BOSTON - Boston's dreams of a white Christmas have come true for 2024. The National Weather Service defines a "white Christmas" as having an inch or more of snow on the ground for Christmas morning. Meteorologist Candice Hrencecin at the National Weather Service's Norton office confirmed to WBZ-TV that Boston has met the criteria.

The National Weather Service officially considers a location to have had a white Christmas if there is one inch of snow already on the ground or if new snow of at least an inch falls on Christmas Day.

He made the remarks a day after the start of Roman Catholic Church’s Holy Year, known as a Jubilee, which takes place every quarter century. On Tuesday evening, Francis opened the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the first pilgrims could go through. Millions more are expected to follow over the year.

Pope Francis opened the "Holy Door" of St Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve on Tuesday, launching the Jubilee year of Catholic celebrations set to draw more than 30 million pilgrims

Protests erupted in Christian neighborhoods of the Syrian capital Damascus after a Christmas tree was set on fire in another town by unidentified men on Monday evening.

Although members of the Christian community said they are happy to see the Assad regime go, many are wary of their new Islamist leaders.

Footage began to circulate online Monday showing flames at the base of an artificial Christmas tree in the mostly Christian town of Al-Suqaylabiyah.