• Target shoppers lined up as early as 3 a.m. to score a Black Friday bonus giveaway.
• Some social media users were disappointed at the bag's apparent lack of swag.
• Meanwhile, home improvement retailer Lowe's earned online buzz for its gift buckets.

A few years ago, a sharply discounted price on a big screen TV was enough to get customers lined up in the cold during the wee hours of Black Friday.

This year, it seems the shopping event is less about discounts and more about what gifts retailers offer to their most devoted shoppers.

Target, in particular, drew thousands of shoppers to select stores as early as 3 a.m. on Friday, with promises of a complimentary gift bag for the first ones through the door at 6 a.m.

However, some social media users were disappointed with the gift bag's apparent lack of swag, which included items such as fun-size candy, drink mix samples, shampoo, and a deck of Uno cards.

"Y'all gonna have them wait outside in the freezing cold in some of these areas just for y'all to give them gummy clusters?" one TikTok user said in a video. "That's diabolical, man."

"Black Friday is cooked," he added. "Better luck next year."

The company said that all of its gift bags were claimed by the 6 a.m. opening, with some locations having as many as 500 people in line.

Some Target shoppers fared better than the videos suggested, however. The company said in a release that 10 shoppers per participating store received bags with extra prizes ranging in value from $99 to $350.

Some of the bonus gifts included items such as a Target gift card, a Laifen hairdryer, a Ninja slushie machine, or Beats headphones.

Target has been eager to get shoppers back into its stores as it seeks to boost sales and profitability, including by hosting a recent special release for pop icon Taylor Swift's latest album and a festive "whimsical Alpine world" holiday setup.

Incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke has also made improving the shopping experience one of his top priorities.

Still, as social media users dragged the bullseye retailer's swag bag selection, they heaped praise on home improvement retailer Lowe's, which doled out five-gallon buckets filled with building supplies to early-bird shoppers.

In addition to freebies like drill bit sets and a bucket-shaped coffee mug, some golden ticket winners even showed coupons redeemable for a free appliance worth up to $2,000.

"This makes Target's bag look like party favors from a kids birthday," one commenter said on a video of the Lowe's haul.

Another TikToker said the reason Lowe's managed to beat the competition with this year's giveaway is that it made millennials "feel like kids on Christmas again."

"In those first 50 buckets, there was a magic in the air that I haven't felt at Christmas or Black Friday in a very long time," he said.

• I visited Canada for the first time in 2022. I visited the eastern provinces of Ontario and Quebec.
• I spent seven days traveling through Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec City.
• I want to return to Quebec and Niagara Falls and take more Canadian trains to other provinces.

Colossal waterfalls, scenic train rides, and cities that feel like Europe — I experienced them all during my first trip to Canada. 

This was back in August 2022, when I left my home in New York City to spend a week in Canada's eastern provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Overall, my trip to Canada was only a taste of what the country has to offer — a rich bite that left me hungry for more. I knew from the moment I left that I would be back.

I traveled to Ontario and Quebec by bus, train, and plane, hitting cities and attractions from Niagara Falls to Montreal.

I traveled by train from NYC to Niagara Falls, New York, and walked into Niagara Falls, Canada, on foot.

After three days in the Niagara Falls area, I took a bus up to Toronto for a night. From there, I traveled to Montreal and Quebec City by train and spent one night in each city before flying home to New York. 

As a seasoned Amtrak rider, I found Canada's train system, Via Rail, to be so impressive that I want to return to try out more classes and routes.

I've spent nearly 100 hours on Amtrak trains, reviewing its various accommodations — from business and first class to private rooms in sleeper cars. 

So, when I traveled to Canada, I was excited to try out Via Rail, Canada's train line similar to Amtrak. One of the most accessible and popular ways to travel through the country, Via Rail has economy seating, business class, and sleeper accommodations.

Even after just two rides, I found that my first experiences on Canada's Via Rail system were more comfortable than Amtrak equivalents, thanks to more comfortable seats and top-notch service and amenities. 

I booked two Via Rail rides — one in economy and another in business class.

I booked a business-class ticket from Toronto to Montreal. For about $200, it came with perks that Amtrak only offers to first-class passengers, such as meal service and access to lounges at select stations, including Toronto. 

