomstick as she makes some vigilante-style appearances early on, and there are funny moments involving Glinda’s fake magic, most notably her floating bubble device. But some of the material with supporting players like Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey, whose innate charm was better served in the first movie) and Boq (Ethan Slater) is clunky and stilted.
Some story choices in the second half of the Wicked musical were always a bit forced, yet they still managed to mostly work within that environment, where their heightened nature felt more appropriate. But there are elements that now notably fall flat in the context of this movie alone, particularly how things play out with Boq and Elphaba’s lovestruck sister, Nessa (Melissa Bode). Director Jon M. Chu is trying to walk a fine line that Wicked: For Good sometimes stumbles off of, succumbing to the cheesier, more laughable side of melodrama.
Universal Pictures
The second half of For Good is where this Wizard of Oz prequel shifts into full “sidequel” mode, as Dorothy Gale (Bethany Weaver) arrives from Kansas, and we begin to see bits and pieces of some very familiar scenes. Something that was already a problem on stage is exacerbated here, as these scenes only really work or fully make sense if you have familiarity with The Wizard of Oz. Otherwise, what’s depicted often plays as outright confusing or bizarre, including a seemingly pivotal character we never get a good look at (Weaver’s face is purposely obscured in what becomes a distracting touch) and the interweaving of important Wicked characters into these moments in a way that feels frustrating because things happen so quickly or without full explanations. And yeah, the argument might be, “Well, everyone knows The Wizard of Oz,” but besides the tenuous nature of that argument in 2025 is the fact that Wicked: For Good still plays like an incomplete movie at times, regardless of your background with the story that begat it.
And yet, despite all of these issues – especially compared to the first movie – Wicked: For Good still ends up as just good enough. A key reason for that continues to be its strong central casting, as Erivo and Grande once more shine in these roles. It’s honestly quite remarkable that their energy and demeanor are so different, yet still somehow complementary, much in the same way Elphaba and Glinda co-exist as an extreme case of opposites attracting. The inner strength and resolve that Erivo projects is crucial, helping Wicked sell some of its messier aspects – like the use of talking animals as a wonky sort of analogy for an oppressed minority – in a manner it might have collapsed under with a less invested actress. Grande, meanwhile, continues to make Glinda a very funny and uniquely charming narcissist, simultaneously tapping into the despair the character frequently feels due to what is occurring around her.
Universal Pictures
And of course, both Erivo and Grande are stellar (and then some) when it comes to carrying a tune. Yes, the best songs from Wicked were also in the first half, but Erivo once more kills it on her big solo, “No Good Deed,” while the two actresses perform a poignant and powerful duet with the song that gives the sequel its subtitle, “For Good.” Musical moments like these really are key to the narrative of Wicked: For Good, impressively bringing emotional weight to a film that might otherwise lack it.
With a lot more screen time, Jeff Goldblum is also a highlight of Wicked: For Good, reprising his role as the Wizard himself. His big number (alongside Elphaba and Glinda), “Wonderful,” lives up to its title. It’s not only a fun, energetic sequence, with Goldblum looking like he’s having a ball performing it, but also plays more than a little topical in focus: once the public has bought into a con man’s lie, it’s nearly impossible to get them to break free of that lie.
There are scenes in Wicked: For Good that are outright cheesy and silly, and amongst Chu’s movie musicals, it doesn’t reach the heights of either the first Wicked or the appropriately titled In the Heights. But as it nears its conclusion, For Good wisely leans heavily into its best selling point, Erivo and Grande, who manage to end the movie on a poignant note. Despite the film’s earlier eye-rolling moments, Erivo and Grande’s talents make it easy to stay invested in the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda, and to feel the impact as we watch their story unfold.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for both Stephen King’s The Running Man & Edgar Wright’s 2025 adaptation
Edgar Wright’s The Running Man is a pretty faithful adaptation of Stephen King’s 1982 novel of the same name (published under his pseudonym, Richard Bachman). It hits all the main beats of the original story, preferring to tweak more than outright change. But the ending is the most significant exception.
