City workers are taking down the more than 4 million lights that made up the biggest Prairie Lights holiday display to date.

Up to 18 workers spent Tuesday morning disassembling displays in the rain at Lynn Creek Park in Grand Prairie.

"There's some things we can't do when it starts raining harder," Prairie Lights assistant manager Dan Conoley said. "We've been lucky today -- it's only sprinkled -- so if it rains a little harder tomorrow like they're saying then, it'll be some slogging around in some mud."

Josh Barnett, the owner of Lightasmic who has been making the light displays for years, supervised as workers put away the pieces.

"A lot of them are panels that are 20-foot-by-8-foot panels, so they can be kind of flimsy," he said. "It's real easy to bend them, so we have to be really careful that we stack them in as tight as we can."

Conoley said it takes about two and a half weeks to tear down, with about 900 panels needing to be stored in a handful of pods.

"This is a herculean effort out here every year, and we're very proud of all the guys and how much hard work they put into making this happen and giving everybody a wonderful family experience during the holidays to come out to," he said.

Conoley said more than 150,000 people saw the lights this holiday season -- 40,000 more compared to the previous year.

This weekend is the final chance to see the Trains at NorthPark before they are put away until next fall.

Each holiday season, the "most elaborate toy train exhibit" in Texas is put on display, covering more than 4,000 square feet and 1,600 feet of track.

The tracks twist and run through cityscapes across America, including Dallas, New York City, Washington D.C., New England, the Grand Canyon, San Francisco and more.

Added to this year's exhibit are Dallas' new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge and a little Big Tex at the State Fair of Texas.

The exhibit is open between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.  Children under 2 are free, but it's $6 for adults and $3 for kids and seniors.

The trains are located on the 2nd level of NorthPark Center, near Barneys New York.

Since 1987, the Trains at NorthPark have raised money for the children and families served by the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.

As the holiday season draws to a close many North Texans will spend New Year's Day taking down Christmas decorations and throwing out the tree.

Instead of just pitching the tree on the lawn and sending it to the landfill, several cities around North Texas invite residents to recycle the tree.

In Arlington, residents can drop off their old tree at one of two locations between Dec. 26 and Jan. 12.  Trees may be dropped off at Calloway's Nursery at 4949 S. Cooper Street or at the city landfill at 800 Mosier Valley Road. The recycled trees will then be turned into mulch, which the residents can pick up for free in the spring. Read more here.

In Dallas, trees can be dropped off at one of seven Home Depot stores between Dec. 26 and Jan. 7. Read more here.

In Fort Worth, trees can be placed curbside along with their normal weekly yard waste -- and they will also be turned into mulch that residents can have for free.  Mulch can be picked up by any Fort Worth resident at any of the three solid waste drop-off stations. Read more here.

In Irving, trees can be picked up during the city's weekly brush/bulk waste pickup through Jan. 9, or they can be dropped off at one of four locations: Cottonwood Park, Southwest Park, Hunter Ferrell Landfill or the Recycling Drop-Off center. Read more here.

In Plano, trees and live greenery can be dropped off between Dec. 26 and Jan. 6 at Preston Meadow Park, High Point Park and Russell Creek Park. Read more here.

Naturally, all cities ask that all trees should be free of ornaments, decorations, lights, tinsel, nails, stands and any other decoration before being offered up for recycling.  Trees taller than 8 feet, that are left curbside, should be cut into two sections.

If your city isn't listed above, check out your city's home page for more information.

Business was popping inside Party Warehouse on Camp Bowie Road in Fort Worth Saturday morning.  But party balloons aren't all that's being inflated there.

"We've had to raise prices," said owner Steve Steffgen.

Steffgen says his helium costs are up 300%.  He is charging his customers more on a dozen helium balloons.  From $6.99 to now $9.99.

Steffgen fills his customers in about the helium shortage which he said is a supply and demand issue.  Most of the demand comes from the medical industry.  An entrepreneur with three party stores is not on the priority list for helium.

"We've had to raise prices on helium tanks that we rent and we've even had to stop renting for a while," Steffgen said.

The shortage has forced Party Warehouse to become more creative, coming up with arrangements that use less helium or none at all.  Steffgen showed us "balloon columns" on display in his story.  They're decorative and festive and the balloons are filled with air, no helium.

Steffgen said people planning on picking up helium balloon arrangements for New Year's Eve not to do it too early in the day.  His and other stores are filling some balloons with 20% to 40% air to save helium, which means the balloons will deflate a few hours sooner.

Santa Claus traded in his red suit for the black and blue uniforms of the Arlington Police Department on Monday.

Arlington police officers spent Christmas Eve delivering gifts, toys and household items to 12 needy families.

"We want to make sure we can make a kid's Christmas," said Randle Meadows, Arlington Police Association president. "We see families and we see children in need every day on our job, and we want to make sure we can go out there and do what we can and help out those families, especially on Christmas."

Officers in each of the city's four patrol districts chose families they thought deserved the toys and other household items.

"We are very ... appreciative of [the officers]," said a tearful Veronica Ordonez, the grandmother of three boys who received gifts from APD. "We thought for a while that we weren't going to have anything."

This is the 26th year the Arlington Santa Cops have delivered toys to families.

Shoppers were on a serious mission to cross off their Christmas lists at Irving Mall on Christmas Eve.

Mall spokeswoman Elizabeth Barth said gift cards were the hottest commodity on Christmas Eve. Half of gift card sales for the entire year are bought during the month of December, she said.

Irving Mall offers more than 250 different kinds of gift cards, Barth said.

Barth also said that sales in general are looking up compared to last year.

"A lot of our retailers are telling us that that was the best Black Friday that they have had in recent years," she said.

On December 12, thousands of Catholics from all over Mexico and Texas lined up at the Cathedral in Dallas to celebrate the Feast Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. 

They crowded into the church for Midnight Mass to pray, and to catch a glimpse of the Aztec Indian dancers known as "Matachines." They performed their ancient dance (a form of prayer) in honor of "La Morenita," the dark skinned Madonna.

The Virgin of Guadalupe is a figure in the Catholic religion of the Indigenous people of Mexico. Her story goes back to 1531 when she appeared to a poor Indian named Juan Diego on the foothills of Mexico City. 

The Virgin is loved and adored by many who's traditions extend to both sides of the border passed on from generation to generation.

Many will continue this tradition of coming to pay homage to The Virgin of Guadalupe. Followers walk away happy that they have seen her.. prayed to her.. asked her for miracles and have had their faith rekindled by her.

Travelers flying out of DFW Airport this holiday season will want to arrive earlier than normal to allow for time to get through security and construction, airport officials say.

“We’re advising people to come at least two hours early for their flights just to give themselves extra time and make sure they make it through all the construction areas and get a good place to park and all those kinds of things,” said David Magana, DFW Airport spokesperson “Time solves a lot of issues and can help a lot of ways.”

The airport expects to see 178,000 passengers on Friday alone, the busiest travel day of the holiday season. That’s nearly 15,000 more passengers than on any normal day at the airport.

“We’ve seen kids and families and people that don’t normally travel for a living, so those family travelers and inexperienced travelers may take a little longer to get thru the checkpoints,” said Magana.

One thing slowing travelers going through security – wrapped Christmas presents.

“It is a good idea to bring any gifts that you’ve got unwrapped because if for some reason they need to look at it, they’re going to tear the wrapping paper off of it in the checkpoint to look at whatever item you might have” said Magana.

“Just getting off shoes and getting everything that you need out of the backpacks and getting your jackets off and ... everything that they need,” said Gretchen Sanchez, of Flower Mound, “It's not too bad, but it does take time.”

The Sanchez’s, a family of five, are flying to Colorado Springs to spend the holidays with family.

“I have to make lists [a] couple [of] weeks in advance and phone calls to wherever we’re going,  especially if we’re seeing family and we have to pack five suitcases and make sure everybody’s doing what they need to do,” said Gretchen Sanchez.

But the holiday hassle is worth it according to Gretchen's husband John, a frequent business traveler.

“It is different getting the whole family together and getting everybody through the airport,” said John Sanchez. “But, when I think about it, I think about being in the car for 11 hours versus getting through the airport in a couple hours. It’s nothing when you think about it that way.”

The busy travel days return right after Christmas. Dec. 26 and 27 are the next busiest days of the holiday season.
 

A Plano kindergartner is making a big contribution to the police department's annual Christmas Cops gift drive.

Pari Kuechenmeister said she was blown away when her son announced he'd like to raise money to collect toys for kids in need.

"It was all his idea," she said. "He said, 'I saw that they're collecting toys for kids, and I want to do what I can to help.'"

Six-year-old Alex had an idea for a cold-weather twist on a traditional fundraising technique, and the Kuechenmeister family set up a hot chocolate station near their home.

They live in Deerfield, a Plano neighborhood famous for over-the-top decorations that draws huge holiday crowds of gawkers.