I also booked an economy ticket on Via Rail from Montreal to Quebec City for about $150, and I thought it was more spacious than an Amtrak seat. 

Overall, I found train travel in Canada to be more comfortable and pleasant than in the US. Now, I want to explore Canada by train and perhaps try out more classes, such as sleeper cars and premium accommodations. 

After trying poutine for the first time, I have to go back for some different renditions.

Poutine is a pile of fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in gravy — a Canadian comfort food originating in Quebec.

Before visiting Canada, I had never tried poutine or even seen it on a menu. However, that changed in Montreal when I dined at La Banquise, a casual joint serving classic poutine and creative renditions loaded with meats, vegetables, bacon, or sauces like Caesar and chipotle.

I decided to go with the classic since it was my first time trying it. The fries were crispy and greasy, just like I like them. I thought the gravy was reminiscent of Thanksgiving dinner, and the curds added a unique texture without overpowering the flavor.

In one bite, I could see why this dish was so popular and comforting. It was warm, filling, and nostalgic.

Next time I'm in Montreal, I'll return to La Banquise to try some of the other loaded poutine options on the menu.

I thought Niagara Falls was epic and beautiful.

Niagara Falls is an iconic landmark known for its massive waterfalls on the US-Canada border.

Seeing Niagara Falls up close was an unexpected highlight of the trip. Since I've seen so many pictures, I wasn't expecting to be quite so entranced by them. But once I saw them for myself, I was amazed.

I was completely in awe of how massive, beautiful, and loud the falls were.

The boardwalk lining the falls also reminded me of Times Square on New Year's Eve because of the excitement it drew.

I'd love to go back during the offseason to see what it's like when it's less crowded.

There were a lot of crowds at the falls. From the attractions surrounding it to the packed crosswalks around town, Niagara Falls was so full of people that I spent a lot of time waiting in lines and standing on my tippy toes to peer over people's heads. It would have been much more enjoyable without so many other visitors.

I would love to go back to Niagara Falls in early spring or late fall when it's less crowded and enjoy a more peaceful moment alone in front of the falls.

I got a break from the crowds when I stayed at this treehouse Airbnb outside Niagara Falls. It was the most peaceful part of my trip.

I wanted to mix time in big cities with smaller towns to relax and see what life is like away from the bustle.

While searching for the most unique Airbnbs in the areas I was traveling to, I came across a treehouse on a property located between a vineyard and the woods.

I stayed for one night and found it to be so peaceful and relaxing.

I loved feeling totally alone in this quiet, natural place equipped with all the comforting amenities of home.

It was the perfect place to reflect on my travels thus far, jot down notes about my observations, and review the thousands of photos I'd already taken. Sitting on the porch amid a forest of trees, this treehouse was the best remote office I've had the pleasure of working in.

I'd love to go back for a few days to completely recharge. I didn't get a chance to cook a meal in the kitchen or spend a day just reading outside — something I used to do a lot as a kid. The next time I come to this treehouse, it'll be for a vacation. 

I loved exploring Montreal on foot …

Montreal was one of the most beautiful cities I've ever seen, thanks to the stunning, contrasting modern and historical architectural styles, from Art Deco to Gothic Revival.

Walking up and down the city's hills was tiring but rewarding. I enjoyed some impressive, all-encompassing views that made me wish I had more time to explore. 

I also walked around Old Montreal, a neighborhood reminiscent of Europe with cobblestone streets. While I took beautiful pictures, I didn't have time to go inside the many shops, museums, and restaurants along the way.

Next time I'm in Montreal, I plan to find accommodations in Old Montreal to learn more about the city's history. 

… especially Mount Royal.

Since I only had one night in Montreal, I got up around 6 a.m. and walked from my hotel downtown to Mount Royal, a small mountain in the middle of the city.

It was a 30-minute uphill walk followed by another half hour of climbing stairs that traversed the mountain. It was exhausting, but when I got to the top, it was worth it.

I could see the whole skyline, and I longed for more time to wander specific streets. 

The Old Quebec neighborhood in Quebec City made me feel like I was in Europe without the long-haul flight.

Quebec City is a 400-year-old French-Canadian city. With its cobblestone streets, old-world architecture, and French signs and storefronts, it was like being in Europe.

I spent one night in a gorgeous hotel that looked more like a castle.