In interviews ahead of his film’s release, Wright admitted he knew from the beginning that King’s ending had to change, and it’s not hard to see why. The book is propulsive and entertaining, but also very cynical about protagonist Ben Richards’ chances of surviving this deadly game show, and his story gets progressively darker. By the end, he’s offered a chance to replace McCone as lead hunter, but is also informed his wife and daughter were killed days ago, in an act of random violence. He ultimately chooses to fly the plane he’s on into the Games Network building, killing himself, Killian, and untold others.
Not exactly a Hollywood ending, is it? It may have been fascinating as a way to conclude the new adaptation, but it wouldn’t have sent audiences out on an action-blockbuster high. For Wright and star Glen Powell, who were aiming to create some big-screen fun, changing the book was absolutely the right move.
The Running Man Gives Itself The Perfect Excuse To Deviate From King’s Book
Ben Richards is looking at the security guard in The Running Man
If you haven’t read the book but found my summary of its ending familiar, that’s because Wright and co-writer Michael Bacall cleverly make it part of their movie. In keeping with the commentary on today’s reality TV, the game show is shown to chase certain narratives to deliver on the entertainment audiences expect, even manufacturing footage of its contestants to do it. And Josh Brolin’s version of Killian is essentially scripting things the way King wrote them.
Ideally, he wants Powell’s Richards to wipe out McCone and his hunters and fly triumphantly to safety, where he’ll become the star of his own spinoff show, Hunter Number Six. Killian even tells him that McCone killed his family to provide the necessary motivation. But if he doesn’t play along, the producer’s alternate ending would make it seem like Richards tried to fly his plane into the Network building, giving them no choice but to blow it out of the sky.
This approach is smart for multiple reasons. Because the movie sticks close to the plot of the book, the story is naturally building to the way King finishes it; tacking on a new, brighter conclusion without properly seeding it would feel sudden and unsatisfying. This way, the movie arcs toward King’s ending because it’s the Network’s ending, giving our hero a chance to subvert it without leaving us feeling cheated.
The New Ending Is Far Too Happy For This Story (& Cheats To Get There)
Ultimately, though, Wright’s The Running Man does too much. The video “debunking” Richards’ death is a nice way to disrupt the official narrative, leave things on a more hopeful note, and set up that the Richards Lives resistance has continued to grow regardless. There’s a version of the movie that ends there – but that’s perhaps a more muted high than the filmmakers wanted to leave us with.
Two scenes follow: one confirming Richards’ wife and daughter are alive and showing his reunion with them; and another of an audience revolt at the next season’s taping of The Running Man, during which Richards reappears to shoot Killian. Either of these, on their own, are probably satisfying. Both are overkill. The script may have given itself an opening to subvert King’s ending, but it still doesn’t feel right for this movie to end this happily.
Firstly, it’s a cheat for Richards to survive the plane crash and for the Network to be seemingly unaware, given the control they’ve exerted so far. It would be more believable that he was either killed or offered a public death in exchange for a quiet reunion with his family, and that (in either scenario) this still failed to quash the revolution sparked by his performance on the show. And, if he did somehow escape, it’s another cheat to suggest the Network wouldn’t watch his wife and kid, assuming that’s where he’d eventually reappear.
You can watch The Running Man without consciously thinking of these things. But odds are you’ll feel their impact regardless.
Secondly, the current ending leaves the film thematically toothless. It would have been more impactful for the unruly Running Man audience to tear the set (and Killian) to pieces in Richards’ name, whether he actually died in the crash or is gifted the tearful reunion with his family. If he is the kind of action movie superhero who can overcome all the odds, save his family, and take down Killian himself, then the uprising he’s inspired has no real purpose other than to cheer on his victory.
We’re meant to feel like the viewing public has finally woken up, and are turning against the scourge of violent, numbing entertainment. But it ends up feeling more like Killian was right, and Hunter Number Six would’ve made all this anger go away. They’re less upset about being oppressed than seeing their favorite character killed off too soon. This ending is a win for Richards, perhaps, but not really for the rest of society, and the movie needed to aim for more than that to truly be meaningful.
Christmas, they say, comes once a year, but “once” now lasts for days and weeks and months, as Friday’s inflatable Frankenstein’s monster becomes Monday’s inflatable snowman. The yuletide is now upon us, even before Thanksgiving, its autumnal opening act, has served its first pumpkin pie.
For someone growing up in Southern California, the season was largely understood through television, and old movies on television, where snow fell and sleighs slid and no one was walking around in shorts on Dec. 25. Back in the three-network, four-network and even five-network days, one could see all the specials and special episodes and still lead a relatively normal life. But in this time of many platforms (and with ever-more recycled content swelling the pot), one can go snow-blind. And so, to help you make your way through this blizzard, we are here, dependable as Santa, with the gift of a holiday guide.
The only guide you need for holiday entertainment.
A caveat: I have watched only a couple of this year’s new programs, which are largely unavailable to see as of this writing. (Trailers were helpful.) In some cases, networks have provided only a vague indication of what’s in store. But years of experience tell me that there’s a good chance that what’s listed here will provide reliable entertainment, depending on your age, level of Grinchiness or how far you’ve gotten into the eggnog. Enjoy!
Musical events to match the season
Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi and BeBe Winans performing in the “CMA Country Christmas” special filmed in Nashville earlier this year; it will air Dec. 2 on ABC.
(John Russell / CMA)
‘The Wonderful World of Disney: Holiday Spectacular’ (ABC, Dec. 1)
Disney, which owns its own television network, always sets itself a place — or two —at this cross-promotional table, celebrating its 10th anniversary. New musical performances by host Derek Hough and other acts, including Aloe Blacc, Good Charlotte, Gwen Stefani and Trisha Yearwood, arrive from Florida’s Walt Disney World, Hawaii’s Aulani Resort & Spa and our own little Disneyland. For more of the same, and more, see “40th Anniversary Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade” below.
‘CMA Country Christmas’ (ABC, Dec. 2)
Filmed at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, the 16th annual edition of this special is hosted by Christian music superstar Lauren Daigle and hitmaker Jordan Davis, with appearances from Riley Green, Lady A, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and the ever-present BeBe Winans.
‘Christmas in Rockefeller Center’ and ‘Christmas in Nashville’ (NBC, Dec. 3)
Reba McEntire heads to New York to host a two-hour special, highlighted by the lighting of a really big tree in the network’s own backyard. Next we head to Music City, where you might have expected to find McEntire; who we will find is so far a mystery.
‘A Motown Christmas’ (NBC, Dec. 9)
Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey are your hosts. Expect something old, something new(er).
‘iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 2025’ (ABC, Dec. 17)
Something for the youngsters, as Ed Sullivan used to say. While the tour performers are known, the artists featured in the special are yet to be announced as of this writing. You will know some of them, all of them, or none of them.
‘40th Anniversary Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade’ (ABC, Dec. 25)
More or less live from (as above) Disney outposts in Orlando, Anaheim and Hawaii, the fun starts at 5 a.m. Pacific time (though at 10 a.m. on the East Coast, so I’m not sure how that works exactly). There will be stars, and if John Stamos isn’t among them, I’ll eat my Mouseketeer ears.
Cultural performances that enlighten
The Public Theater’s performance of “Twelfth Night,” which starred Junior Nyong’o, Lupita Nyong’o and Peter Dinklage, is available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS app.
(Joseph Sinnott)
‘Great Performances: Twelfth Night’ (Now streaming on PBS.org and PBS app)
Shakespeare’s cross-dressing comedy of sexual confusion and mistaken identity (named for and originally performed on the last of the 12 days of Christmas), was filmed at an August performance at Central Park’s Delacorte Theater as part of the Public Theater’s Free Shakespeare festival. Cleverly cast brother and sister Lupita Nyong’o and Junior Nyong’o play castaway twins Viola and Sebastian, with Peter Dinklage, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sandra Oh and Daphne Rubin-Vega among other well-known actors rounding out the cast.
