Decorating for winter celebrations is an ancient tradition. The contemporary American version of the tradition comes in many forms.

An article by Rachel Jones digs into the work of photographer Jesse Rieser, who "has spent nearly a decade mining the exultant spasm of American Christmas decorations, and the messages they telegraph about their surrounding communities."
Rieser has collected photos from 18 states for a project titled "Christmas in America: Happy Birthday, Jesus."
The article shares a mix of those photos, from Santa playing pool to Jesus checking text messages. Then there are incredibly ornate interior decorations.
Meanwhile, the text of the article traces the tradition of decorating for Christmas back to pagan celebrations like Saturnalia in Early Rome and even further back to Ancient Egypt.
FULL STORY: See the electric and eclectic ways Americans decorate for Christmas

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie