4 h. ago Poem of the week: Down on the canal on Christmas Day by Chris McCabe

A melancholy December vision in Liverpool invokes a Dickensian ghost with more worldly but still warm realismDown on the canal on Christmas Day Down on the canal on Christmas Day a man walks towards me out of water-light, upright, Cratchit-wrapped, a smile to say:I know you. Hello Chris. Ghost in a time-ripped landscape where a low solstice sun spills whisked through a metallic staircase. With joy, the man’s smile haunts me for miles — a long blasted path, where a dead rat’s belly festoons its purple crinoline Christmas hat. Continue reading...

Politics

24 h. ago Woman's revenge on 'entitled' neighbours who complained about Christmas lights

A woman has shared how she has been decorating her home for Christmas - but her neighbours constantly criticise her for her design choices so she decided to teach them a lesson in kindness

Politics

25 h. ago 'I got ultimate revenge on neighbours who complained about my Christmas lights'

A woman has been living in her Victorian home for two years - but her neighbours have been constantly complaining about her decor choices and even her garden

Politics

26 h. ago How a Christmas lights competition with neighbours turned into an obsession

A grandfather's festive lights display started out as a competition with his neighbours before evolving into an "obsession" which locals say "marks the start of Christmas".

Politics

26 h. ago 'Surprising swaps around the house saved us more than £2K in one year'

Putting Christmas lights or cards that play tunes in the bin could be a fire hazard and swapping common household items for alternatives could save you thousands of pounds as well as help the planet

Economics

52 h. ago My cultural awakening: Love Actually taught me to leave my cheating partner

Emma Thompson’s quiet suffering in the hit Christmas movie helped me to realise that I didn’t need to stay with someone who had betrayed meI was 12 when Love Actually came out. In the eyes of my younger self it was a great film – vignettes of love I could only imagine one day feeling, all coloured by the fairy lights of Christmas. And there was even a cameo from Mr Bean himself, Rowan Atkinson. The film captured the romance I craved as a preteen, the idea that maybe a kid I fancied in my class would learn the drums for me and run through airport security to ask me out.I was young enough to think it was sweet for Keira Knightley’s husband’s best friend to turn up on her doorstep declaring his quite obviously unrequited love. I even thought it was adorable that he ruined their wedding video by filming only closeups of her face. Of course, I feel differently now about problematic moments like these – even if I do have the film to thank for introducing me to Joni Mitchell. Continue...

Politics

67 h. ago Householders with festive lights should follow '9pm rule' to help robins survive this winter

Our pretty outdoor Christmas lights can be fatal to robins and other garden birds, warns an expert

Events

67 h. ago Nostalgic pictures that show a Scottish Christmas from the decades gone by

Scottish Christmas nostalgia is shaped by festive lights, familiar seasonal scents, and families coming together over traditional treats

Politics

68 h. ago Experts say 'switch off' in call for 9pm 'Christmas light curfew'

Specialists say that a simple switch-off could help protect birds, bats, bugs, and frogs

Politics

2 d. ago Glasgow schoolgirl's Christmas drawing lights up city in new festive trail

The dazzling light trail will be open until January 3.

Politics

3 d. ago Loose Women star’s husband rushed to hospital days before Christmas

A Loose Women star’s husband has been rushed to hospital after he fell from a ladder whilst hanging up Christmas lights.

Politics

3 d. ago Weather tracker: Early snowfall in New York and a storm ruins Christmas lights in Spain

Long Island receives 21cm of snow, while a tornado tears down decorations near MálagaHeavy snow fell in parts of New England this week. New York’s Central Park received a few centimetres of snow, while 21cm (8.5in) was dumped in parts of Long Island. This is the earliest New York has experienced snowfall since 2018.New York narrowly missed out on widespread snowfall a few weeks ago. The low-pressure system tracked ever so slightly to the north of New York, enabling the warmer air to edge in. Meanwhile, upstate New York and other parts of New England were on the colder side of the system and received significant snow accumulations. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Small Scottish town with 'wonky' Christmas lights from local kids' cute drawings

The cute lights are designed to match the winning drawings created by local primary school children each year.

Politics

3 d. ago The 12 sneaky ways Christmas affects your sleep – and how to fix it

Christmas parties, social burnout and alcohol can all have an impact on our sleep schedule

Politics

4 d. ago Scotland's best places to see Northern Lights this Christmas named

Winter is the best time of year to observe the aurora borealis.

Politics

4 d. ago Five magical spots in Scotland where you are most likely to see a white Christmas

A white Christmas in Scotland will depend on overnight frost or light snow, with chances varying across the country.

Events

4 d. ago Town's Christmas tree that was chopped down just hours after its lights were switched on is restored by residents

The tree had stood proudly behind an £1,800 ornamental fence in the centre of Shotton Colliery, County Durham, for ten years before a vandal took a chainsaw to its trunk on Wednesday December 10.

Politics

4 d. ago The Christmas lights are back on in the land of Frank Sidebottom

Hundreds turn out to celebrate the twinkling festive lights

Politics

4 d. ago Dog expert issues 7 day Christmas warning to millions of pet owners

Dog behaviour expert Colin Tennant warns that festive elements like strong scents, loud noises, high temperatures and bright lights can cause stress for dogs during Christmas celebrations

Events

5 d. ago 'We're determined to make our Disney star girl's last Christmas so special'

15 year old Ann-Louise has a rare life-limiting condition, but lights up when she sings. As our Mirror Christmas appeal for Lifelites continues, her mum Mary shares how the charity's clever tech helps her daughter enjoy life

Politics