Laredo leaned fully into the holiday spirit this weekend with its annual Christmas parade, turning city streets into a midday celebration of music, smiles and seasonal cheer. Presented by the Texas Parade Association, the event drew local officials and plenty of families eager for a festive break. Mayor Victor Treviño made a particularly on-brand appearance, cruising the route in a red 1974 Corvette Stingray while handing out toys to children. Proof that in Laredo, Christmas arrives not just with carols - but with horsepower and goodie bags.

Golden Roastery has expanded its sweet ambitions, opening a second location in Houston’s Spring-Klein area on November 15. The Middle Eastern roastery serves Arab and Turkish treats, from roasted nuts and halal gummies to chocolates, coffee and Palestinian specialties. With in-store service and a sit-down dining area, it’s clearly aiming to be more than a quick sugar stop. Houston now has one more place where dessert comes with cultural flair - and strong coffee to match.

A 13-year-old in Lubbock is proving that holiday hustle doesn’t require a startup pitch deck - just hot cocoa and good intentions. William Huntsman runs a post-school stand selling cocoa, brownies and candied pecans to fund Christmas gifts and donate half his profits to Lubbock Impact, a local nonprofit. His best-selling brownies even come with a mission statement: when life’s rough, a brownie might help. In a season full of big promises, this eighth grader is quietly delivering warmth, sugar and actual impact - one cup at a time.

After 15 years and $8.7 million, Ardmore is finally cutting the ribbon on a new water treatment plant at its Industrial Airpark - proving that infrastructure really is a long game. The upgraded facility replaces an aging lagoon system that was struggling to meet environmental standards, a problem the city could only ignore for so long. Officials say the plant doubles wastewater capacity to 200,000 gallons a day, clearing the way for new businesses and jobs. As city leaders put it, serious growth starts with unglamorous basics - like clean water that actually meets the rules.

Facing a loss of about 300 students, College Station ISD is considering out-of-district transfers as a way to steady enrollment - and the funding that follows each student. The plan isn’t exactly open-door: applicants would need strong grades, near-perfect attendance, clean discipline records, and their own transportation. District leaders point to charter schools, homeschooling, and Texas’ new $1 billion voucher program as intensifying competition for students. For now, it’s just talk, but the message is clear - in today’s education market, districts can’t afford to wait politely for students to come back.

EōS Fitness has officially flexed into Cypress, opening a massive 40,000-square-foot gym that promises round-the-clock motivation - or at least access - starting at $9.99 a month. The new location packs in cardio and strength equipment, group classes, personal training, and a recovery lineup featuring cold plunges, hot tubs, infrared saunas and massage chairs. Open 24/7, it’s designed for early birds, night owls, and anyone who likes their workouts with a side of spa therapy. In short, Cypress residents now have no excuse - except, of course, willpower.

The Benjamin Knox Gallery is leaning fully into the holiday spirit with its Last Friday Before Christmas Holiday Market on December 19, offering last-minute gifts for anyone who procrastinates with artistic flair. Expect Santa photos, alpacas, live music, local vendors, and even a lovingly restored 1905 caboose - because nothing says Christmas quite like historic rail cars. The gallery will also debut new artwork, including Nutcracker-themed pieces supporting the ballet and a fresh tribute to Texas A&M’s football season. It’s free, festive, and conveniently designed to make holiday cheer - and shopping - feel far less stressful than the mall.

East Texas business owners Daniel and Cooper Nagore-Adams have donated 200 Build-A-Bears this Christmas, proving that comfort sometimes comes with stuffing and a stitched smile. Through their Beary Merry Christmas initiative, the bears will go to police, hospitals, and first responders to help children facing crises and trauma. What started seven years ago with just 10 bears has grown into the program’s biggest donation yet. A quiet reminder that in a season full of noise, a soft toy can still do some serious good.

Despite the usual panic over rising premiums, affordable health insurance is still very much alive in Texas for 2026. Millions of Texans-especially those earning under 200% of the federal poverty level-can still find $0-premium or very low-cost plans on the ACA Marketplace, complete with preventive care and basic services. While higher earners may feel the pinch if temporary subsidies expire, lower-income families remain well protected by federal tax credits and Texas’s pricing structure. In short, health insurance may not be getting cheaper, but it’s far from disappearing-contrary to the doom-filled headlines.

A family home in Wichita Falls has been transformed into a full-blown “Candy Land” light show, complete with over 500,000 lights and a homemade lift that took two years to actually work. Brandon and Tiffany Brown have spent more than a decade turning their front yard into a glowing spectacle, proving that trial and error is a perfectly valid engineering method at Christmas. What began as a personal holiday tradition has quietly become a community attraction for wide-eyed kids and nostalgic adults alike. The lights switch on every evening at 6 p.m., because apparently moderation is not part of the holiday spirit.

Bikeland has been quietly pedaling fitness and community in Shenandoah since 2004, offering high-end bikes for riders who take their two wheels seriously. Founded by lifelong cyclist Jeff Chaffin, the shop caters to everyone from road and mountain bikers to BMX fans, pairing premium brands with repairs, fittings, and unusually personal service. Chaffin logs about 5,000 miles a year himself and says cycling is as much therapy as exercise-which explains the shop’s loyal following. With weekly group rides and plans for expansion, Bikeland proves that in a world of big-box retailers, passion still beats mass production.

