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.

After more than a decade of waiting, the Marlin Volunteer Fire Department finally rolled out its first-ever brand-new fire engine - proving that patience really can come with sirens. The $402,000 pumper tanker became reality thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Texas A&M Forest Service, extra state funding announced by Greg Abbott, and a last-minute $102,000 lifeline from the local emergency services district. A well-timed phone call to Midwest Fire sealed the deal before someone else grabbed the truck - because even fire engines sell fast these days. With its 3,000-gallon water capacity, Tanker 11 now stands ready to serve Falls County for years, quietly reminding everyone that sometimes the longest waits bring the biggest upgrades.

Visit Pearland is calling on local artists to help decorate the city - quite literally - with new public-art projects, including the PearScape Trail of painted fiberglass pear sculptures. Artists across the greater Houston area can apply to join a newly created roster that feeds into murals, festivals, and other city-backed art initiatives. There’s no application fee, just the chance to turn creativity into something residents and tourists will photograph endlessly. In short, Pearland wants more art, more colour, and more pears - preferably all at once.

As fireworks sales light up Harris County ahead of Christmas and New Year’s, the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding residents that celebration and common sense should ideally go off together. Officials warn that even sparklers - widely believed to be harmless - burn far hotter than boiling water and reliably deliver hand injuries every year. Fireworks are legal in some unincorporated areas, illegal in others, and universally discouraged when mixed with alcohol, poor aim, or curious children. And while most of America’s fireworks arrive courtesy of China, the responsibility for using them safely is, inconveniently, still local.

Austin-based Alpha School is expanding its AI-powered Texas Sports Academy across the state, promising students elite athletic training alongside academics compressed into a two-hour daily learning window. New campuses focused on basketball, baseball, gymnastics, and cheer are opening from Round Rock to Houston and San Antonio, with tuition running between $5,000 and $15,000 a year. The model leans on an AI platform that lets students race ahead academically before heading to sport-specific training and life-skills workshops. Education officials - including Linda McMahon - have praised the approach, suggesting the future of schooling may involve less homework and a lot more gym time.

Em Café quietly opened its doors in early December, choosing soft launches over ribbon-cutting drama. Located in Deer Park, the café offers Vietnamese coffee, matcha, Thai green tea, boba, and plain black coffee for those who prefer their caffeine without flair. A grand opening date remains unannounced, proving the café is letting the menu do the talking. For now, it’s open, brewing, and confidently skipping the hype cycle - which, frankly, feels refreshing.

Ascension Texas hospitals may fall out of network for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas members starting Jan. 1, meaning routine care could suddenly come with luxury-level price tags. The two sides are still negotiating, repeating a familiar dance last seen in 2023, when patients briefly became collateral damage before a deal was struck. While both organizations cite financial realities and patient access, the practical takeaway is simple: check your plan before walking into a hospital. Otherwise, that “covered” visit might turn into an expensive New Year’s surprise - unless it’s an emergency, in which case the system briefly remembers how in-network works.

AAA warns that while one chaotic Christmas travel weekend is over, Texas and Oklahoma drivers should brace for round two. Nearly 9.4 million Texans and 1.1 million Oklahomans are traveling for the holidays, with about 93% choosing cars - because nothing says festive like traffic. Cheap gas helps soften the blow, especially in Oklahoma, where prices are the lowest in the country, but AAA still expects to rescue around 40,000 stranded motorists. The advice is timeless: check your tires, charge your battery, plan ahead, and maybe skip distractions - the road is already doing enough to test your patience.

Houston’s winter comfort food agenda is officially full, starting with carne guisada making its predictable-but-welcome return at Molina’s Cantina - because cold weather clearly demands slow-simmered beef and tortillas. El Bolillo Bakery follows with Rosca de Reyes in early January, combining sugar, tradition and the annual panic of finding the hidden figurine. For New Year’s Eve, the city offers everything from elegant dinners to an ’80s-themed murder mystery at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, proving that nothing says fresh start like solving a crime in shoulder pads. And if brass music with craft beer sounds like self-care, Saint Arnold Brewing Company has January covered - because Houston never lets a calendar date go to waste.

While most people unwrap gifts, dozens of first responders in Lubbock are unwrapping emergency calls instead. EMS crews and police officers say Christmas reliably brings more traffic, more people - and unfortunately, more crises - turning a holiday into one of the busiest shifts of the year. For veterans like UMC EMS training chief Chad Curry and officer Collin Sherley, the hardest part isn’t the calls, but switching from tragedy back to family life once the shift ends. Their message to everyone else is simple and slightly pointed: enjoy your holiday together, because someone else is missing theirs to make sure you get to keep yours.