‘Great Performances: The Nutcracker’ (PBS, PBS.org and PBS app, Dec. 16)
Even those with scant interest in classical music or dance will be osmotically familiar with Tchaikovsky’s 1892 Christmas ballet, with its hit-filled score and Sugarplum Fairy. This one is performed by the English National Ballet against an Edwardian backdrop (Act I) and a Candyland (Act II) full of exotic flavor.
Family friendly viewing
In “A Paw Patrol Christmas,” on CBS and Paramount+ Nov. 28, the rescue dogs have to save Christmas.
(CBS)
‘A Loud House Christmas Movie: Naughty or Nice’ (Nickelodeon, Nov. 21)
This feature-length special is spun from the long-running, highly hectic cartoon. Lincoln Loud, a boy with 10 sisters, spins the world upside down when he hacks into Santa’s Naughty/Nice lists, turning good bad and bad good. (Santa does not escape this transformation.) Something must be done, and will.
‘A Chuck E. Cheese Christmas’ (Prime Video and YouTube, Nov. 27)
Christmas spirit is low, Santa is depressed and cartoon versions of characters from the famous pizza place decide to buck him up by throwing a surprise party, as a dark-hearted elf taking fashion cues from Orlando Bloom’s Legolas gets in the way. Reportedly a back-door pilot for a full-service cartoon series — there is an audience for this.
‘A Paw Patrol Christmas’ (CBS and Paramount+, Nov. 28)
In this “save Christmas” special of the kid-popular series, computer-animated puppies in knit sweaters step in when a cold sidelines a sick Santa, threatening the delivery of presents and the true meaning of Christmas.
I’m a fan of this witty IP, unusually original to the small screen, featuring elves Wayne (Dave Foley) and Lanny (Derek Richardson), whose job it is to advance Santa’s household appearances. In this third edition, a sort of short-story omnibus relating post-Christmas work disasters, we get good slapstick, a Busby Berkeley homage, spa parody, office comedy and a succession of coffee mugs bearing the legends “It’s Nog or Never,” “Nice List or Bust!” and “Fa La La La Latte.” (This show I’ve seen.)
Should you care to see how the Duchess of Sussex of Montecito, Calif., gets set for Christmas, Meghan Markle’s inviting you in for a bit of cooking, crafting, hall-decking and who knows what, with “simple how-tos to follow at home.”
‘The First Snow of Fraggle Rock’ (Apple TV, Dec. 5)
The puppet gang still tended by the reliable Jim Henson Co. return for the holidays. When only a single snowflake arrives at Fraggle Rock — they live underground, so, you know, not that surprising — Gobo, having trouble finishing his annual holiday song, heads up into the world of humans, where he meets YouTube powerhouse Lele Pons. Meanwhile, there’s a new baby at the Gorgs’ house.
Streaming holiday films for (almost) everyone
Alexandra Breckenridge as Santa Claus in “My Secret Santa,” streaming Dec. 3 on Netflix.
(Diyah Pera / Netflix)
‘A Merry Little Ex-Mas’ (Netflix, now streaming)
Alicia Silverstone is a divorced architect about to sell her house who decides to throw one last holiday party. Her ex-husband (Oliver Hudson) arrives packing new girlfriend Jameela Jamil, which would make anyone jealous. Melissa Joan Hart is in it, too, always a recommendation.
‘A Very Jonas Christmas Movie’ (Disney+, now streaming)
I can’t name a single Jonas Brothers song, but I can heartily recommend this trains-planes-and-automobile story, which finds the trio supernaturally hindered from getting home from Europe for Christmas. (Santa may be involved.) This is the other show I’ve seen.
‘Champagne Problems’ (Netflix, Nov. 19)
Minka Kelly plays a hotshot executive — shorthand for misguided, unfulfilled — out to acquire a French Champagne vineyard. Stopping over in Paris before heading out into the countryside — shorthand for life as it should be lived — she has a magical night with handsome Frenchman Henri (Tom Wozniczka), who, wouldn’t you know, turns out to be the son of the man (Thibault de Montalembert, from “Call My Agent”) whose company she’s out to buy.