After a devastating fire shut down their Abernathy restaurant last year, Kim and Robert Hicks have reopened A Little Slice of Heaven in Wolfforth, turning loss into a fresh start. Now operating along Highway 62, the eatery is back thanks to strong faith, a new partnership, and plenty of community support. The owners say the comeback proves you’re never really alone-especially when neighbors, old customers, and a bit of divine timing show up. The message is clear: resilience, belief, and good pie can take you a long way.

Students at Bell Elementary in Tyler turned holiday spirit into action, raising more than $7,000 during their annual Jingle Bell Run to support two teachers battling cancer. By selling T-shirts and food, the kids proved that generosity doesn’t need a big budget-just big hearts. Teachers say the effort meant more than the money, especially coming from students eager to help “their” teachers. In a season full of shopping lists, these students chose compassion-and outperformed plenty of adults.

While most people wrestle with one Christmas tree a year, Marshall Cathey casually manages more than 10,000 at Elves Tree Farm-and still says it’s not enough. The Texas grower works year-round planting, trimming, and mowing so families can enjoy a few weeks of festive chaos, with loyal customers returning for decades. His trees even make it to the Texas State Capitol, proving these pines have political connections. In Denison, Cathey insists the real reward isn’t prestige, but watching kids who once picked trees now bring their own-an adorable reminder that time, like Christmas season, moves very fast.

If your weekend plans need a dose of nature and history, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is running tram tours every Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. The 60-90 minute ride cruises Wildlife Drive with plenty of stops for birdwatching, photography, and stories about the long-gone town of Hagerman-because nothing says relaxation like learning about displacement while spotting egrets. Reservations are required, though hopeful standbys may squeeze in if luck is on their side. It’s free, donation-funded, and proof that a slow tram can still deliver a surprisingly full afternoon.

Central Texas is getting a little more crowded-and a little more fed-as McDonald's opens two new locations in McGregor and near Hewitt, complete with drive-thru convenience for busy appetites. Meanwhile in Waco, Roni’s Mac Bar is quietly easing into business with a soft opening, while Frenchie Daddy French Toast keeps rolling across the region in food-truck form. The message is clear: whether you want fries, fancy mac and cheese, or a French toast sandwich with ice cream, Central Texas has you covered. Apparently, the local dining scene is expanding faster than New Year’s resolutions can keep up.

Six Flags Over Texas has officially raised the bar-literally-by completing the 309-foot peak of Tormenta Rampaging Run, a roller coaster already breaking records before a single rider screams. Opening in summer 2026, Tormenta will become the world’s first “giga dive coaster,” because apparently “very tall” just wasn’t ambitious enough. The Spain-inspired ride promises six world records, including the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster, plus a beyond-vertical drop designed to test both gravity and confidence. Visible across Arlington’s skyline, it’s less a new attraction and more a steel reminder that Six Flags still believes bigger is always better-and preferably terrifying

The beloved New York café Maman, famous for its cozy French vibe and Oprah-approved cookies, has finally crossed state lines and landed in Dallas. Founded in New York City in 2014, the café-famously adored by Martha Stewart-brings its farmhouse charm, cult pastries, and firm no-laptop policy to Texas. The menu delivers everything fans expect, plus Texas-only treats like a brisket croissant and sweet tea fizz, because local pride must always be edible. In short, it’s a Parisian daydream with Southern seasoning-and a gentle reminder that brunch is meant for talking, not typing.

The Texas Department of Transportation wrapped up its holiday “Drive Sober. No Regrets.” campaign in El Paso, using hands-on experiences to remind Texans that drunk driving stops being fun the moment it becomes real. Partnering with Walmart, TxDOT rolled out a carnival-style “DWI Not So Funhouse,” complete with simulators, impairment goggles, and games that quickly proved alcohol and coordination are not a winning combo. The message landed hard, especially given that alcohol-related crashes in Texas killed 96 people and seriously injured 201 others in 2024. In short, the holidays may be over, but the takeaway remains stubbornly simple: drinking and driving is still a terrible idea, no matter the season.

This holiday season, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum is offering a gift that’s actually useful, teaming up with the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center for a blood drive on December 29. Donors in College Station can give blood between noon and 4:30 p.m. and walk away with a limited-edition hoodie and a free blood sugar test - proof that good deeds now come with perks. The goal is simple: help hospitals while people are already in a generous, post-Christmas mood. It’s charity with a bonus layer of branding, but when lives are on the line, nobody’s complaining.

When flights go sideways, the calm voices you never hear belong to teams inside airline nerve centers like American Airlines, where dispatchers quietly untangle chaos in real time. From medical emergencies mid-Pacific to weather, crew limits and software glitches, hundreds of specialists in Fort Worth juggle planes, people and priorities so passengers mostly notice nothing at all. The stakes are high: American moves over 600,000 travelers a day and is still chasing rivals Delta Air Lines and United Airlines on punctuality and profits. It’s a high-pressure mix of strategy and improvisation - or, as one staffer put it, “playing Tetris on top of Jenga,” except the blocks contain human lives and holiday plans.