SANTA CLAUS

Spain will end a mandate to wear masks outdoors next week, reversing a late December order against an unprecedented surge of coronavirus infections fueled by a highly contagious mutation.

Torrei Hart is bringing sexy back. Hart recently posted an Instagram photo of her getting cute for Santa Claus. She was pictured rocking a pair […]

FRANKENMUTH, MI — Frankenmuth, home to the world’s largest year-round Christmas store, is among the nation’s 25 “most festive towns,” according to global travel site Big 7 Travel. Santa Claus, Indiana, which touts itself as “America’s Christmas Hometown,” took the top spot on the list for its name, its history of attracting children’s letters to Santa, and its annual Christmas light show that stretches 1.2 miles long.

Renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson got a round of groans on Twitter this Christmas Eve for taking Santa Claus and his reindeer just a tad too literally.

This Christmas Eve, Jolly Old St. Nicholas is once again delivering gifts to children around the world in record time. Here's how to track his whereabouts.

Marines on snowmobiles helped Santa this month while delivering toys to boys and girls in Alaska’s Arctic.

Bruce Hall's latest children's book attempts to answer the hypothetical "science" behind Santa Claus.

Bruce Hall's latest children's book attempts to answer the hypothetical "science" behind Santa Claus.

This Christmas Eve, Jolly Old St. Nicholas is once again delivering gifts to children around the world in record time. Here's how to track his whereabouts.

NASA is launching a huge observatory into space early Christmas morning (Dec. 25), but you don't need to worry about it hitting Santa Claus.

Friday afternoon becomes milder and a little wetter just before sunset. Afterward, rain becomes steadier and, at times, heavier in the evening and during nighttime hours.

Here is the weather forecast for Metro Detroit.

Rest assured, kids of all ages: Santa’s coming this Christmas Eve, and a second holiday with COVID-19 won’t stop him.

After a period of turbulence, the decks may be cleared for a good old-fashioned Santa rally in the final week of 2021.

The best things we ate in metro Detroit in 2021Twitter reacts to Kellogg’s removing its name from products and its recent food qualityThe hottest new metro Detroit restaurants to open in 2021All the festive people we saw at night two of GRiZMAS at the Masonic TempleEminem’s former Oakland Township mansion is back on the market for $3.23 million — let’s take a tourSanta Claus, Light Shows, and Carriage Rides: 20 things to do in Metro Detroit this holiday season

Santa Claus and his eight tiny reindeer won’t be the only shiny thing streaking through the Christmas week sky. Comet Leonard, or C/2021, the brightest comet of 2021, is visible this week. Leonard said the comet will appear very low above the horizon just before sunset but might be difficult to see. People who want to see the comet should give it a try since it won’t be making a repeat appearance. Leonard said the comet made its first appearance about 80,000 years ago and won’t be back anytime soon.

Holiday gift donations have poured in from across the country for children who survived the tornadoes in western Kentucky.

GROSSE POINTE PARK — Perhaps in efforts to reverse his title of "Grinch" — earned when he sold Santa's sleigh just before the Grosse Pointe Santa Claus Parade —

Hundreds of community children felt the magic of Christmas when they were provided with a skating experience free of charge with Santa Claus himself at St.

We will visit and give gifts and toys to at least nine more villages or until our supplies run out. I’m the lucky one. I get to play Santa here.

Most part-time Santas are small business owners, but 55% of Santas spread Christmas cheer as their full-time job, according to a LinkedIn report.

CNBC's Jim Cramer sees a Santa Claus rally this year despite the raging omicron variant that's spiking Covid cases during the holidays.

Plus: Is it safe to go to a holiday party if not everyone is vaccinated? And are people getting different side effects from the COVID booster?

BAY CITY, MI - A homegrown holiday video series based in Bay City recently launched its newest installment. “The Gift” film series returned for its fifth year in 2021, despite overcoming hurdles such as the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The Gift films have been produced steadily over the last five years by Jeff Hildebrandt and his crew of friends. Click here to watch the fifth “The Gift” film. More from MLiveFilmmaker’s Christmas videos shot in Bay City celebrate the holidaysCrowd fills Wenonah Park for 2021 tree lighting and Santa’s arrival in Bay CityDowntown Bay City adding 7-foot-tall fireplacesEnjoy a free carriage ride and movie during Bay City’s annual ‘Sundays in the City’ downtown

South Africa's government says the country will donate just over 2 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to other African countries to boost the continent’s vaccine drive.

