1. The season of Hanukkah has begun!
Sunday was the first night of the Jewish holiday, and Chabad of West Michigan celebrated by hosting the annual menorah lighting at Calder Plaza in downtown Grand Rapids.
Hanukkah is an eight-day "festival of lights" with nightly menorah lighting, prayers, and fried food. It celebrates the rededication of the holy temple.
The menorah in Calder Plaza will be lit every night at 5 p.m. through December 26 except Friday night, observing the Sabbath.
2. The Ronald Mcdonald House Of West Michigan urgently needs your help! They are hoping to make sure the families staying there have a wonderful Christmas despite being far from home.
They are hosting their Santa's Workshop tomorrow, where parents can pick out gifts for their kids. They desperately need more gifts for children of all ages, 0-18, before then.
So, if you can get a toy to the house today, it would be much appreciated. They also need help providing a special meal for families on New Year's Day. Contact them if you're interested.
3 .The JCI Greater Muskegon's Annual Snowfest returns to downtown Muskegon on Saturday, January 28.
Muskegon's largest winter festival features the return of euchre tournaments and snow volleyball as well as some new additions including a bloody Mary contest between local downtown bars and restaurants.
To stay up to date with event locations and cornhole and volleyball registration, visit jcimuskegon.org.
4. Michigan-based Bell's Brewery is expanding its famous Two Hearted IPA lineup to include three new releases.
The popular Two Hearted IPA, an American IPA, named the Best Beer In America for several years, and the new line includes a hazy IPA and an experimental beer. According to Bell's, it will release Hazy Hearted, Big Hearted and Change Of Heart – all of which will be available in a Hearted IPA Variety Pack along with Two Hearted.
The Hearted IPA Variety Pack will be available nationwide beginning this week with a new lineup of beers coming in April.
5. Argentina fans are celebrating after a hard-fought win against France in Sunday's World Cup final.
The game started slow, but soon became one of the most thrilling games in World Cup history. In the end, it all came down to a penalty kick. But the team took the title for the first time in 36 years after their last victory against West Germany in 1986.
Captain Lionel Messi was at the center of celebrations as thousands of fans took to the streets of his hometown of Rosario, Argentina.
The next World Cup will take place right here in the United States in 2026.
