Target will no longer open its stores on Thanksgiving Day, making permanent a shift to the unofficial start of the holiday season that was suspended during the pandemic.

Of the 53.4 million Americans planning to visit family and friends or enjoy a mini-vacation, 90% will be hitting the road in cars. For those looking to avoid the worst of the traffic, AAA has identified a few windows of opportunity.

It depends. It can be safe if you’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but officials say people who haven’t gotten the shots should delay travel.

The Chicago Latino Theater Alliance is bringing some sazón to Chicago’s holiday season with the free, outdoor entertainment series “Destinos al Aire, a Holiday Extravaganza!” The Latino Theater Alliance’s Christine Perez says the events are a way to bring holiday spirit to Chicago while celebrating the diversity of our Latino cultures.

The cost of a Thanksgiving feast for 10 is up 14% from 2020, according to an annual survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Holiday lights, intricate artwork, butterfly yoga and stand-up comedy usher in the weekend. Here are 10 things to do in and around Chicago.

The bells will be clanging, but coins won’t necessarily be clinking as the Salvation Army kicks off its annual Red Kettle campaign Monday. With people carrying less cash, the Salvation Army has adjusted to accept more contactless payment methods in 2021.

Chicago’s official 2021 Christmas tree was hoisted from its longtime home on a Logan Square block and loaded onto a trailer Friday morning. Destination: Millennium Park.

The Dugout Bar in Wrigleyville will remain closed indefinitely after police officers responding to a call for help about a person being attacked in the 900 block of Addison Street found a large New Year’s Eve party, officials said.

At some point, Christmas trees get brown, the needles fall off, and it’s time for them to go. But that doesn’t necessarily mean tossing your tree in the trash.

It’s a New Year’s Eve tradition. Check out our virtual discussion about the history of Watch Night services with Brandis Friedman, host of “Black Voices,” and a panel of guests.

Starting Jan. 9, you can drop off your tree for recycling at one of two dozen Chicago parks. Here’s everything you need to know.

A recreational vehicle parked in the deserted streets of downtown Nashville exploded early Christmas morning, causing widespread communications outages that took down police emergency systems and grounded holiday travel at the city’s airport. 

The U.S. is the latest country to announce new travel restrictions because of a new variant of the coronavirus that is spreading in Britain and elsewhere.

Despite warnings from public health experts to stay home, over 1.19 million travelers passed through U.S. airport security checkpoints Wednesday — the highest one-day total since the crisis took hold in mid-March.

Millions of Americans are traveling ahead of Christmas and New Year’s, despite pleas from public health experts that they stay home to avoid fueling the raging coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 320,000 nationwide.