Christmas

Repairs to the aging Sagamore Bridge during the spring have slowed traffic leaving Cape Cod to a crawl most nights and backed it up for miles on Sundays, culminating in a Mother's Day morass when the stalled line of cars stretched past multiple exits on Route 6 and triggered all-day gridlock on nearby Route 6A. "Whoever conceived of this plan should be fired," said Anne Kilguss, a Boston social worker and psychotherapist with a second home in...

DUBLIN - Alan Moore died alone. But in his death, he is raising troubling questions for an entire Irish town. For three months residents of Wexford, in southeast Ireland, walked past Moore's front door on John Street, near a church and across the street from a parking lot. Some remarked on the Christmas tree lights still blazing away in his window. It was not until Sunday that a passerby asked police to take a look. On Wednesday officials formally identified the decomposed remains inside the house as that of Moore, a 62-year-old immigrant from England who had lived...

’Tis the season, all right — the season for stupid donations (said The Wall Street Journal last week), for snacking (USA Today), for political infighting (The Washington Post), for toys (The Houston Chronicle). And that means it’s also time for a purifying journalistic observance: the ritual renunciation of holiday cliches, starting with “ ’Tis the season.” The idea of a ban isn’t new — copy editors have long instituted local embargoes on overused expressions, including “ ’tis the season” — but in the past decade, a more formal list has been spreading the (forbidden)

Stamford investigators have held a preliminary meeting with a state prosecutor about a Christmas Day fire that killed three young girls and their grandparents Stamford Fire Lt. Dedrich Hohn confirms local investigators met Friday with the States Attorney. Hohn said the case is still open and ongoing. The fire destroyed the $1.7 million Victorian home of New York City advertising executive Madonna Badger and killed her 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah Badger, a 9-year-old daughter Lily Badger.

The Bridgewater Business Association will offer its annual Christmas on the Common from 1 to 4 p.m., Dec. 4, on the Town Common. Meet Santa and Mrs. Claus, and enjoy pony rides, holiday music, food, and hot drinks. Admission is free, but there is a charge for some items and activities. Proceeds go to the association's Charity Fund, which has donated over $50,000 and helped more than 200 residents by paying heating bills, purchasing food, and buying toys for children. - Christine Legere

NEW YORK - When Emily Russell's two young sons wake up on Christmas morning, they'll find that Santa left them a note instead of the video games they requested. "Hey, I couldn't get by your house last night," Russell, a single mother from Kernersville, N.C., plans to write to her sons and sign Santa's name. "Your mom is going to take you to the store when she can. " Some people have always postponed Christmas celebrations because their jobs don't pause for the holiday. But in the weak economy, folks are delaying Christmas for another reason: money.

NEW YORK -- Once upon a time, the holiday season was a quiet time spent with family and friends -- simpler, less commercial, more spiritual, nothing like today's frenzied pit of soulless consumption. "There are worlds of money wasted, at this time of year, in getting things that nobody wants, and nobody cares for after they are got," one observer noted recently. Well, not so recently. Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote those words in 1850. By then, the holiday was already well on its way to becoming the retail orgy it is today.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- The Red Ryder BB gun is "the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts," according to young Ralphie Parker, who pines for one in the movie "A Christmas Story. " But Daisy Outdoor Products, which makes the Red Ryder, is shying away from any publicity that represents the gun as a toy. Joe Murfin, Daisy's vice president of marketing, was emphatic that BB guns, even if they've been turned into celluloid holiday icons, are not playthings. "They are not purchased by children and should not be used by young people without adult supervision,"...

WEXFORD, Pa. - Spread out on Clare Bello's vinyl-surfaced work table is the evidence of a year-old hobby - and now, the means for this year's Christmas. The boxes brimming with colorful beads, semiprecious stones, clasps, and string used to be a fun, creative way to keep busy while watching TV and hanging out with family. This year, the jewelry Bello makes will not only be Christmas gifts for women in her family, she also hopes she can sell enough of her handmade crafts to make what she needs to buy gifts for the men and boys.

After last year, with what seemed like five minutes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I vowed to go off this year on a yuletide vacation. We would go anywhere, as long as it was warm and I didn't have to cook for 20 -- or even for four. Weeks ago, I began perusing the travel pages and came up with some mouth-watering choices, at great prices, for my family. While others were wrestling with a 25-pound turkey -- or obnoxious relatives -- we would be swimming in Mexico or snorkeling in the Caribbean.

By Chad Finn, Globe Staff Billy Cundiff's missed 32-yard field goal, which would have sent the game into overtime had he made it, will be discussed well beyond today. But here are a few thoughts by the Patriots on what they were thinking as he lined it up . . . and then in the aftermath. Jerod Mayo: "It felt like child-like joy. It's all about child-like joy. Last night felt like the day before Christmas for me and I haven't had that feeling in a long time. At this level, the day before Christmas is like a regular day. But now I just feel like I got my present.

While the town didn't collect Christmas trees curbside this year, residents can drop trees off at the landfill on Plympton Street until the end of this month. No dump stickers are required, and there is no charge. - Christine Legere

The town's Christmas tree collection will continue through Feb. 3. Trees should be placed on the curb in front of a residence alongside household trash on the day of regular route collection for your street. All trees must be free of ornaments, lights and tinsel, and cannot be in tree stands, trash bags, or mesh wraps. Only natural trees will be collected. Residents also can drop off their trees at the Robbins Road compost site during regular hours and at the Department of Public Works yard at 1385 Washington St.; Center Pool parking lot; front gate of the Lincoln Road landfill; and the Polley Lane parking lot for...

Investigators have interviewed a New York City advertising executive whose three daughters and parents died in a Christmas morning fire at her Connecticut home. Stamford police Sgt. Paul Guzda says police interviewed Madonna Badger on Thursday night. He won't disclose details. Badger and her friend Michael Borcina escaped the fire, which destroyed the $1.7 million Victorian home. Borcina is a contractor who had been renovating the five-bedroom house. Guzda says police plan to interview Borcina soon.

By Steven Rosenberg, Globe Staff Need to discard your Christmas tree? Beginning tomorrow, and through Jan. 13,  the city of Beverly will pick up trees that are left curbside during regular trash days. Trees should be on the curb by 7 a.m. on trash days, and trees must be free of tinsel, plastic, other decorations and skirting. No wreaths will be collected. For more information, call 978-921-6000 x2355. 

The Highway Department will pick up Christmas trees left curbside this week if trees are out with regular trash by 7 a.m. All decorations must be removed for trees to be taken. Residents may also dispose of Christmas trees at the Mansfield Green, from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Saturdays and from 10 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on Mondays. - Christine Legere

The city tomorrow will start to pick up Christmas trees left in front of people's homes on trash day. Trees must be free of all decorations, including tinsel and garland. They also cannot be placed in plastic bags. Wreaths will not be collected. Curbside pickup will continue until Friday. Residents may also drop off trees during the week at the public works department, located at 356 Commercial St. For more information, call public works at 781-397-7160. -Kathy McCabe