‘Jingle Bell Heist’ (Netflix, Nov. 26)
Love and larceny combine as Olivia Holt, “a sharp-witted retail worker,” and Connor Swindells, “a down-on-his-luck repairman,” independently plan to rob the same London department store on Christmas Eve. (Strangely enough, this is how I met my wife.) The presence of Peter Serafinowicz and Lucy Punch is icing on the gingerbread.
‘The Merchants of Joy’ (Prime Video, Dec. 1)
This documentary outlier follows five families (like, you know, the Mafia, but nicer) who fight for dominance and survival in the New York City Christmas tree trade. The title does not appear to be ironic.
‘Oh. What. Fun.’ (Prime Video, Dec. 3)
Michelle Pfeiffer plays a type A supermom (last name Clauster, for the Santa vibe) who, having been accidentally abandoned by her family (for the “Home Alone” vibe) closes up shop, hits the road and lets the rest of them mishandle Christmas themselves. The not-to-be-sneezed-at cast includes Denis Leary, Eva Longoria, Joan Chen, Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, Dominic Sessa, Danielle Brooks, Devery Jacobs, Havana Rose Liu and America’s sweetheart, Jason Schwartzman. It also comes with a new Gwen Stefani song, “Shake the Snow Globe.”
‘My Secret Santa’ (Netflix, Dec. 3)
In order to score her daughter half-price snowboard lessons, single mom Taylor (Alexandra Breckenridge) disguises herself as an old man in order to play Santa at a ski resort, like you do. Ryan Eggold is the handsome hotel manager who, as you might expect, complicates matters.
‘Merv’ (Prime Video, Dec. 10)
When Anna (Zooey Deschanel, out of her “Elf” costume) and Russ (Charlie Cox) split up, it sends their adorable terrier into a depression. (Also, it’s Christmas.) When all three leave the snowy north for Florida sun, it’s anyone’s guess what’ll happen.
Late legend Frank Sinatra’s presence on Billboard’s charts stretches from the first national ranking in 1940 to today, 85 years later.
Sinatra debuts at No. 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart (dated Nov. 22) with Pentatonix on “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.” The song drew 282,000 in audience from plays on 18 stations Nov. 7-13, according to Luminate.
The carol is from Pentatonix’s new album, Christmas in the City, which debuted as the vocal group’s 11th top 10 on the Top Holiday Albums chart earlier in November.
“We met someone with the estate, and the Sinatras had to give their blessing, and we are beyond honored,” the group’s Scott Hoying recently told iHeartRadio’s Ellen K of the team-up with Sinatra, who died in 1998. “They blessed us with his sweet voice and we got to release an unheard vocal, and it’s wild if you listen to it. You can hear the papers ruffling and the bleed of the orchestra from the other room. It was really, really powerful and magical, amazing.”
Added Pentatonix’s Kirstin Maldonado, “I feel like we went back in time and were those singers with him in that booth that we were inspired by. To have our names next to Frank Sinatra is just, like, that’s iconic. It’s such an honor.”
Sinatra bookends Billboard chart archives, as he sang on the first No. 1 — “I’ll Never Smile Again,” billed as by Tommy Dorsey — on the first nationwide sales chart, the National List of Best Selling Retail Records, published in the July 27, 1940, issue.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Board appears on Adult Contemporary (or any current-based Billboard radio chart) for the first time since Sept. 29, 1984. He lands his highest rank since May 31, 1980, when his revered “Theme From New York, New York” hit No. 10, becoming his 20th top 10. He boasts the longest span of making the tally (more than 64 years and four months), as he placed on the inaugural edition dated July 17, 1961.
Holiday music continues to grant Sinatra new chart honors. In December 2023, his take on “Jingle Bells” hit No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his first appearance in the top 20 since 1967. Plus, last holiday season, Ultimate Christmas became his 33rd top 10 album on the Billboard 200, extending his record for the most among male soloists.