Their hot chocolate stand paid off in a big way -- to the tune of more than $500.

"The amount of money he's raised would be amazing, no matter who it came from, a corporation or individual donation," said Christmas Cops organizer and former Plano Capt. Harry Manning.

"Coming from someone of his age just makes it that much more special," he added.

Alex even took it one step further, calling the department to ask which items were most needed or highly requested, Manning said.

The 6-year-old ended up bringing in some big ticket items, such as a bicycle and video games.

His parents say they've always tried to instill the gift of giving in their children, and Alex's take on Christmas is refreshingly uncomplicated.

"I wanted to give presents to kids in need," he said.

Manning said the boy's donation will pay it forward more than many can understand.

"He's the best little elf ever," he said.

Christmas Cops helps 200 families, including 600 to 700 children.

Plano police will pass out the collected boxes and gifts on Saturday.

A Jewish doctor has quite a unique hobby -- building a large Christmas village.

Dr. Barry Firstenberg, an Irving oncologist, began building a snow village in his living room 18 years ago after he received a handmade ceramic Christmas house from a cancer patient.

"It started out as a little table behind the couch and it kept growing and growing and growing. We used to laugh because some of our biggest fights at Christmas would be over living room real estate," said Firstenberg's wife, Elva.

Neighbors started taking notice a few years ago and the Firtenberg's living room has since become a growing attraction.

"Every year we get on our golf carts and go caroling through the neighborhood, and this is our first stop to come see the village," said Sharon Roewe Lyons.

Elva Firstenberg said the village continues to grow every year and she has been getting deliveries of new additions every day for the past three weeks.

"He'll bring me in here and he'll say, 'Can you tell where my new one is?' And I'm like, 'You've got to be kidding me. No!'" she said.

Firstenberg said her husband works on the display by himself, sometimes as late as 3 a.m.

"At night the lighting, of course, is not as good. Another doctor gave him a miner's cap with the headlight in the front, so he'll be in here with the miner's cap on, working away," she said.

Firstenberg said she is thankful that her husband loves Christmas as much as she does and hopes the tradition will continue for many more years.

"Every year I'm afraid he's not going to have the energy to put it up. I mean, I pay someone to do my Christmas decorations, and my Jewish husband does this all by himself," she said.

You could say that McKinney's three high schools have the recipe for giving back.

About 200 student council members, football players and other volunteers started slinging 7,000 pounds of frozen turkey and fixings for a complete holiday meal on Wednesday afternoon.

"It's really a well-oiled machine," said A.J. Laudenslager, McKinney North senior and student council member. "Last year, we got 750 baskets packed in 26 minutes."

It's a tradition that's grown over the past decade, though it rarely takes more than a half hour to complete.

Students bring in food they've been collecting for about a month, packing items such as pie mix, pie crust, seasoning, canned vegetables and more into huge grocery bags to be distributed to local churches, which then pass along the bags to members of their congregations throughout the city.

"Each bag feeds 10 people and, with 750 bags, that's 7,500 people we're feeding for Christmas," said Casie Homer, McKinney North's student council adviser.

The students take the responsibility seriously.

"If you mess up, it's like, 'Oh, well, this person doesn't get part of their Christmas meal, which is something you don't want to be responsible for," Laudenslager said.

This year, the packing effort beat the original record -- the students finished hundreds of meals in just 22 minutes.

People who used to live near the woman accused of stealing Christmas decorations in Parker County say they are not surprised by her arrest.

Parker County sheriff's deputies arrested Dana Brock on Wednesday, a day after the department released surveillance video of a woman stealing a wreath and lights from a home in Aledo in the middle of the night.

"I'm not surprised that she would do that," said Chris Stoner, who lives near Brock's mother. "I would be surprised if anyone in their right mind would do that on Christmas, to just steal. How much is a decoration worth? It's just ridiculous."

Brock has a lengthy criminal history and had numerous run-ins with police in Hurst, where she used to live.

Hurst police said their database shows that Brock was contacted by officers 15 times. Since January 2003, officers have responded to Brock's mother's home near Billy Creek Estate Park 27 times.

Stoner said one of the incidents stood out to him. He recorded a hazardous material incident in August 2011 near his home. Stoner said Brock was carrying a chemical drum of some kind up the street when it fell off the trailer. She and someone else then tried to pull it up the street.

Hurst police confirmed the incident, saying it tore up the street. They said Brock was arrested on suspicion of criminal mischief but were not sure what became of the charge.

Three different fire agencies responded, with crews in full hazardous-materials gear to inspect the drum.

No hazardous materials were found.

Stoner said he can recall several incidents during which police were called out.

"You would just hear fights, just loud arguments, all the time," he said.

Stoner and other neighbors said Brock lived there on and off with her mother and grandmother. They said she ran a handyman or landscaping business out of the home, but no one could recall the name of it.

No one answered the door Thursday afternoon.

Parker County investigators on Thursday showed NBC 5 piles of lights and cords they say came from just two homes -- the one where she was arrested on Wednesday and a home in Hurst.

A resident there contacted Parker County investigators to say that Brock had put up lights believed to be stolen at the home.

Sheriff's investigators said they're still tying Brock to the reported thefts and would like victims to identify their stolen property. They are asking that anyone who had lights put up by Brock contact them.

Police also recovered a laptop stolen from Johnson County but have not tied the theft to anyone as of yet.

Stoner said he was more surprised to read of Brock's criminal background than this week's arrest.

"It just blew my mind to have somebody like that in my neighborhood," he said. "We're a really quiet, close-knit neighborhood. To find that out -- I was astonished."

Stoner said he wonders if she may have committed crimes in his neighborhood but said he hopes the Christmas thefts are the last crimes.

"Hopefully, they lock her up and keep in her prison," he said.

Brock faces two charges of theft of property. She was arraigned Thursday an dremains in the Parker County jail.

Hurst police said they didn't know of the allegations against Brock, including the home in Hurst that had stolen lights, until officers read about them in the paper.

The woman arrested for stealing Christmas decorations in Parker County has a long criminal record and once served prison time for solicitation to commit murder.

Dana Brock, 43, was arrested Wednesday morning at her boyfriend's home in the 100 block of Rim Rock Road in Aledo.

She sold some of the stolen Christmas decorations to other unsuspecting homeowners, Parker County Sheriff Larry Fowler said.

On Tuesday, NBC 5, as well as other local media outlets, published a story on the Christmas Grinch along with photos and video obtained from a residential surveillance system that caught the thief in the act.

Several people recognized the woman and called investigators.

According to police, Brock implicated herself in the thefts and was booked into the Parker County Jail on two charges of misdemeanor theft of property.

"I was very shocked if she in fact did it," said Brock's boyfriend Kurt Bienmueller. "Wow."

Bienmueller said he was surprised to learn the holiday lights she recently installed on his house may have been stolen. Deputies removed them Wednesday and hope to return them to their owners.

"She's wonderful, you know, most of the time," Bienmueller said. "And sometimes, I don't know what it is, she's just mean."

Police said they recovered not only stolen Christmas decorations at her home, but other stolen property as well.

Brock has a long criminal history and has served at least three prison sentences.

In August 1994, she was convicted of injuring a child and sentenced to ten years in prison. She was also sentenced to 5 years for credit card abuse, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

In December 2007, she was sentenced to two years in prison for possession of methamphetimine. She served the full sentence, said TDCJ spokesman Jason Clark.

When she was 18 years old, Brock was convicted in Arizona in 1987 of solicitation to commit murder. She served about two years in prison.

Public records also show numerous arrests for theft in cities across North Texas.

Victims of the thefts say they still have their Christmas spirit.

"It hasn't broken our spirit one ounce," said Jon Starnes. "This is just a petty theft and it hasn't killed anything for us."

Volunteers from First Baptist Church in Wylie have figured out the formula to "wrapping up" the holiday season.

Church volunteers based out of a store front on Farm-to-Market 544 have wrapped 11,000 gifts since Black Friday, including 1,300 just on Monday.

Lead pastor Kris Segrest said they aim to finish wrapping 20,000 presents by Saturday, a feat only possible because of nearly 1,000 church members who have donated their time.

Stephanie Wehner spent time away from her family on Tuesday morning to wrap presents.

"You get one bucket, you finish it, you call the people, you get another bucket, and you keep going," she said. "They're just amazed that it's for free -- that they can come and have their presents wrapped for absolutely nothing."

The gift wrapping is free, regardless of income, faith or background.

And donations are not being accepted.

"They didn't want anything," said Pauline Jerger, who tried to make a donation toward the church's efforts. "They want to give to you, not you give back to them."

Now in its second year, the Wrap It Up event allows people to check in to a computer system by iPad, allowing them to drop off four gifts to wrap at a time.

"We simply want to bless people, and this is a way to do that very practically," Segrest said.

"I think this is holiday spirit," said Sheila Bowen as she packed up her freshly wrapped gifts and prepared to spend time with family.