SAGINAW, MI — Santa Claus, Elsa and Cinderella are coming to downtown Saginaw this weekend for a “Magical Day at the Marketplace.”Children can meet Elsa and Cinderella between noon and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, and Santa will visit with children between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the historic lobby at SVRC Marketplace, 203 S. Washington Ave.Children may also drop letters to Santa in a special mailbox in the main lobby. The Saginaw Youth Choir will provide live entertainment from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event will also include face painting with Poppin Balloon Decor from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. for $3 and a hot cocoa bomb making lesson provided by Gourmet Apple Cart in the demonstration kitchen between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. for $1. For more information, contact Rachel Trumble at rtrumble@svrcindustries.com or 989-770-0233, visit www.svrcindustries.com/marketplace, or find SVRC Marketplace on Facebook. Read more on MLive:Even more holiday season events happening across mid-MichiganMichigan’s Best Local Eats: Zehnder’s Christmas dinner to-go lets you relax and enjoy the holiday at homeSee what businesses opened or closed in 2021 in Saginaw, Bay and Midland countiesNew sweet shop in northern Michigan will offer Cops & Doughnuts, other locally-made treatsSaginaw’s Hello Sushi closes its doorsMichigan’s Best Local Eats: Enjoy German fare and craft beer at Frankenmuth’s Michigan on MainBavarian Inn co-founder Dorothy Zehnder, 100, says secret to a long life includes eating a lot of chickenMichigan’s Best Local Eats: Great Lakes Ice Cream Co.’s Gingersnap Cookie is a holiday treatEddie’s hot sauce ‘flying off the shelves’ in Saginaw and beyond

My search for the grossest-sounding vintage Chicago Tribune Christmas recipe settled, fittingly enough, on something the color of the Grinch’s fur.

At the beginning of this week, the committee invited Santa to visit each classroom in the elementary, middle school and high school.

"Historically, the Santa rally doesn't usually come until a few days later, but it wouldn't shock me if it already started," the "Mad Money" host said.

Santa Claus performers are working from dawn to late in the evening as they try to meet the pent-up demand for appearances, while dealing with retirements and deaths among their ranks.

It all began with an elf named Fisbee.

A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily has apologized to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist

A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily has apologized to outraged parents after its bishop told a group of children that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.

We’re used to seeing Santa at the mall, or better yet, on his sleigh delivering toys to children around the world, but you don’t see Santa (let alone hundreds of him) skiing or snowboarding down a mountain.

Celebration with Santa Saturday in Carleton

Get a classic photo with Santa this month at Briarwood Mall.

The department said it "intended to highlight our staff in the Concealed Handgun Permit Office, not to be insensitive."

Britain’s government has tightened travel restrictions amid concerns about the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant.

MIDLAND, MI — Santa Claus will be making special phone calls to children this December with a little help from the City of Midland Parks and Recreation department. Santa will be making the personalized calls between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 7-9, as part of the department’s free “Santa Calling” program. Midland Parks and Recreation will “patch calls through” from the North Pole to registered children in the Midland area. Register for your free call by Tuesday, Dec. 6, online at cityofmidlandmi.gov/982/Santa-Calling. Read more on MLive:Michigan’s Best Local Eats: Great Lakes Ice Cream Co.’s Gingersnap Cookie is a holiday treatGet in the Christmas spirit at the reimagined 2021 Frankenmuth ChristKindlMarkt outdoor holiday marketBavarian Inn co-founder Dorothy Zehnder, 100, says secret to a long life includes eating a lot of chickenFrankenmuth to open new downtown ice rink by ThanksgivingCelebrate the holiday season at these events happening across mid-MichiganBronner’s Christmas Wonderland to host Santa virtually again this yearEddie’s hot sauce ‘flying off the shelves’ in Saginaw and beyondMichigan woman, adopted at birth, finds answers to lifelong questions with at-home DNA tests

FLINT, MI -- Flint residents set the “most wonderful time of the year” in motion with a holiday event on the city’s north side. Families gathered for the second annual Flint Christmas Celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 1 at Berston Field House. The event featured a tree lighting, live music from the Flint Holiday Choir, photos with Santa Claus, an interactive park and toy giveaway. The event was sponsored by RICH Kids Inc. and Flint Institute of Music. We’re glad to give back with the Flint Christmas Celebration by giving away coats, toys and gloves,” said Kay Smith, president and founder of RICH Kids Inc. ”The history of Berston Field House is so rich.