I had roughly 24 hours in Quebec City and spent all of it in Old Quebec, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the famed Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, a luxury hotel where I stayed the night in a 180-square-foot room with a stunning view. 

I thought it was the most beautiful hotel I'd ever stayed at, and it was located in an ideal spot for sightseeing in Old Quebec.

Just outside the hotel was Dufferin Terrace, a boardwalk with restaurants and benches overlooking the St. Lawrence River. On the other side of the hotel was Place d'Armes, a beautiful small park with a large fountain.

I also explored and photographed the surrounding streets, which are full of shops and restaurants. I wish I had time to shop at places like Quartier Petit-Champlain.

I left Quebec City longing for more time to explore, shop, and dine.

Canada is so large that I left feeling like I had barely scratched the surface. There are so many more places to explore.

It's wild to think that my first trip to Canada was just within a small fraction of the country. It's the second-biggest country in the world after Russia. Now that I've been there, I want to see more of it.

I've since been to Vancouver, British Columbia, but I've still only explored a sliver of Canada.

Not only do I want to spend more time in the places I've already visited, but I also want to explore other provinces, such as Nova Scotia, Alberta, and Prince Edward Island.

• A few years ago, my partner and I drove 6,036 miles from New York to San Diego and back.
• On our road trip, we stopped for regional cuisine, beautiful parks, and quirky roadside attractions.
• If I drove cross-country again, I'd return to spots like the Ozark National Forest but skip others.

Driving cross-country is an ambitious journey that always sounded a bit more romantic to me in theory than in practice.

But when my partner convinced me to expand my horizons a few years ago, we started planning with the Ralph Waldo Emerson adage "it's not the destination, it's the journey," as our guiding principle.

We drove a total of 6,036 miles cross-country from New York to my hometown of San Diego and back — and I figured we might as well see as many cool and quirky things along the way as possible.

Here are the places we stopped that I would go to again and the spots I'd skip next time.

After leaving New York, our first stop was in Pittsburgh, where we ate pizza and visited The Andy Warhol Museum.

I married a Pittsburgher and have visited the Steel City many times.

So, first, we made a requisite stop at the Strip District to try Pizzeria Davide, then headed over to the Andy Warhol Museum.

After touring the exhibits, I thought it was an absolute must-visit for anyone in Pittsburgh to witness more than seven stories of some of Warhol's (a Pittsburgh native) most seminal works of art.

The museum was also well-placed to follow with a stroll to The Point downtown where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers merge into the Ohio River.

We left Pittsburgh en route to Cincinnati, stopping at Buckeye Lake State Park to stretch and grab lunch.

A halfway point between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, Buckeye Lake State Park is touted as Ohio's oldest state park.

It's also home to a local winery, brewery, and beer pier, which sounded intriguing and looked to be an ideal spot to stop and refuel.

We didn't find a wide range of food options in the area and weren't particularly impressed, although we did enjoy getting out here and stretching our legs.

Next time, we'd try stopping at a different park.

From Cincinnati, we drove to Nashville, where we had drinks at a Dolly Parton-themed restaurant.

The road to Nashville was peppered with many cool pit stops, but due to bad weather, we bypassed places we'd been looking forward to, like Louisville and Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Instead, we went straight for Nashville, arriving hungry and ready for a drink at White Limozeen, a Dolly Parton-themed rooftop restaurant located just off the Vanderbilt University campus.

We sat alfresco overlooking a giant Dolly Parton bust and didn't miss a chance to try the signature champagne Jell-O shots, which come topped with sprinkles. We also had Nashville hot chicken sandwiches.

Along with the pink décor and convivial rooftop vibes, the stop was a pleasant and completely unexpected surprise.

It was definitely worth a visit, but next time, I'd come here just for drinks and save dinner for The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Garden, where we ate the best burger of our trip.

Next, we stopped at one of my favorite barbecue joints in Memphis before driving through Ozark National Forest to a memorable hotel.

After a quick stop at one of my all-time favorite barbecue joints, The Rendezvous in Memphis, we headed through the wilds of Arkansas' Ozark National Forest — one of the greenest and most scenic stretches of our drive.

Along the way, we paid a last-minute visit to Fayetteville, a charming college town tucked away in the northwest pocket of the state.

There, we enjoyed a casual dinner on the patio of a former post office called Cheers at the OPO (for Old Post Office) and decided to tuck in for the night next door at a quirky local hotel, the Graduate.

The Fayetteville-themed lobby, complete with camouflage carpets and Arkansas ephemera displayed all over the walls, was a fun touch. We loved the hometown pride that this place had to offer.

We continued along Route 66 and spotted an unusual roadside attraction on the way to Oklahoma City.

The ride through the plains of Oklahoma provided a stark contrast to the lush and wild landscapes in Arkansas.

We made our way through Tulsa, home to architectural marvels such as The Philbrook Museum of Art and one of the largest collections of Art Deco architecture in the country.

However, our stop at The Blue Whale of Catoosa off of Route 66 was a tiny bit underwhelming.

We learned that this giant 80-foot sperm whale was built as a diving platform and slide for kids in the early '70s and has been basically marooned ever since.

Though I can see the appeal if you have young kids in tow — and we did see several families with children who could not have been more delighted by this unique sculpture — it wasn't a must-stop spot for us.

Just off Interstate 40, Cadillac Ranch outside Amarillo, Texas, was an Instagram-worthy surprise.

It was windy and dusty the day we visited Cadillac Ranch, a free public art display that's well worth a quick visit to walk around and snap some photos.

It's comprised of a colorful collection of upended Cadillacs covered in paint. You can bring your own spray paint or buy some from one of the local vendors just outside the entry point to tag the cars if you're so inclined.

Though we didn't partake, I'm glad we stopped to check it out for the photos alone. For us, a single visit was sufficient. We didn't feel the need to return on our way back to New York.

When we drove through Texas on our return, we stopped in Odessa to see a replica of Stonehenge.

Set on the University of Texas at the Permian Basin Stonehenge campus, the Stonehenge replica is made up of 19-foot-tall slabs of limestone and was assembled in the early 2000s.

It's designed to serve as a teachable moment for students and visitors here, but because I've visited the original Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that dates back some 5,000 years, when I was traveling across the UK, I would skip this next time.

Nothing can truly compare to the original.

We skipped Dallas in favor of Fort Worth, Texas, where we saw dozens of longhorn cattle walking through town.

The daily cattle drive in Fort Worth happens twice a day and was one of the coolest things we witnessed on our trip.

It also made us feel like we were front and center in an old Texas Western, as Fort Worth is full of honky-tonk restaurants and old-timey boutiques, plus Stockyard Station, which is lined with fun shops.

There's also the Cowtown Coliseum, which is home to the country's only year-round rodeo. Although we didn't get to visit it on this trip, we would definitely check it out in the future.

After Texas, we continued west to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where we stopped at a thermal spa.

Tucked in the foothills just outside Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ojo Santa Fe Spa is known as one of the country's oldest natural health spas, dating back to 1868.

Between its spa and spring-fed thermal pools, it was a much-needed stop for a little rest and relaxation.

The spa was closed during our visit, but we still enjoyed soaking in the geothermal mineral water, which is said to have healing properties. After spending a full day here, I'm a believer in the healing powers of that water and would definitely stop here again.

In Santa Fe, we also paid homage to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum before checking out the galleries and boutiques found along Canyon Road, both of which were worthwhile stops.

Along Route 66, Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona was a last-minute stop that I wouldn't hesitate to visit again.

Driving into the Petrified Forest National Park felt like driving through one of Georgia O'Keeffe's abstract paintings.

The Mars-like landscapes, featuring red and beige sandstone rock formations, were utterly surreal and one of the best unplanned stops we made along the way.

Said to be more than 200 million years old, the park offers numerous places to stop and explore throughout its grounds.

We decided on The Painted Desert Inn, an adobe building dating back to the 1930s, and Newspaper Rock, which features the park's largest concentration of petroglyphs carved into boulders by the ancestral Puebloan population that dates back thousands of years.

The carvings at Newspaper Rock can best be seen through binoculars or a telephoto lens, the latter of which I was glad to have on hand.

It's definitely worth a visit to witness this awe-inspiring landscape.

On the home stretch, we couldn't leave Arizona without seeing the Pillar at Cathedral Rock in Sedona up close.

There's no shortage of ways to see and experience Sedona's vast landscapes, but one place we couldn't leave without seeing was the view of Sedona from the summit of Cathedral Rock.

