Across the U.S., neighborhoods are lighting up for the holidays, with displays in Mesa, Santa Clarita, Edmond, and Las Vegas fostering community bonds.

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow might be enough to brighten some homes this holiday season. But others are adorned with thousands of blinking lights synched to blasting music, drawing crowds and bolstering both holiday and community spirit. In a cul-de-sac in Mesa, Arizona, 14 homeowners have been going all-out on holiday lights for the last 30 years in a tradition that hasn’t been diminished by real estate turnover.

Those buying homes in the neighbourhood often find the attics full of décor left behind as a gift from the previous owners, and despite cultural and religious differences, residents come together to create a festival of lights, Stephanie Castillo Price said. “Everybody has been able to take their interpretation of the holidays and put it into a full circle,” she said. “There’s not somebody that’s going to walk down the street and not feel included.”

Santa Clarita’s Wakefield winter wonderland
In Santa Clarita, California, residents of Wakefield Court decided to coordinate their holiday light displays as a way to bring some joy to their community after an earthquake. Now in its 30th year, the Wakefield Winter Wonderland includes inflatable figures and wooden cutouts of a variety of characters, from Mickey Mouse to Homer Simpson.

Bryan Cobb admits he initially was against buying a home in the neighborhood when he and his wife first viewed it. “She started crying and said, ‘But this is the Christmas street! I want to live there!’” he said. “She got her way. We live here, we love it. All the neighbors bond together.”

In Edmond, Oklahoma, those looking to the western sky will easily spot the Miranda family’s elaborate holiday light display featuring images and music from the movie “Wicked.” Spotlights reminiscent of movie studio lights shoot up from the roof, while a singing witch’s face takes shape across a towering tree.

“It just seemed like the perfect fit with a light show because you can really do the drama with the lights,” said Elisabeth Miranda, who handles the programming while her husband, Mark, tackles installation. “It takes a very long time to set up. Every single bulb has a spot, a place, a number, so that when we program it, it does exactly what it needs to do at the right time.”

Las Vegas lights bring joy and charity together
The family started putting up holiday lights in 2015 and saw a surge in traffic after being featured on ABC’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” While most neighbors have been supportive, a few complaints prompted the couple to take a few years off before returning with a better plan to limit viewing hours and control traffic.

This year, they are collecting donations for the Oklahoma Fraternal Order of Police. “They give so much back to our community, so that’s our little way of saying thank you to them for everything they do for us,” Miranda said. Charity also is a component in Las Vegas, where Laura Walters and Lenny Standish are closing in on a four-year goal of collecting 10,000 pairs of socks and underwear for organizations that help homeless people.

Their display started during the COVID-19 pandemic with a single Christmas tree for community members to add ornaments. This year, they have three snow machines in addition to the lights and music.

“People are looking for joy,” Walters said. “Our world is a tough place. So to be able to just come and feel just an incredible amount of love and happiness — it’s peaceful. We’ve never had one problem here at all. Everyone’s been highly respectful of our home and full of gratitude.”

Richard Taylor of Kennesaw, Georgia, estimates that more than 40,000 people visit his display of 1.2 million lights each year. “We bring joy to a lot of people,” he said. “They walk around and they forget all their problems, and they just enjoy themselves.”

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Alia Bhatt poses with Ranbir Kapoor and little Raha in stunning red dress worth just ₹6000 for Christmas brunch

Alia Bhatt stuns in a vibrant red dress as she arrives with Ranbir Kapoor and their daughter Raha for a Christmas brunch at late Shashi Kapoor’s house.

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor were recently spotted with their daughter Raha as they arrived for a family Christmas brunch at late Shashi Kapoor’s house. The couple looked bright and happy in stylish outfits while posing with little Raha. Alia nailed the festive spirit with her stunning all-red outfit, proving once again that she’s always on top of her fashion game. Let’s decode her chic look and take some style notes from the diva. (Also read: Alia Bhatt shows how to rock corset like a pro in stylish boss babe look for Jigra promotions. Watch )

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor were recently spotted with their daughter Raha as they arrived for a family Christmas brunch at late Shashi Kapoor’s house. The couple looked bright and happy in stylish outfits while posing with little Raha. Alia nailed the festive spirit with her stunning all-red outfit, proving once again that she’s always on top of her fashion game. Let’s decode her chic look and take some style notes from the diva. (Also read: Alia Bhatt shows how to rock corset like a pro in stylish boss babe look for Jigra promotions. Watch )

Alia Bhatt stuns in red dress for ChristmasRed never looked better as Alia Bhatt absolutely rocked the colour with panache. The Jigra actor wore a stunning red maxi dress featuring a deep V neckline, beautifully adorned with a rose embellishment at the centre, adding an extra dose of oomph to her look. The dress featured thin straps, a fitted bodice and a slim fit that flattered her silhouette. A stylish tie at the back added a touch of flair.