The event will feature a Christmas tree lighting, live music, Santa, an interactive park, toy giveaway, and more, according to an event flyer. Treemendous Tree LightingThe tree lighting event takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 2 in downtown Flint at the corner of Saginaw and Second Streets. The event will include tree lighting, a DJ, pictures with Santa, reindeer, carriage rides, hot winter drinks, raffle prizes, and more. Organizers will set up thousands of candles to light up the way to many activities including a parade, meeting Santa Claus, tree lighting and wine. Activities include a treat walk, annual tree lighting, a visit with Santa Claus, Christmas parade, a horse drawn carriage and more.

FLINT, MI -- For the first time in eight years, Santa and his reindeer are back at Flint City Hall. “We have retrieved Santa Claus and the festive reindeer and they are back in their rightful place,” Neeley said before flipping the switch on the city’s holiday lights. Be kind to one another.”Flint’s loss of its Santa display seemed more like a page from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” than a demonstration of love and kindness when it happened. But a group of Flint residents pooled their money and bought the decorations for about $1,400 at auction, eventually gifting them back to the city. Read more:Santa Claus back at Flint City Hall, 8 years after display was sold at auctionSanta Claus loses job at Flint City Hall, is up for auction with other Christmas itemsSanta Claus leaving was ‘too sad a story’ for organizer raising over $1,000 to keep him at city hall

KALAMAZOO, MI -- For many people, the holiday season is about cherished traditions. In Kalamazoo, one of those traditions is the annual tree lighting ceremony downtown at Bronson Park. Hundreds gathered Friday as city officials and Santa Claus flipped the switch lighting up the park. The tree lighting ceremony was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. City records suggest this Kalamazoo tradition started nearly 90 years ago.

BAY CITY, MI - The holiday season is officially here in Bay City. The annual tree lighting ceremony took place on Friday, Nov. 26 at Wenonah Park where a massive blue spruce was lit with nearly a mile of LED lights. The tree lighting ceremony returned in 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic darkened last year’s festivities. Click here to watch a video of the entire tree lighting event on the Bay City Time’s Facebook page. More from MLive:Downtown Bay City adding 7-foot-tall fireplacesGiant Christmas tree standing tall and ready for Bay City’s 2021 lighting ceremony, Santa’s arrival‘Peace on Earth’ display to shine once again in Bay City alongside annual Christmas treeSanta and his reindeer light display to shine over Bay City once again

People with autism might prefer less stimulation but Santa Claus believes all of us share the same need to be seen, loved and cared for.

People with autism might prefer less stimulation but Santa Claus believes all of us share the same need to be seen, loved and cared for.

Santa Claus has returned to Detroit this Thanksgiving -- but instead of giving away gifts, he’s receiving a special one himself.

A history of holiday cheerThe Midland Santa Parade’s roots in the community began in 1984, growing over time into a beloved annual gathering for residents. “Trump Unity Bridge” was not present at the 2021 Midland Santa Parade. While Democratic political figures and organizations participated in previous Midland Santa Parades, none registered Saturday. The Midland County Republican Party was among the GOP groups involved in the event. While he stopped short of criticizing the float, Lauderbach said Midland Santa Parade participants should focus on community unity and holiday spirit.

BAY CITY, MI - Bay County’s largest toy drive is returning this year to help make the holidays a little brighter for area families and children. The “Holidays in the Hamptons” toy drive will be held from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24 at the Skorupski Family Funeral Home at 821 N. Pine Road between Ridge and Center. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off at anytime during the event, with all toys going to Bay County Toys for Tots. The event will include a special appearance by Santa Claus and his reindeer from noon - 3 p.m. at the toy drive. Skorupski Funeral Home and O’Donnell’s Earthworks are working together with the community to fill a Hampton Township fire truck full of toys during the drive.