I will admit, we were not well-prepared for the intensity of this 1.2-mile out-and-back hike. It's labeled as "moderate-to difficult" by AllTrails.com and "popular for hikers of all ages," but the nearly vertical climb and slippery rocks were challenging for a lot of people on the trail that day, ourselves included.

However, the views from the top were out of this world. I would definitely stop here again, although I would plan accordingly and bring more water and better shoes next time.

On our way out of Sedona, we stopped at Yavapai Apache Fry Bread & Jewelry.

Yavapai Apache Fry Bread & Jewelry is just off Route 17 outside Sedona. Its selection of Native American jewelry, crafts, crystals, and sweet and savory fry bread made this a great place for a quick break.

Located outdoors under a tent, there were tons of unique souvenirs, including a dream catcher that I now have hanging above my bed.

The made-to-order fry bread topped with powdered sugar that we got was delicious, and an added bonus.

The final stop of our road trip was in Temecula, California, to try chocolate wine.

The Temecula Valley is a burgeoning wine region in Southern California.

Although it's often overlooked in favor of the wineries to the north in Napa and Paso Robles, its Italian and French grape varietals and tasting experiences are definitely worth checking out.

We stopped by Thornton Winery for a very special case of wine and a quick tasting.

Considered "the original champagne house," Thornton is known for its old-world champenoise method of winemaking, along with its coffee and chocolate wine flights.

After driving more than 3,000 miles across the country, my horizons had been broadened, and a case of wine called Milk Chocolate Kiss was the very sweet cherry on top.

This story was originally published on January 22, 2022, and most recently updated on December 1, 2025.

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said that empathy is increasingly important as AI automates more tasks.
• Nadella said on a podcast that workplace collaboration is also becoming more crucial.
• Microsoft has recently reshuffled its leadership in an effort to better compete in the AI race.

As AI gets smarter, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says that humans can't rely on their brains alone to succeed at work.

In a recent conversation with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner, Nadella said he agrees that emotional intelligence, or EQ, is becoming increasingly important at work as AI handles more technical tasks. Axel Springer is Business Insider's parent company.

"IQ has a place, but it's not the only thing that's needed in the world," Nadella said on an episode of Döpfner's "MD Meets" podcast that aired November 29. "I've always felt, at least leaders, if you just have IQ without EQ, it's just a waste of IQ."

Nadella added that social intelligence is also key, and has previously said that empathy is an important business skill, not just a soft skill.

Döpfner also asked whether the importance of empathy is part of why Microsoft is calling more people back to the office, starting early next year. Nadella said that, in the age of AI, it's even more important to recognize the role of human collaboration, and that the workplace is "the best collaboration tool." He added, however, that he doesn't want to be "dogmatic" about RTO mandates.

Nadella has recently reshuffled Microsoft's leadership team in part to better compete in the AI race, according to documents reviewed by Business Insider. He also tapped Rolf Harms, who helped Microsoft on its journey to cloud-computing success, to serve as an advisor on AI economics, according to a memo Nadella sent in November. With its new superintelligence team, Microsoft is pursuing artificial general intelligence, or technology capable of outperforming humans on a range of complex tasks.

Microsoft has laid off thousands of people this year, as the company has increased its scrutiny of employees' performance. A spokesperson previously told Business Insider that most of the cuts weren't based on performance, but instead aimed to streamline operations.

Many workplaces are starting to value soft skills as they delegate more technical responsibilities to AI. Executives and workplace transformation experts previously told Business Insider that problem-solving, emotional intelligence, and creativity are especially important.

• Satya Nadella says Microsoft's size slows AI development, pushing him to study how startups build.
• He told Mathias Döpfner that leaders must unlearn past success and adopt a "learn-it-all" mindset.
• Most AI projects are bound to fail without new mindsets, tools, skills, and shared data, he added.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is in study hall mode.

Speaking with Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer — Business Insider's parent company — Nadella said he's spending his weekends studying how startups build products. The reason, he said, is simple: Microsoft's vast size has become "a massive disadvantage" in the race to build AI at startup speed.

"This entire weekend, I spent all the time trying to get myself to understand how new companies are building products," Nadella said in an interview on the "MD MEETS" podcast, hosted by Döpfner and that aired on Saturday.