What is the price of Alia’s dress?
If you loved Alia’s outfit and are wondering about the cost, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Her stunning red maxi dress is from the brand Summer Somewhere and comes with a price tag of ₹6,590.

Alia accessorised her look with a pair of golden hoop earrings, a diamond ring adorning her finger, and stylish stiletto heels. Her makeup was on point, featuring nude eyeshadow, mascara-coated lashes, a dewy base, glowing highlighter, and a shade of nude lipstick. With her luscious locks styled in a half-updo and adorned with a red bow, she looked absolutely stunning.

On the other hand, Ranbir Kapoor looked effortlessly stylish, rocking a basic white t-shirt layered with a blue open-buttoned shirt featuring white stripes. He paired it with white skinny-fit pants, cinched at the waist with a brown belt, and completed the look with beige loafers. Little Raha, in his arms, looked absolutely adorable in a white frock.

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Young people more likely to spend Christmas alone, study finds

One in nine people say they will be spending Christmas Day alone this year.

The number of young people spending Christmas Day alone has doubled, according to new research that compares festive attitudes and behaviours in 2024 and 1969.

According to a study by the Policy Institute at King’s College London, one in nine people say they will be spending Christmas Day alone this year. That number has increased from one in 20 who said the same 55 years ago.

Findings of the study:
While the share of people aged 65 and over who said they would spend Christmas Day by themselves has remained the same since 1969 – 15% of over 65s – the number for other demographics has risen. The biggest increase was seen among the youngest surveyed, where one in 11, or 9%, of people aged 21 to 34 said they will be spending Christmas Day alone. Only one in 100 said the same in 1969. Also read | Christmas 2024: Spending holidays alone? Here are some tips to make it special

Professor Bobby Duffy, director of the Policy Institute at King’s College London, said the data indicates that Christmas now seems just a little bit lonelier and less magical than it was 55 years ago. “The proportion of people spending the day itself alone has doubled, we’re less likely to say we enjoy it, and a lot less likely to think parents should encourage their children to believe in Santa,” he said. “But this doesn’t mean we’ve given up on Christmas – indeed a large majority of eight in 10 still say they do enjoy it, and nine in 10 will spend it with family or friends.”

The research – which is based on two nationally representative surveys of UK adults aged 21 and over in 2024 and 1969 – is part of a series of studies updating survey results from decades ago to understand changes in Britain’s core beliefs and ways of living.

Other data found that 80% of people today say they enjoy Christmas, which has dropped slightly from 86% in 1969. A large chunk of Britons also believe that stores push Christmas and festive goods onto consumers far too early in the year, with 79% agreeing with that statement. Men have seen the biggest change in attitudes on Christmas in retail, with 81% of males surveyed saying Christmas goods are sold too early – up from 59% in 1969. The religious significance of Christmas has also dwindled in the UK, with 60% of people stating that Christmas is a family occasion, rather than a religious one. Also read | Christmas 2024: From hanging calendars to visiting cemetery, unique traditions and celebrations around the world

Christmas is about family or religion?
When asked 55 years ago if Christmas was more about family than religion, 53% of respondents agreed, indicating a decline in the Christian faith in Britain. As per the Office of National Statistics, 2021 census data shows that less than half of the population in England and Wales describe themselves as ‘Christian’. ‘No religion’ was the second most common response on the census, increasing to 37.2% from 25.2% in 2011. Also read | Merry Christmas 2024: Simple Santa Claus, Christmas tree drawing ideas for kids and classic poems for school

Professor Duffy said that while things have changed significantly in the world when compared with 1969, the collated data also shows that some things have not changed at all. “These long-term trends are also useful in reminding us that some things have remained the same, despite the huge changes seen,” he said. “1969 was the year man landed on the moon, John and Yoko staged their bed-in for peace, the death penalty was finally abolished, and our current King was invested as the Prince of Wales. “But even back then, eight in 10 were complaining that Christmas was too commercialised – exactly the same proportion as today.”

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