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CHICAGO —
Your holiday prep stories are done -- what's left to cover for your Dec. 25 and 26 newspapers? Some story ideas:
-- Who in your town will be working Dec. 24 and 25? Think about emergency room staff, postal workers and other delivery drivers, employees manning the drive-through windows at coffee and fast-food restaurants. Profile them and their days for the 25th or 26th newspaper.
-- Find out families' Christmas Day traditions this week -- contact your local shelters to get leads on holiday volunteers, or visit your movie theaters or bowling alleys that are open on Christmas to talk to folks. It isn't too late to use a callout to ask what readers plan to do Dec. 25 after the gifts have been opened.
-- Plan on weather and travel updates these days, as much of the country may be in store for a white Christmas. However, don't forget the fun snow can be, too -- plot out the best sledding hills in town for readers, include instructions on making a snowman, talk to kids on winter break this week about how they play in the snow.
-- Ask your local pastors what their Christmas service homilies and messages will be, and publish excerpts in your newspaper Dec. 25.
-- Prepare readers on "return etiquette" in your Dec. 26 newspaper. Talk to retailers this week to get their advice and predictions on whether gift returns will be heavy or light this weekend.
What other ideas do you have, and what types of Christmas Day and day-after stories have worked for you in the past? Let me know, and I may include them this week on GHNewsroom and on my blog.
Your holiday prep stories are done -- what's left to cover for your Dec. 25 and 26 newspapers? Some story ideas:
-- Who in your town will be working Dec. 24 and 25? Think about emergency room staff, postal workers and other delivery drivers, employees manning the drive-through windows at coffee and fast-food restaurants. Profile them and their days for the 25th or 26th newspaper.
-- Find out families' Christmas Day traditions this week -- contact your local shelters to get leads on holiday volunteers, or visit your movie theaters or bowling alleys that are open on Christmas to talk to folks. It isn't too late to use a callout to ask what readers plan to do Dec. 25 after the gifts have been opened.
-- Plan on weather and travel updates these days, as much of the country may be in store for a white Christmas. However, don't forget the fun snow can be, too -- plot out the best sledding hills in town for readers, include instructions on making a snowman, talk to kids on winter break this week about how they play in the snow.
-- Ask your local pastors what their Christmas service homilies and messages will be, and publish excerpts in your newspaper Dec. 25.
-- Prepare readers on "return etiquette" in your Dec. 26 newspaper. Talk to retailers this week to get their advice and predictions on whether gift returns will be heavy or light this weekend.
What other ideas do you have, and what types of Christmas Day and day-after stories have worked for you in the past? Let me know, and I may include them this week on GHNewsroom and on my blog.
