Santa Claus is coming to town — and he's down with the digital age.
The big picture: The old Santa model consisted of a long line of tiny tots waiting for a camera, a chair and a photo op. The mall Santa still exists, but the modern Saint Nick also meets families where they are.
The Trump administration imposed visa restrictions Tuesday on five Europeans the State Department accused of leading "efforts to coerce American platforms to censor" or "suppress" U.S. viewpoints they oppose.
The big picture: Among those now barred from entering the U.S. is former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton, whom under secretary of state for public diplomacy Sarah Rogers on X called "a mastermind of the Digital Services Act," which imposes requirements on social media platforms, including content moderation.
Just a few years ago, Santa Claus literally couldn't come to town: Headlines warned of too few St. Nick lookalikes available to make appearances at malls, stores, office parties and private gatherings.
Recent anecdotes suggest that demand for Santas has become more Grinch-like, mirroring what's happening for temporary workers broadly.
Why it matters: Not even a Christmas season icon can dodge the labor market's woes.
The big picture: Many retailers are operating with reduced hours on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas Day, including Walmart, Best Buy and Macy's. Store and curbside pickup hours can vary by location.
The U.S. is on pace for the largest one-year drop in murders the nation has ever recorded, according to an analysis by crime stats expert Jeff Asher.
The big picture: The decline in killings is part of a broader decrease in violent crime following the COVID-era spike. Mass killings in the U.S. also fell in 2025, reaching their lowest level since 2006.
Last-minute holiday shoppers will find fewer options Wednesday, as most grocery stores shorten hours on Christmas Eve and some close earlier than usual.
Why it matters: Christmas Eve is one of the busiest grocery shopping days of the year — and also one of the most limited.
CBS News' new editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is planning to create a masthead for the broadcaster as part of a broader overhaul of standards and procedures, according to a source familiar with her plans.
Why it matters: The masthead is meant to drive a more streamlined hierarchy and set of processes across show and news gathering teams that are intended to prevent disparate editorial procedures and standards.
Most stores and restaurants go dark on Christmas Day, leaving only a slim lineup for essentials, meals and caffeine fixes.
Why it matters: Last-minute shoppers and those looking to dine out will have few options for forgotten Christmas cookie ingredients, medication or a place to eat — and hours can vary widely by location.
The U.S. economy expanded at a4.3% annualized pace in the third quarter, according to a Commerce Department report Tuesday that had been delayed by the government shutdown.
Why it matters: Despite consumers' low marks on the Trump economy, growth is booming, helped by stronger consumer spending and AI investment.
Gold and silver prices, which have been on fire all year, surged Monday to record highs.
Why it matters: The rallies in gold and silver, and in other precious metals, are seen in large part as an investor response to ongoing global tensions, including the recent pressure the U.S. is putting on Venezuela.
How do you pick the winners among the AI tech stocks? One school of thought is that you want companies with strong ties to OpenAI.
The big picture: For investors, this is a risk/reward scenario with little in the way of precedent. If OpenAI succeeds with its AI ambitions, riches could rain down upon its tech company partners.
Waymo is facing mounting questions about why its robotaxis stopped operating and blocked traffic during a chaotic weekend power outage in San Francisco that knocked out traffic signals and cellular networks.
Why it matters: Malfunctioning traffic lights should be a routine problem for self-driving cars, but the incident exposed the potential safety risks when robotaxis lose contact with their remote human overlords.
In a natural disaster, like an earthquake, flood or fire, hundreds of frozen robotaxis could block emergency responders, putting lives at risk.
The window for last-minute Christmas shopping is narrowing — both in stores and online.
The big picture: Christmas Eve brings reduced hours for most retailers, followed by full store closings on Christmas Day for many of the nation's largest chains, including Walmart, Best Buy and Macy's.
Instead of resolving to overhaul your life on Jan. 1, author and happiness expert Gretchen Rubin recommends another approach: Choosing a theme word to guide your year.
Why it matters: Even if you're not into setting resolutions — probably because they don't often stick — "there's something auspicious about a new year," Rubin tells Axios.
CBS News staffers and viewers are alleging censorship following editor-in-chief Bari Weiss' decision to pull a story about President Trump's deportations.
The big picture: The move escalated concerns that CBS News and, more broadly, parent company Paramount Skydance will tailor its coverage to appeal to the Trump administration.
