US aglow with holiday cheer

The dark days of December are being lit up with holiday sparkle all over the US map, from creative Christmas trees to giant menorahs. Gingerbread houses, light displays and train shows are part of the fun, too. Here are a few of the biggest and best-known events around the country.

Trees

Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree - so many to see, from the famous evergreen at Rockefeller Center in New York City to one made entirely from chocolate - 600 pounds of it, standing 6 feet high - at the Rosewood Sand Hill hotel in Menlo Park, California. The edible tree, on display in the lobby, was created by pastry chef Mellisa Root. The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte, North Carolina, is displaying a holiday tree made from 789 recycled green bottles and another made from 8,000 macaroon cookies.