Free Republic

(Reuters) - Snow piled up in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday after two days of record-breaking snowfall that had already surpassed 5 feet (1.5 meters), breaking city and state records, according to the National Weather Service. Though residents are used to winter snow squalls blowing in from adjacent Lake Erie, which straddles the border with Canada, the Christmas storm is already one for the ages. "This is an incredible amount of snow that we're trying to move," the Erie Police Department said in statement after the city declared a "snow emergency" on Tuesday, imploring people to stay off the streets.

Former President Barack Obama posted a photo of his family celebrating Christmas on Monday morning, and the internet is getting emotional. In the photo, Barack, Michelle, Malia and Sasha Obama are posing in front of a giant Christmas tree surrounded by a crew of young “elves” and plenty of ornately wrapped gifts. “On behalf of the Obama family, Merry Christmas! We wish you joy and peace this holiday season,” Obama wrote in the caption. The photo may have been taken on a previous Christmas.

Seattle got a Seahawks victory and snow fall on Christmas Eve, giving some folks in the Evergreen State their first white Christmas since 2008. The Emerald City’s odds of a White Christmas, which the National Weather Service defines as at least 1 inch of snow on the ground Christmas morning, are only about 7 percent, as reported by Q13 FOX. NWS Seattle reported 2.2 inches of snow at Sand Point with light snow continuing through the morning.

President Trump rang in the Christmas holiday at a midnight church service in Florida and wished America an unabashed Merry Christmas on Twitter. Mr. Trump and first lady Melania Trump attended Christmas Eve services at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-sea in Palm Beach, Florida — the same church where they were married. They are spending the holiday at their Mar-a-Lago resort. The president also tweeted, “People are proud to be saying Merry Christmas again. I am proud to have led the charge against the assault of our cherished and beautiful phrase. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!”

Dr. Joe Bennett, a scientist from Boston says he's engineered the perfect Christmas song, by studying 200 Christmas songs and looking at lyrics, tempo, vocals, and musical key you need to make a hit. He engineered a new song called "Love's Not Just For Christmas" and, well, it really DOES sound like a classic Christmas song.