Do you hear that sound? No, it’s not jingling bells or reindeer hooves. It’s the sound of nearly 120 million people in the US taking to the roads, rails and skies this holiday season. If you plan to drive to your destination, here are the best and worst times to travel.
And here’s what else you need to know to Start Your Week Smart.
The weekend that was
• President Joe Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law, extending government funding into March, after President-elect Donald Trump upended the effort to prevent a shutdown earlier in the week by coming out against an initial bipartisan deal. Biden described the final agreement as a “compromise” that funds necessary priorities. Follow live updates.
• Authorities in Germany face growing accusations they could have done more to prevent a deadly Christmas market attack as a judge ordered the suspect to be held in pre-trial detention. Taleb Al Abdulmohsen is accused of ramming a car into a busy market in Magdeburg, killing five people and injuring more than 200.
• Two US Navy pilots ejected safely after their fighter jet was shot down over the Red Sea in an apparent friendly fire incident, US Central Command said. The pilots were recovered, and one of the crew members sustained minor injuries.
• A man drove into a Texas mall after a 19-mile police pursuit, striking four people before he was fatally shot by responding law enforcement officers, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Law enforcement shot and killed the suspect.
• The US Food and Drug Administration approved the first prescription medicine for obstructive sleep apnea: the weight-loss drug Zepbound. The medicine was cleared to treat moderate to severe forms of the sleep condition in people with obesity.
The week ahead
Monday
December 23 is Festivus, a day reserved in history for all who feel that the normal holiday traditions don’t quite fit the bill. This fictional holiday made its debut in 1997 in the sitcom “Seinfeld,” when Frank Costanza, played by Jerry Stiller, introduced Festivus to his family, featuring an aluminum pole, as well as the “airing of grievances” and “feats of strength.” Travel back in time via CNN’s archive for our guide on “How to celebrate Festivus in 5 easy steps.”
Tuesday
A strike by members of Starbucks Workers United that began Friday in Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles could spread to hundreds of stores from coast to coast by Christmas Eve. Starbucks Workers United won its first union election in Buffalo in December 2021 and has been organizing store-by-store across the company’s network since. It has won the right to represent 12,000 workers at 528 stores, according to the most recent count from the National Labor Relations Board. However, that’s just a fraction of the company’s 11,200 company-operated stores in the United States, employing about 201,000 workers as of the end of September.
Wednesday
For the first time in nearly 20 years, the first day of Hanukkah falls on Christmas Day.
Thursday
It’s the first day of Kwanzaa, a seven-day non-religious holiday observed in the US to honor African Americans’ ancestral roots.
December 26 also marks 20 years since the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which killed more than 227,000 people and caused massive destruction along coastal areas of 14 countries.
Listen in
One Thing: 🎧 Holidays after Helene
In this episode of the “One Thing” podcast, CNN’s David Rind speaks to North Carolina resident Olivia Cooner about how Hurricane Helene continues to upend her life three months after the storm hit. Listen here.
Photos of the year
Jerome Brouillet/AFP/Getty Images
CNN Digital’s “2024: The Year in Pictures”
CNN’s Photo Team has compiled the most compelling images of 2024 to inform, educate and even inspire — as well as photos to light up your day.
Editor’s note: Some of these images are graphic. Viewer discretion is advised.
What’s happening in entertainment
TV and streaming
Netflix is breaking out the nice and the naughty for Christmas this year. On Tuesday, the streamer releases the comedy special “Your Friend, Nate Bargatze.” Then on Thursday, Season 2 of “Squid Game” makes its debut.
In theaters
A trio of films open on Christmas Day, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet.
“Babygirl” stars Nicole Kidman as a high-powered CEO who puts her career and family on the line when she begins an affair with an intern.
And what conveys the spirit of the season more than vampires? “Nosferatu” features Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult and Bill Skarsgård, who adds another memorable villain to his resume.
What’s happening in sports
At a glance …
Major League Baseball’s all-time stolen base leader Rickey Henderson died at the age of 65, according to his family. Across his illustrious 25-year MLB career, spanning from 1979 to 2003, Henderson played for nine teams and most notably retired as MLB’s all-time stolen base leader (1,406) and all-time runs scored leader (2,295).
The first round of the College Football Playoff is in the books after the expanded playoff brought games to campuses for the first time. Notre Dame, Penn State, Texas and Ohio State all won and advanced to the next round. It’s also time for the annual parade of bowl games, including the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, the Fenway and Pinstripe bowls (played in Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, respectively), and the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
The NFL kicks into overdrive this week with games today, Monday, two games on Christmas Day, one the day after and three more on Saturday. Here’s what to watch for.
Not to be outdone, the NBA has five games scheduled for Christmas Day.
For more of your favorite sports, head on over to CNN Sports as well as Bleacher Report, which — like CNN — is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.
Quiz time!
Looking for a challenge to start your week? Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see how much you remember from the week that was! So far, 42% of fellow quiz fans have gotten eight or more questions right. How will you fare?
Play me off …
‘Santa Baby’
Frequently covered but never surpassed, this is the original siren’s call to St. Nick. (Click here to view)
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