KALAMAZOO, MI — Kalamazoo’s mayor, city commissioners, city manager and Santa Claus will gather on stage to read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” and flip the switch to light up Bronson Park, officially marking the start of the holiday season. The tree lighting will be part of the ceremony from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 26, in downtown Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park, 200 S. Rose Street. The lighting of the park will occur at approximately 6 p.m., the city said.

BAY CITY, MI - A familiar and cheery sight will once again be shining bright in downtown Bay City this holiday season. The annual Bay City Christmas tree will be making its way to the downtown area on the morning of Monday, Nov. 22. As is tradition, Bay City will wait until Santa Claus arrives to turn on the thousands of brightly colored LED bulbs on the tree. The Bay City Times will be livestreaming the lighting ceremony and Santa’s arrival on Facebook. More from MLive:‘Peace on Earth’ display to shine once again in Bay City alongside annual Christmas treeBay City’s 2020 Christmas tree makes its way downtownSanta and his reindeer light display to shine over Bay City once againBay City’s 2019 Christmas tree honors couple’s 50th wedding anniversary

An estimated 1,500 people braved chilly temperatures to enjoy the ceremonial kickoff of the holiday season in downtown Monroe.

Santa Claus has flipped the switch, illuminating 20,000 LEDs on the majestic Christmas tree in the heart of Downtown Detroit. The Cadillac, Michigan-grown Norway spruce is 65-feet tall, the tallest Christmas tree ever to stand in Campus Martius Park. This whole environment is really unmatched throughout the country,” David Cowan, chief public spaces officer at the Downtown Detroit Partnership told MLive. You can skate during the day or at night surrounded by holiday lights and skyscrapers. The outdoor holiday market, which features around 20 local businesses, is open Wednesdays through Sundays right across the street in Cadillac Square.

Santa coming to Erie parade

In the Jackson area, the celebrations start on Friday, Nov. 19, with the Downtown Jackson Christmas Parade, and will keep going strong throughout the county from late November until the end of the year. Here’s a list of local events for the 2021 holiday season:Photo owned by MLive Media Group.J. Scott Park | MLive.comDowntown Jackson Christmas ParadeThe parade will take place at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, on Michigan Avenue, from Blackstone Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies will present a free showing of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10. If we missed a public holiday event, please email reporter Chloe Miller the details at cmiller@mlive.com and it will be added to this list.

KALAMAZOO, MI — After a one-year, pandemic-caused pause, the Maple Hill Kalamazoo Holiday Parade will return to the streets of downtown Kalamazoo on Saturday, Nov. 20. Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus wave at parade spectators during the 2019 Kalamazoo Holiday Parade in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan on Saturday, November 16, 2019. Recommended parking is at the Kalamazoo Mall Parking Ramp on Portage Road as well as the Epic Center Parking Ramp on West Lovell Street. For more information on the Nov. 20 parade and ensuing festivities, visit www.kalamazooholidayparade.org. For those who can’t make it down, the parade will be broadcast live on Public Media Network.

In need of a little inspiration, getting into the holiday spirit? Then we have the perfect event to tell you about.

FRANKENMUTH, MI — Santa Claus won’t be visiting with children in person at Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland this holiday season, but the world’s largest Christmas store will host Saint Nick virtually. “Bronner’s is sad to announce we will not be hosting Santa visits in 2021,” reads a recent post on the company’s Facebook page. “However, we invite you to join us online for plenty of Christmas cheer at www.facebook.com/bronnerschristmas for Facebook Live Videos with Santa & Friends.”Bronner’s did not host in-person visits with Santa last year either because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bronner’s lovers are invited to tune in to see Santa live and participate in festive crafts, games, a reindeer visit, sing-alongs and more holiday fun from home. Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland is located at 25 Christmas Lane in Michigan’s Little Bavaria.