At young companies, he said, everyone involved in product development — from scientists to engineers to infrastructure teams — is "all sitting in one little table." It means they're able to make decisions on product, science, and infrastructure, and iterate instantly.

At Microsoft, he has "three divisional heads who manage those three things."

Nadella's comments come as many major tech companies — from Meta to Google to Amazon — are aggressively trimming middle layers of management in the name of speed.

It reflects a broader shift in Silicon Valley, where thick hierarchies are increasingly viewed as impediments to swift product decisions and AI experimentation.

Unlearning success to stay relevant

Nadella told Döpfner that thriving in the AI era requires unlearning habits that once made companies successful.

Big organizations and their leaders need to abandon the "know-it-all" mindset and adopt a "learn-it-all" approach, he said.

"The most important skill set for long-term relevance is — how do you be a learn-it-all and not a know-it-all," Nadella said.

The challenge, he added, is that "you have to unlearn the things that made you successful to learn something new."

Internally, Nadella has already been pushing this cultural shift.

A leaked organizational chart reviewed by Business Insider showed how he has reorganized executives and has 16 direct reports — a lineup of handpicked lieutenants tasked with breaking down silos and accelerating the company's AI shift.

The 4 things you need to fix first

Nadella said the majority of corporate AI projects collapse because companies approach AI like a traditional IT upgrade — a mistake he believes "is going to fail by definition."

To make AI work, he said, organizations must be prepared to do four key things: rethink their workflows from the ground up, adopt modern AI tools, train employees to use them, and make sure company data isn't stuck in old legacy systems.

Only companies that rebuild these foundations, Nadella said, will see meaningful gains from AI — and only leaders willing to unlearn old habits will be able to pull it off.

• Melania Trump unveiled the White House Christmas decorations on Monday.
• The theme of the decorations was "Home Is Where The Heart Is."
• The layout of the decor differed from past years since the East Wing was demolished in October.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

On Monday, first lady Melania Trump unveiled the 2025 White House Christmas decorations — her first holiday season of President Donald Trump's second non-consecutive term and the first White House Christmas decorations since the demolition of the East Wing in October.

The East Entrance and East Colonnade, which featured prominently in Melania Trump's past White House Christmas decorations with displays of dramatically lit branches and deep-red trees, are no longer part of the route. They were demolished along with the rest of the East Wing.

The White House Menorah, which the Biden administration added to the White House Christmas decorations in 2022, was also absent from the display.

Melania Trump centered the White House Christmas decorations around the theme "Home Is Where The Heart Is," featuring nods to the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, her Be Best initiative, and military families.

I visited the White House for an early look at this year's holiday display. Take a look.

I entered the White House through the North Portico stairs.

In previous years, White House tours began at the East Entrance.

On my way in, I saw Melania Trump's Christmas wreaths with red bows in the White House windows.

The wreaths also appear on this year's official White House Christmas card.

The East Room featured a tribute to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The East Room decor, which included patriotic nods, was a collaboration with America250, the national organization in charge of planning events for America's semiquincentennial next year.

The East Room's Christmas trees glittered with red, white, and blue decorations.

Red, white, and blue striped ribbons were accompanied by oak leaves, a traditional symbol of strength.

Golden eagles were also displayed in the East Room.

The Christmas trees were topped with gold eagle ornaments, which also appeared on the East Room's mirrors.

The Green Room displayed portraits of President Donald Trump and President George Washington made of puzzle pieces.

Each portrait contained 6,000 pieces.

Dedicated to the theme of playfulness, the Green Room contained childhood toys in every corner.

Miniature Christmas trees made of dominoes were built on a side table.

The Official White House Christmas tree served as the centerpiece of the Blue Oval Room.

This year's Official White House Christmas tree is an 18-foot concolor fir from Sidney, Michigan.

The tree was decorated with ornaments depicting the official bird and flower of every US state and territory, as well as gold stars honoring the Gold Star families of fallen US soldiers.

The ornaments were created using AI and 3D printed.

The Red Room was filled with butterflies, a youthful nod to the first lady's Fostering the Future program supporting children in foster care.

The Red Room decor included a total of 10,000 butterflies.

Its Christmas tree was decorated with Be Best ornaments and Fostering the Future ribbons.

Fostering the Future is part of Melania Trump's Be Best initiative focused on children's wellness.

The State Dining Room featured a gingerbread White House complete with a miniature South Portico.

