Up to Speed

Lululemon drama, Larry Brown and doughnuts: Don't miss this edition of hot stories

For news hounds, keeping up with today's trending topics can feel like a full-time job. (We would know.) It isn't easy being an informed citizen in today's fast-paced world.

That's why we are trying something new — on camera.

"Getting you up to speed," a video series sponsored by Cadillac, gathers the trending stories and presents them in a short, two-minute(ish) segment so you can stay abreast of what's happening in Dallas. Hosted by friendly personalities who report and offer entertaining commentary, this web series is your ticket to zapping through the talk of the town.

To kick off the program, CultureMap welcomes Nicole Hickl to the team. A graduate of Houston's University of St. Thomas with a degree in communications and a minor in psychology and a former Houston Texans cheerleader, Hickl had been with KAVU Newscenter 25 and 104-7 KVIC radio in Victoria before joining our digital news crew. We're sure you'll find her — plus her co-host Maggie Flecknoe, whom you'll meet in future episodes — charming, savvy and sassy.

Watch the video above and follow along. We've included links to the trending stories below so you can get more in-depth coverage:

Top Pot Doughnuts picks Dallas for first shop outside of Seattle by Teresa Gubbins
Lululemon comes under fresh fire for banning online customers by Claire St. Amant
Luxurious McKinney hideaway makes Tuscan living possible in Texas by Diana Oates
Larry Brown propels SMU basketball to prominence with old-school attitude by Matthew Postins

Very Merry news

Dallas climbs up list of best cities to celebrate Christmas

Dallas Arts District with holiday lights

Photo courtesy of Omni Dallas Hotel

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Dallas is on the nice list this holiday season: The city has clambered up on WalletHub's annual ranking of the best cities for celebrating Christmas.

Very merry Dallas is ranked No. 31 on WalletHub's 2024 list, which ranks the 100 most populous U.S. cities across five key dimensions: Traditions and fun, observance, generosity, shopping opportunities, plus travel and meal costs.

Dallas ranked No. 34 on WalletHub's 2023 report. That's a 3-point increase. Kudos, Dallas.

Here's how the city performed across the study's five main categories:

No. 16 – Traditions and fun rank
No. 21 – Shopping rank
No. 57 – Generosity rank
No. 74 – Costs rank
No. 75 – Observance rank

Dallas can cheer on its place as the third highest-ranked Texas city thanks to its vast array of holiday happenings, including numerous dazzling light displays and neighborhoods throughout town. From local restaurants and bars creating festive feasts and delightful cocktail experiences, to a number of pop-up ice skating rinks, over-the-top attractions, and tall Christmas trees, there are more ways than ever for Dallasites to celebrate.

Dallas households also have bigger holiday budgets in 2024 than they did the year before. According to a separate WalletHub study, the average Dallas household is expected to spend about $1,406 on Christmas gifts this year, versus $943 in 2023.

"With inflation making Christmas celebrations, gifts, food and travel more expensive, certain cities are much better for your wallet than others during the holiday," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "In addition to being affordable, the best cities have a large number of people celebrating, plenty of places for Christians to worship, populations who give generously to charity, and plenty of fun activities to enjoy with family and friends."

In a separate report by home services provider Thumbtack, Dallas was named the second most festive U.S. city in 2024.

Elsewhere in Texas, other festive cities that earned spots in the top 50 include Austin (No. 23), San Antonio (No. 30), and Houston (No. 41).

The top 10 best places to experience Christmas in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 2 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – Las Vegas, Nevada
No. 5 – Orlando, Florida
No. 6 – San Francisco, California
No. 7 – St. Louis, Missouri
No. 8 – Miami, Florida
No. 9 – Chicago, Illinois
No. 10 – New York, New York

christmas light displays wallethub holidays

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