Less money in the Red Kettle
👋 Hey y’all! Laura Davis here. And the time has come: Road trip! I'm taking some time off to celebrate the holidays with my family in Florida. Call me crazy, but I'm loading up both of my cats and making it a road trip back home! Wish us luck. 😸
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Donations down in Salvation Army's Red Kettles
The bells are still ringing outside grocery stores, but fewer people are dropping donations in the buckets. Chapters of the Salvation Army are reporting that donations for the charity's signature Red Kettle Campaign and on the year overall are down. Last year, the Red Kettle campaign received $102 million, a 19% drop from the $126 million earned in 2019, the Washington Post reported. 🔔 See where donations have declined.
- Want to help others during the holidays? Learn why cash is king for food banks.
🎄 Real quick
- How did poinsettia and mistletoe become part of the holiday season?
- Jumping for joy: At 95 years old, this grandma just got her best Christmas gift ever.
- Watch: How Elf on the Shelf played a part in this deployed dad's return home.
Keep the fire in the fireplace, not the kitchen
Folks in my family love to talk about the time Gramaw forgot she stored a bunch of leftovers inside the oven when she turned it on to preheat. It wasn't until she finished her cigarette that she realized all the smoke was coming from the kitchen! Mistakes happen, and everyone was fine (except for maybe Gramaw’s pride – and her leftovers). 👩🍳Learn from Gramaw: Here are some hot tips for preventing your own kitchen disaster over the holidays.
Are your Christmas decorations asking for trouble?
Santa was missing. When he checked the surveillance footage, a California homeowner was shocked to see someone stealing a 6-foot-tall Santa decoration right off his front porch, and then driving away with Jolly Old St. Nick's legs sticking out of the trunk. Who the heck would steal Santa?!? Are houses decorated in the holiday spirit simply targets for would-be thieves, porch pirates and straight-up Grinches? 'Tis definitely the season for thefts and break-ins, experts say. Yep, even though Santa is watching. 🎅 Take a peek at the stats and ways to keep your stuff safe.
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