The intricate White House model is made of 120 pounds of gingerbread, 100 pounds of pastillage dough, over 10 pounds of chocolate, and 5 pounds of royal icing.

In the Grand Foyer, the US Marine Band played holiday classics such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."

I also recognized "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" from Disney's "Frozen."

A portion of the White House Creche was displayed in the Grand Foyer while the rest undergoes restoration work.

The White House Creche, a Nativity scene dating back to the 18th century, was first displayed at the White House in 1961 and appeared on President John F. Kennedy's 1963 Christmas card.

The Cross Hall glowed with ceiling projections and additional Christmas trees.

Piles of boxes in red gift wrap were assembled at the base of the trees, and scented candles filled the air with a warm, spiced aroma.

I got a close-up look at the painting depicting Donald Trump's raised fist after he survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Painted by artist Marc Lipp, the piece hangs where President Barack Obama's official White House portrait was displayed during the Biden administration.

In total, the White House Christmas decorations feature 51 Christmas trees, over 2,000 strands of lights, and 25,000 feet of ribbon.

The White House reopens for public tours on December 2 — the first tours offered since the demolition of the East Wing. To schedule a tour, members of Congress submit tour requests on behalf of their constituents.

The display was dazzling, but I wish I could have seen the East Wing in its former glory.

Before its demolition, the East Wing was once a focal point of the White House's Christmas decorations and the first stop on tours. The East Colonnade's long hallway in particular lent itself to immersive, and occasionally divisive, displays.

There's less space to decorate at the White House until Donald Trump's 90,000-square-foot ballroom is complete, but I still loved seeing the Executive Mansion all decked out for the holidays.

• I upgraded my family's flights to United Premium Plus, the class between economy and business.
• Most of the perks, like two free checked bags and priority boarding, weren't useful to me.
• But the seats felt so luxurious and comfy that they helped us feel well-rested after a long flight.

I love to travel and usually prefer to spend less on flights so that I can stretch my budget and take as many trips as possible.

That usually means looking longingly at more comfortable seats in the front of the plane while I make do with standard economy in the back.

However, my family and I recently tried United's Premium Plus, an offering between economy and business class, on a long flight.

Although I'm still not planning on regularly splurging on upgrades, I now understand why some passengers spend hundreds (or thousands) of dollars for comfier seats.

I found a deal on premium seats that felt too good to pass up

When planning my family's July trip to South Korea, I was pleasantly surprised to find some great flight prices.

I could get my family from Washington, DC, to San Francisco and then onward to Seoul for only 55,000 miles, or about $550 a person. I'd expected to pay at least twice as much.

Even better, I found a mixed fare that would allow us to fly in United's Premium Plus for the longer leg of our trip from San Fransico to Seoul for only 10,000 additional points each, which is roughly equivalent to $100.

This felt like a steal considering upgrading from economy to premium for some of these flights cost over $500.

Typically, I'd save my points and go for the cheapest ticket. However, our flight from San Francisco to Seoul was nearly 13 hours.

After factoring in the flight from DC to San Francisco, a layover, and time spent getting to and from the airport, I realized that we would've been traveling for close to 24 hours by the time we arrived at our hotel in Seoul.

Given the great deal I'd found, I decided to splurge on the upgraded seats to increase the chances that my family could get quality rest on the plane.

I hoped this would help us adjust to the significant time difference — 14 hours between DC and Seoul — and recover from a grueling travel day more easily.

Most of my ticket's perks weren't useful to me, but Premium Plus still felt so luxurious

The main draw of premium was the bigger, comfier seats, but my upgraded ticket also came with other perks.

I gained access to priority boarding, but this didn't provide additional value to me because I already receive this benefit as a United credit-card holder.

In premium, we got two free checked bags each. However, we travel light and didn't use this perk, either. One benefit I might've used was complimentary access to United Club lounges, but my ticket didn't come with it.

However, as soon as I boarded my flight to Seoul, I didn't care that my premium seats didn't come with any other perks that I found useful.

My seat was fantastic, and that alone made the upgrade worthwhile.

A cozy blanket and pillow from Saks Fifth Avenue and a nice amenity kit were waiting for me when I sat down. My seat felt very spacious and had a deep recline — 6 inches, compared to 3 in economy — plus a footrest.