Volunteers are wrapping every day starting at 11 a.m. Saturday is the last day of this year's event.

The Parker County Sheriff's Office says a Christmas Grinch is stealing decorations in Aledo.

In one case, surveillance video caught the thief in action. (Photo above.)

"I just thought it was teenage boys playing around," said Ashley Starnes.

Someone stole the wreath from her front door and a string of lights from her front yard at about 3 a.m. on Dec. 7.

But then her husband reviewed their surveillance video and couldn't believe his eyes.

The "Grinch" was a grown woman. She is seen on the video approaching the front door, ripping off the wreath and walking away.

But before she left in a red, four-door pickup, she snatched a row of Christmas lights from the family's driveway.

Jon Starnes summed up his reaction as "shock, absolute shock."

"[I] just couldn't believe it -- that a grown individual would do something like that," he said. "It's so petty."

Then, surveillance video appeared to show the same woman returning one week later at about 4 a.m. and stealing another row of lights.

"I was mad at first, but Merry Christmas," Ashley Starnes said. "I guess she needs it more than I do."

Police said at least four other people in same same Aledo neighborhood have also reported holiday decorations being stolen in recent weeks.

"It's funny because it's unusual," Parker County Sheriff Lt. Mark Arnett said. "But the bottom line is, people could die over this."

Arnett said he fears would might happen late at night if a startled homeowner with a weapon confronts the thief.

The thefts have taken place in the 300 block of West Gate, the 200 and 300 blocks of Howard Way, the 200 block of Mockingbird Lane and the 100 block of Deer Creek Drive.

The Starnes said they have had enough and removed their remaining decorations to avoid getting victimized a third time.

Investigators are asking for help in identifying the person caught on video. Anyone with information as to the person's identity is asked to call the Parker County Sheriff's Department at 817-594-8845 or Crime Stoppers at 817-599-5555.

'Tis the season to be jolly! What better way to get in the holiday spirit than going to see Christmas lights, visiting Santa and ice skating. Here's a list of some of the Winter wonderlands around the Metroplex.

Dallas | Tarrant | Collin | Denton

DALLAS COUNTY

Farmers Branch - Farmers Branch Tour of Lights
Just follow the candy canes! Drive through an amazing display of over 300,000 lights in the Farmers Branch Historical Park. The tour starts at Valley View Lane and Interstate 35. The light display runs from November 23 through December 31, and will be turned on every evening from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Grand Prairie - Prairie Lights -- Powered by Gexa Energy
The must see light display of the season resides in Grand Prairie. Over 4 million Christmas lights adorn the World’s longest light tunnel.  Open Thanksgiving night until New Years Eve, this light display offers fun family activities from pictures with Santa Claus, walk-through light displays and a new Holiday Magic light show. Vehicle admission ranges from $20 for cars on non-holiday weekdays to $50-$80 for shuttle vans and buses.

Mesquite - Mesquite Parks and Recreation - Christmas in the Park
Taking a stroll through this beautifully lit park will definitely get you in the holiday spirit with all the lights illuminating! Taking place December 6 through December 8, the Westlake Parks annual event will be overflowing with holiday cheer. Live music and entertainment throughout the weekend will get everyone singing and dancing with holiday tunes. Even Santa and friends took time out of their busy schedule to stop by every evening. Do not forget to dress warm for this outdoor event as it may get so chilly that Frosty the Snowman may even make an appearance! 

Dallas - Highland Park Village Christmas Lights
This neighborhood is famous to the locals as the go-to spot in the area to drive through and see dazzling and creative Christmas lights. The lights will be illuminated on the evening of November 23 and will run through to Christmas. Additionally on that evening, festivities will include caroling, face painting, dance performances, carriage rides, and photos with Santa.

Dallas - City Lights
The annual holiday lights in downtown Dallas take over five blocks of the area with festive decorations, covering the city's official Christmas tree, Neiman Marcus Crawl Tube, and other holiday displays. Read more here: Hundreds Attend Downtown Tree Lighting

TARRANT COUNTY

Fort Worth - Fort Worth Parade of Lights
The 30th annual Chesapeake Energy Parade of Lights will be held November 23. The parade will host over 100 highly illuminated entries, 500,000 lights and the Sundance Square Christmas Tree. The parade will transform Downtown with "The Wonder of it All!" theme. Bringing up the finale float of the parade will be a brand new Santa float featuring the stars of the show, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Fort Worth - The T's Holiday Lights Tours
The T and Stockyards Station will host their annual Holiday Lights tours of more than 200 decorated homes on Saturday, Dec. 8 and Sunday, Dec. 9, starting at 5:30 p.m. with pre-tour festivities and bus boardings from 6:30 to 7 p.m. at Stockyards Station, at 130 East Exchange Avenue. Tickets are $5 per person, children 5 and under are free.