ANN ARBOR, MI-- Kindlefest, an annual holiday event hosted in Ann Arbor’s Kerrytown District, has been canceled for the second consecutive year. The event, which was in its 12th year the last time it happened in 2019, brings farmers, vendors, carolers and a visit from Santa Claus to Kerrytown as a way to kick off the holiday season.

A 7-year-old Woodland boy diagnosed with leukemia wished to meet Santa Claus and have a hamburger dinner at the North Pole—and that wish was granted.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will return to its pre-pandemic form this year, with its route restored through Manhattan, high-flying helium balloons once again pulled by handlers and crowds welcomed back to cheer them on.

The Downtown Monroe Business Network is bringing Santa Claus to the City of Monroe.

Ashley C. Ford writes about a childhood full of turmoil and “big feelings.”

FLINT, MI — Eight years after an emergency financial manager sold Flint’s Santa Claus display, the jolly old elf is coming home. Flint Journal files say Santa was sold as one of several lots in an online auction eight years ago, part of a collection of city equipment that included cars, trucks, lawnmowers, and tools. “We have one person who has to do (holiday decorations at City Hall) ... regardless of what season it is, it’s just not a good use of their time,” Kurtz said at the time. When Santa was offered back to the city to display, with Kurtz still running city hall, he said the cost of labor and electricity was too expensive to return Santa to the roof. Flint Journal files say Santa first came to Flint after being purchased by former First Lady Patsy Lou Williamson as part of her effort to make city hall more festive during the holidays.

At least 26 residents of a Belgian retirement home have died since a visit by a volunteer dressed as Santa Claus who has since tested positive for COVID-19. But 26 residents have died since the visit, and 85 more have tested positive for the coronavirus, along with 40 staff. The white-bearded, red-robed figure of Sinterklaas, the equivalent of the English-speaking world's Santa Claus, brings gifts to Belgians every December 6. A man rides a bicycle near the elderly home WZC Hemelrijck in Mol, Belgium, on December, 14 2020, where an outbreak of coronavirus contaminations took place following a 'Sinterklaas' visit to the residents. Belgium has one of the highest per capita coronavirus death tolls in the world and more than half of the deceased — 11,066 people — were retirement home residents.

Visitors to a mall with a monster themed festival wears masks to protect from the coronavirus in Beijing Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020. Beijing is conducting testing on a limited scale in the neighborhoods and workplaces where the cases were found. Japan had 3,823 new cases Friday for a national total of 213,547, with 3,155 deaths, the health ministry said. — South Korea has reported another 1,132 coronavirus cases as the resurgence worsened over the Christmas week, putting pressure on the government to enforce stricter social distancing controls. On Saturday morning, 110 new coronavirus cases were reported, bringing Thailand’s total to 6,020.

Nothing is going to stop Santa Claus from coming to town. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks everything in the skies of the United States and Canada -- and that includes Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer this Christmas Eve. You can follow his journey around the globe through one of the livestreams included in this article, or by clicking here. You can call 660-557-2682 to hear a message from Santa.

Nothing is going to stop Santa Claus from coming to town. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) tracks everything in the skies of the United States and Canada -- and that includes Santa’s sleigh and his reindeer this Christmas Eve. You can follow his journey around the globe through one of the livestreams included in this article, or by clicking here. You can call 660-557-2682 to hear a message from Santa.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Santa and Mrs. Claus visited the halls of Bronson Children’s Hospital with the help of a robot this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The robot helped Santa and Mrs. Claus safely see children in Bronson’s pediatric unit, the hospital said in a press release. “It was wonderful to give our patients this chance to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus,” said Wendy Kellogg, child life specialist at Bronson Children’s Hospital. But since the pandemic, hospital staff have found other creative uses for the robot, the hospital said. “During the pandemic, we’ve had to be creative and find ways to still offer therapeutic programming for our pediatric patients,” Kellogg said.

The National Weather Service earlier this week warned that South Florida could experience the coldest Christmas Day in 21 years. Morning lows on Saturday could drop into the low 30s and 40s degrees Fahrenheit, the weather service said. Much colder temps expected for Christmas," the National Weather Service in Miami tweeted earlier this week. A squall line with severe storms and fast-moving winds also was headed for north Florida on Christmas Eve. The pandemic also was impacting a Space Coast tradition — Surfing Santa Day, which takes place the day before Christmas.

