This year, many people are choosing to have a green Christmas by reducing their holiday carbon footprint. The United States condemns the violence in Côte d’Ivoire following the recent elections. And meet Persian food bloggers, who offer their readers both recipes and a sense of community.

Dreaming of a Green Christmas
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In recent years, many people have chosen to add a shade of green to their Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or other year-end festivities by limiting the size of their holiday carbon footprint. One British study found that households generate an additional 1,430 pounds (650 kilos) of carbon dioxide during Christmas. At right, The National Christmas Tree, shown here with President Obama and his family, is illuminated by LED energy-saving bulbs. 

U.S. Condemns Violence in Côte d’Ivoire
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Deputy Assistant Secretary of State William Fitzgerald urges all Ivorians to respect the will of the people as expressed in a November 28 vote in which Alassane Ouattara was elected as the next president. Fitzgerald condemns the recent violence in Côte d’Ivoire as “egregious.”

An Online Taste of Iran
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Three Iranian-American women created separate blogs with parallel missions of offering Persian recipes. “I’ve always loved to write, and I’ve always loved to cook, and… I thought, ‘Well, why shouldn’t I be the one to have a blog about Persian food?’” says Sanam Lamborn.

Recipes for Persian Memories
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Persian food blogs offer recipes and a sense of community to their readers. Azita Mehran, author of the blog Turmeric & Saffron, writes mini-essays that includes recipes and memories of childhood trips or news of what she’s found at the market. Above, her red lentil soup.