Fort Worth - Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway
Join the holiday season celebration at Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway going on through January 6. Families and visitors can drive the 1.7-mile route and experience sparkling holiday displays made with over 1 million energy-efficient LED lights, all within the comfort of their own cars. Tickets are $15 per vehicle on Monday-Thursday, $20 on Friday-Sunday.

Fort Worth - Chesapeake Lights
Holiday light lovers are welcome to visit Chesapeake Plaza at 100 Energy Way in Fort Worth through the end of 2012. Visitors can stroll through the plaza and gaze at the 1.1 million energy-efficient LED lights adoring 110 oak and cypress trees. Parking is available off Fifth Avenue and Forest Park.

Arlington - Holiday Lights Parade
A downtown Arlington Christmas tradition continues this year, where a flurry of floats adorned with lights marches through the streets surrounding City Hall. Families set up "camp" along the parade route, so make sure you plan accordingly to snag a good spot to view the parade. The parade begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 1, 2012 and ends with the lighting of the Christmas tree on the steps of City Hall. Santa will even be there to take pictures at the Levitt Pavilion.

Arlington - Interlochen
The holiday light tradition returns to Arlington as the Interlochen neighborhood comes alive with lights. More than 200 homeowners have decorated their houses with festive lights and Christmas displays. The display starts December 14 and runs from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. each day through Christmas. Visitors must enter the Interlochen neighborhood from Randol Mill Road at Westwood Drive. Arlington police will control traffic to help ensure safe travel in the area.

Cleburne -  Whistle Stop Christmas
Come celebrate the 16th anniversary of Cleburne’s Whistle Stop Christmas. Over 3.5 million lights have transformed Hulen Park into a Christmas Wonderland. The celebration begins on November 19 with the lighting of the Christmas lights and the parade in downtown Cleburne, and continues through December 31. There will also be live entertainment by a community choir, representing area churches, singing Christmas music and live theater groups presenting holiday plays.

Grapevine – The Christmas Capital of Texas
Grapevine offers the ultimate in Christmas celebration.  Every weekend in December come celebrate Christmas on Main Street.  Bring your family and friends to enjoy free hay rides, reindeer games, decorations, and of course Santa. Other Christmas activities in Grapevine include a North Pole Express Train, ice-skating, Christmas movies, and a Home for the Holidays musical. Don’t miss this one and only Christmas extravaganza. The holiday celebrations begin at 7 p.m. on November 19 with the Carol of Lights and on December 6 with the Parade of lights.

COLLIN COUNTY

Frisco - Christmas in the Square
If you’re in the Frisco area be sure to check out the dazzling light display in the Frisco Square.  The holiday lights and music show run nightly from November 23 through January 6. Drawing in 500,000 visitors annually, the holiday events range from a hot air Balloon Glow, to the traditional visit from Santa, and Frisco's first outdoor ice rink.

McKinney - Heard Holiday Trail of Lights
Escape hibernation! Bundle up your family, get out of the house, and experience the most unique holiday lighting display in North Texas. Enjoy the 4th annual Heard Holiday Trail of Lights on December 14th-15th from 6:30-9 pm. See thousands of holiday décor and lights—many synchronized to holiday music—along a half mile Heard nature trail

DENTON COUNTY

Corinth - Whetstone Lights
Every holiday season, this neighborhood just south of Denton becomes a village of 55,000 computerized lights. Drive through the neighborhood to see the dazzling display, all of which is synchronized to holiday music. The lights run from the 6 p.m. November 25th to Christmas til midnight.

Have other Holiday Light locations we should know about? Click here to e-mail us.

While everyone enjoys Christmas, it's ultimately a holiday that thrives on the happiness of children. From remote-controlled helicopters and tablets to the latest video games, kids these days have eclectic tastes. Quite the difference from the days of Teddy Ruxpin.

Here's our guide to get that special little tike the perfect gift this season.

Furby: This is not your '90s Furby. This one interacts with your iPod touch, iPad and iPhone and comes with a free app so you can play games with it and even feed it. Fear not you digitally defunct parents, there's still plenty to do with the toy without the app.

Boo: If you've seen the adorable pup on Facebook, you know your little one will find her just as charming. At nine inches tall, it's extremely close to the same size as the dog and is extremely lifelike.

Nerf Firevision Football: This makes a great gift for a younger football fan or even a teen. Armed with a pair of glasses that will allow you to see the ball in the dark, the Firevision football makes sure the fun never has to stop. Even cooler, there are different color glasses, so kids can coordinate their own teams for an even cooler experience.

LeapPad2 Explorer: Is your youngin' addicted to your iPad? Why not get them a tablet of their own? This one however will help them learn and comes prepackaged with tons of apps with games and learning exercises. Acting as a playful distraction, it plays music and video, and has a front and back camera to take photos and record video.

Air Hogs R/C Heli Replay: Radio-controlled helicopters are extremely expensive in hobby shops, but Airhogs makes durable products that can be flown anywhere in the house and outside. This helicopter turns your smart phone into your remote and makes for a great first experience into model aviation for children of all ages. It's also something adults will enjoy playing with.

Remote Control Machines: Another great gift for kids of all ages, Thames and Kosmos' radio controlled machines allow you to make your own remote controlled, well, anything. Using your imagination and a box full of small motors and building pieces, you can create a bulldozer, car, three-wheeler, crane, antique car, plow, folding car, formula one racer, three-blade dozer, and even a robotic arm. The set is also compatible with the company's previous kits, making it perfect for family to buy expansions.

GIFT GUIDE: DVDS FOR THE KIDS

Skylanders Giants Starter Pack: This isn't your normal video game. Accessible on a console, on the web and mobile, it's essentially the closest thing to a Massively Multiplayer Role-Playing Game a child could have. Figures, placed on a stand, come alive on the television screen. With a plethora of figures and characters, there are limitless ways to play.

Y-Volution YFliker F1 Scooter: This is one cool scooter. Coming in a variety of colors and sporting a sturdy three-wheel design, it'll keep your kids outside and active.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Secret Sewer Lair Playset: This is simply a mammoth toy set. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back in a huge way and this set will allow your kids to have their imagination run wild at the Turtles' home. For those '80s babies, it's also a fun way to reconnect with your favorite childhood superheroes and share the fun with your kids.

WWE Brawlin' Buddies: Wrestling isn't the safest thing for your kids to do, but these soft, cuddly versions of their favorite WWE Superstars will make wrasslin' a walk in the park. The dolls even speak their signature catchphrases and "battle sounds."

They started showing up before 7:30 Friday night to be among the first inside Fair Park’s Automobile Building.  There were plenty of wheels inside but they were attached to new bicycles, not cars.  15,000 bikes for boys and girls from families in a financial bind.

Dozens of Salvation Army volunteers spent Saturday handing out gifts donated through the Salvation Army, NBC 5 Angel Tree program. 

The Salvation Army spent Friday preparing to distribute Angel Tree gifts.

Dozens of volunteers sorted through tens of thousands of gifts donated through the program to make sure that 58,000 children and seniors across the Metroplex will wake up with a present under the tree Christmas morning.

In the warehouses, storing the gifts there are thousands of boxes that each represent a family.

Karen Bilbrey, who is coordinating the massive operation in Fort Worth, expects 60 families every 20 minutes to pick up gifts Saturday.

Many of them are experiencing hardships in life.

"They never expected to have to do this, so these are the ones that you really feel for," Bilbrey said.

One volunteer, Vicki Stanley, says that after seven years of working with the Angel Tree project -- delegation is the key to getting it all done.

"You have one section, one piece, one job," Stanley said. "You do your portion, and then everybody helps the job gets done."

A job which, at the end of day, means happy children on Christmas morning.

While so many were so generous, not everyone who decided to participate in the program has followed through.

Participants can still take their Angel Tree's unwrapped gifts to one of two Salvation Army Christmas centers.

The Dallas center is located at 9216 Harry Hines Blvd., and the Fort Worth center is at 229 East Felix St.

From the Tannenbaum to the pre-lit artificial tree sitting in your living room, we highlight the history of Christmas tree.

The modern Christmas tree dates back to 16th century Germany. In that period, some churches and guildhalls began putting up evergreen fir trees, or Tannenbaums. These trees were often decorated with fruit, nuts, or pretzels, which were then collected by the children on Christmas morning as gifts.

As the tradition gained prominence, people like Martin Luther have been said to introduce other elements to the tradition, including adding decorations to symbolize the stars in the sky. In the 19th century, Russia, France, and England began to adopt the tradition, though American immigrants from Germany claim to have introduced Christmas trees as early as 1777.