Snow showers return Thursday evening, to prep Santa and his sleigh for a good landing overnight. Christmas Day is a White Christmas in my book. Despite the lack of an inch of snow on the ground in many neighborhoods, snowflakes will be falling with scattered snow showers. The holiday’s first day, Umoja - Community, will be partly sunny with morning snow showers. Monday has another chance of rain and snow showers.

Legendary singer Morris Day has released a new holiday song that is sure get you into the spirit. It’s called “Cooler than Santa Claus”. Day said he wanted to pay homage to the parents who work so hard to make sure their children have a happy holiday, while giving a shout out to Santa Claus. “Cooler than Santa Claus” is available on multiple music streaming services. Watch the video above to hear just how cool “Cooler than Santa Claus” is.

ANN ARBOR – The Christmas spirit came alive on Saturday in the Glacier Highlands neighborhood on Ann Arbor’s northside. The Ly family has been welcoming Joe Eadie -- also known as Kerrytown Santa -- into their home for the past nine years. The Ly family with Santa Joe Eadie on Dec. 19, 2020. Santa Joe Eadie surprises children during the pandemic on Dec. 19, 2020. (Carly Ly)Local mothers pose with Santa Joe Eadie on Dec. 19, 2020 in the Glacier Highlands neighborhood in Ann Arbor.

In this photo provided by the California Highway Patrol, a man dressed as Santa Claus who was flying on a powered parachute on his way to deliver candy canes to children is seen stuck on power lines in Rio Linda, Calif., on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. The incident happened shortly after the man took off near a school in Rio Linda and then hit and became suspended in power lines, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told KCRA-TV. (California Highway Patrol via AP)RIO LINDA, Calif. – Santa found himself a little more tied up than usual this time of year. A Northern California man impersonating Santa Claus and flying on a powered parachute was rescued Sunday after he became entangled in power lines, authorities said. He flew into a maze of power lines and wound up suspended in them, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman told KCRA-TV.

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – In midst of Michigan’s current COVID-19 restrictions, many Metro Detroit businesses are utilizing outdoor dining this holiday season. While there is a Christmas atmosphere at the Village of Rochester Hills, things are different such as visiting Santa Claus by appointment at a 6-foot distance. Meanwhile, outdoor dining popped up this week at many of the restaurants at the Village. “We’ve got all of the Christmas lights up. While it may be a different feel, people are still excited that it’s the holidays,” said Zach Carlson with Kruse & Muer.

This snowy Wednesday, Santa Claus made a socially distanced appearance in Birmingham -- and things are looking different this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. Santa also went high tech this year, meeting with children and families virtually on Zoom to share Christmas wishes and spirit. What you may not know is that Santa spends his off season right here in Metro Detroit under the assumed name of Daniel Suttkus. “Children don’t have to worry about Santa catching COVID and not being able to make his deliveries. But right now, before Christmas, we don’t want crowds to gather and we don’t want children to actually come visit face-to-face with Santa.

A spat has erupted over competing claims that the prime minister and his main rival broke the spirit of pandemic restrictions that have renewed financial hardship for many voters. Conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was photographed last weekend posing with his mountain bike, without a mask, alongside five motocross riders on a hillside trail outside Athens. Greece's lockdown rules exempt people who've gone outdoors for exercise, including cycling, from the obligation to wear a mask. Greece’s pandemic death toll reached close to 3,100 on Monday, with most deaths occurring after Nov. 1. The current lockdown was launched on Nov. 7 and initially planned to last for three weeks.

Santa visited the city, as he always does on Thanksgiving, but this time was even more special. Watch the special moment above. More coverage: America’s Thanksgiving Parade special sectionView more Parade Floats here. “Santa is not going to be spreading any infections to anybody,” said Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert. “(He) is exempt from this because Santa, of all the good qualities, has a lot of good innate immunity.”Read more here.

(AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)SEATTLE — Health officials in Washington state said the number of people who were hospitalized to receive treatment for the coronavirus has reached a record high. The director of the state health department urged residents to cancel indoor Thanksgiving plans and those that involve large groups of family and friends. Authorities are strictly enforcing a lockdown and nightly curfew after a recent surge in COVID-19 cases. Health authorities announced 1,498 new coronavirus cases Sunday, along with 103 deaths, five less than the daily record set Saturday. Italy added 28,337 confirmed cases, raising to 1,408,868, the country’s total in the pandemic.

FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2019, file photo a playbook sits next to a telephone set up in the NORAD Tracks Santa center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo. The North American Aerospace Defense Command has announced that NORAD will track Santa on December 24, just as it has done for 65 years. The global pandemic won't stop them from tracking Santa Claus' progress as he delivers gifts around the globe on Christmas Eve. The North American Aerospace Defense Command has announced that NORAD will track Santa on Dec. 24, just as it has done for 65 years. Besides the call center, the NORAD Tracks Santa website — noradsanta.org — as well as social media pages, Amazon Alexa, Onstar and a new mobile app will still be available with up-to-the-minute details on Santa's location.

A buyer shouted out with glee that they would pay $368,000 for the Rudolph and Santa Claus figures used in the perennially beloved Christmas special “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”Bidding for the figures soared past the projected sale price of between $150,000 and $200,000 on Friday at the Icons & Legends of Hollywood Auction held in Los Angeles by Profiles in History. The 6-inch-tall Rudolph and 11-inch-tall Santa were made in Tokyo of wood, wire, cloth and leather, and are still malleable. Other highlights from the two-day auction include Marilyn Monroe's tiger-striped gown from “The Seven Year Itch,” which sold for a whopping $593,750. Another Monroe gown that she wore when she met Queen Elizabeth II at a London film premiere went for $294,400. A Scarlett O'Hara dress that Vivien Leigh wore in “Gone With the Wind” and Gene Kelly's rain suit from “Singin' in the Rain” sold for $150,000 apiece.

Santa Claus is coming to the mall just don't try to sit on his lap. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)NEW YORK – Santa Claus is coming to the mall — just don’t try to sit on his lap. Kids will instead tell Santa what they want for Christmas from six feet away, and sometimes from behind a sheet of plexiglass. Santa and his visitors may need to wear a face mask, even while posing for photos. And Brookfield teamed up with virtual Santa company JingleRing, giving people a way to chat with Santa from home.

FILE - Santa Claus waves during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 28, 2019, in New York. Macy's said Santa Claus won't be greeting kids at its flagship New York store this year due to the coronavirus, interrupting a holiday tradition started nearly 160 years ago. However, Macy's said the jolly old man will still appear at the end of the televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. But he will still appear at the end of the televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, the company said. Macy's has been using Santa Claus to draw crowds to its New York store since the early 1860s, calling itself “The Home of Santa Claus" for decades.

-FILE- In this Saturday Nov. 16, 2013, image The Dutch version of Santa Claus, Sinterklaas, or Saint Nicholas, and his blackface sidekicks "Zwarte Piet" or "Black Pete" arrive by steamboat in Hoorn, north-western Netherlands. Saint Nicholas is due to arrive in the Netherlands Saturday Nov. 16, 2019, in an annual children's party that has become the backdrop for increasingly acrimonious confrontations between supporters and opponents of his sidekick, Black Pete, a depictions which opponents say promotes racist stereotypes. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)THE HAGUE The Dutch version of St. Nicholas is due to arrive in the Netherlands in an annual childrens party that has become the backdrop for increasingly acrimonious confrontations between supporters and opponents of his sidekick, Black Pete. Opponents say such depictions promote racist stereotypes, while supporters defend the helper of Sinterklaas, the white-bearded, red-robed Dutch version of St. Nicholas, as a traditional children's character. On Saturday, the nationally televised arrival of Sinterklaas is happening, amid tight security, in the central city of Apeldoorn.

Tired of waiting patiently for America's Thanksgiving Parade? Watch the parade live Thursday -- click hereThe Michigan Thanksgiving Parade began marching down Woodward Avenue in 1924 and Santa has never missed one yet. Now known as America’s Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van, the parade was originally founded by J.L. It was the same year that Macy’s began its parade in New York City. Yes, betamax!