Before electric string lights were created, Christmas trees were lit by candles placed in the branches of the tree, a process still used by some to decorate their tree. The dripping wax then fell too often on the floor of the house, along with needles, which added the need for a tree skirt below the tree.

Traditions for setting up the tree vary from place to place. In many countries, setting up the tree previous to the first day of winter -- Dec. 22 -- is considered bad luck, while in others, like Australia, the tree is put up as early as Dec. 1, the normal start date for their school holiday season. In the United States, the day after Thanksgiving is often for more than just getting some shopping deals -- it's also time to bust out the Christmas decorations.

Artificial trees have become very popular in recent years as deforestation, fire danger, and allergies have become leading reasons look into purchase of the reusable trees instead of the annual ritual of chopping down a new fir. Even with pre-lit artificial trees, traditions for decoration vary from family to family.

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"Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection"
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"Singin’ In the Rain"
After 60 uncontested years as the most beloved movie musical ever made, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor’s song-and-dance sequences are more dazzling than ever in a new Blu-Ray transfer. The Ultimate Collector’s Edition box set lives up to its billing: along with the expected wealth of commentaries, outtakes, extras and a brand-new documentary, it also includes an essential tool for keeping sunny when it’s soggy outside – an umbrella.

"Tarantino XX"
Even if you already own every one of maverick writer-director Quentin Tarantino’s eight groundbreaking, genre-busting films included in this set commemorating 20 years of quintessentially cool cinema – “Reservoir Dogs,” “Pulp Fiction,” “Jackie Brown,” “Kill Bill, Vol. 1,” “Kill Bill, Vol, 2,” “Death Proof,” “Inglorious Basterds” and the Tarantino-penned, Tony Scott-directed “True Romance” – there’s plenty of new stuff to film-geek out over, like two full bonus discs exploring the filmmaker’s revolutionary career.

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"Bond 50"
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"Francis Ford Coppola: 5-Disc Collection"
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"Arthur Christmas 3D"
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"Finding Nemo"
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"Pixar Short Films Collection, Vol. 2"
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"The Muppet Christmas Carol"
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The Salvation Army is waiting on gifts for nearly 3,000 adopted angels.

The final day to adopt an angel from the Salvation Army Angel Tree was Sunday and all gifts were to be turned in by Monday.

Tuesday, the Salvation Army said they are missing gifts for 2,859 adopted angels.  Those gifts can now be dropped off only at the Salvation Army Christmas Centers in Fort Worth and Dallas between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.  The locations of those centers are below.

The Salvation Army Christmas Center
9216 Harry Hines Blvd.
Dallas, Texas 75235

The Salvation Army Christmas Center
229 E. Felix Street
Fort Worth, Texas 756115

The Salvation Army Angel Tree program provides gifts for needy children and senior citizens during the holidays. In 2012, nearly 60,000 angels were up for adoption.

NBC 5 is a proud sponsor of the Salvation Army Angel Tree.

Tens of thousands of presents from the NBC 5 Salvation Army Angel Tree program are being delivered to warehouses across the Metroplex.

The Salvation Army is asking that people who still have tags bring their donations before the deadline passes. Thousands of angel tags have not yet been returned with their unwrapped gifts.

"We've got a few procrastinators out there," said Pat Reimann, Christmas assistance coordinator. "We've got 8,000 gifts that have not been returned to the mall yet, and they've got until mall closing time tonight to get that done."

Dallas County Commissioner Elba Garcia, a Salvation Army board member, said she hoped those holding onto their angel tags would come through by the end of the day.

"Today is a special day when it comes to giving in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and we're excited," she said. "We're excited that this continues to be a big hit, that it continues to be a signature event for the Salvation Army."

Maj. Ward Matthews, co-CEO of the Salvation Army in North Texas, said 58,000 children and seniors throughout the Metroplex will be served during the Christmas season.

Volunteers are gearing up to help as the donations begin to flood into warehouses.

"When we start distribution next Saturday, the 15th, we will use 100 volunteers per shift," Reimann said.

Tens of thousands of people attended Plano's annual Christmas Parade.

The Early Lions Club puts on the annual event.

"It's a tradition in Plano we think is very special that we enjoy doing every year," resident Mark Sims said. "The kids look forward to it. We get doughnuts and hot chocolate."

The marching bands of all nine Plano high schools performed in the parade, which had dozens of floats from civic groups and churches. Boy Scouts and other groups handed out candy to children.

The Lions say 4,200 people were in the parade.

Before the parade, which NBC 5 sponsors, the Lions held a pancake breakfast with Santa Clause where people donated canned goods to the Plano Food Pantries.