I was able to stretch my legs plenty, given that the seat pitch was 38 inches, about 7 inches bigger than economy.

Though my seat did not lie flat, which is usually a feature reserved for business and first class, I found that having ample legroom and a wider seat made a huge difference in comfort.

I also appreciated getting a larger seatback screen and higher-quality headphones than I'm used to in economy.

The meals on my flight were also very tasty and were served in ceramic dishes with metal flatware. It was also nice to have a real glass and cloth napkins instead of disposable ones.

Getting off the plane, I felt pampered and refreshed

Just as I had hoped, my children and I arrived in Seoul feeling refreshed and relaxed after our exceedingly long journey.

When I wanted to sleep, I dozed off easily, with my legs outstretched and enough room on both sides to not have to worry about bothering my neighbor. My children also rested well.

I really think my family and I adjusted to our new time zone much more quickly than we would've if we'd flown in cramped basic-economy seats.

I still plan on being frugal when it comes to spending my hard-earned dollars and airline miles. However, now I know firsthand just how much comfortable seats can help with beating jet lag.

Upgrades are definitely worth the splurge for longer flights that cross several time zones, and I'd consider flying premium again in the future.

• A Delta Air Lines flight from China to Detroit diverted to Japan.
• It touched down in Tokyo-Haneda about two hours after taking off.
• Local media reported that it had hydraulic issues.

A Delta Air Lines flight from China to the US had to divert to Japan due to mechanical issues.

Friday's Flight 388 took off from Shanghai at 5:46 p.m. and was supposed to land in Detroit some 13 hours later.

However, less than two hours into the journey, the Airbus A350 began descending off the coast of Japan as it changed course for Tokyo.

It touched down at Tokyo Haneda Airport around two hours after taking off.

An airline spokesperson told Business Insider the crew "followed procedures to divert to Tokyo-Haneda after reporting a mechanical issue."

Japanese officials told local media that the plane had suffered from hydraulic issues, which could impact key components like the landing gear.

"The aircraft landed safely, and we apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel plans," the Delta spokesperson said. "Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and crew."

It's unclear how much of a delay passengers faced as they appeared to be rerouted via alternative flights.

Data from Flightradar24 shows that the A350, registered as N512DN, remained in Tokyo for another 26 hours.

It was repositioned to Seattle, one of Delta's hubs, before continuing on to Detroit.

On Saturday, the plane flew its first regularly scheduled commercial flight since the incident, heading to Seoul.

Flight 388 wasn't the only long-haul Delta flight that diverted last week.

An Airbus A330 flying from Paris to Minneapolis on Wednesday made a U-turn less than 20 minutes after taking off.

• As the secondhand luxury market continues to grow, shoppers are increasingly buying with resale in mind.
• When it comes to handbags, certain styles, designers, and colors tend to hold their value more than others.
• Fashionphile founder Sarah Davis broke down what to look for when buying and selling luxury bags.

The first handbag Sarah Davis ever sold was a Louis Vuitton red Epi bucket bag. As a law student looking to make money, she'd bought it at a DC thrift store in 1999 for $250 and flipped it on eBay. She used the proceeds to buy two more and do the same.

While she ditched eBay and outsourced procurement, she's essentially doing the same thing 25 years later as the founder of Fashionphile, a secondhand luxury platform. Over the past 25 years, the company said it has sold 2 million accessories — including several Louis Vuitton red Epi bucket bags.

The company expects to sell more than $500 million worth of products this year and is profitable, it said.

Fashionphile's rise has coincided with a surge in the luxury resale market.

The secondhand fashion and luxury market is expected to grow two to three times as fast as the firsthand luxury market over the next two years and reach $317 billion globally by 2027, according to a November report from McKinsey.

Affordability and accessibility are driving the growth.

"There was a day that there were two real, in my opinion, entry points to luxury," Davis said: Coach and counterfeits. "Now they don't have to do either. They can come straight to us."

As secondhand becomes second nature, consumers are shopping with resale in mind.

Luxury watches, jewelry, and bags — all of which Fashionphile sells — are popular investment pieces, the McKinsey report said. They tend to hold their value and can sell for more on the secondhand market than they do on the primary one.

Davis buys into the model. One of her favorite bags is a mini Chanel flap bag that she's had for more than a decade. She bought it used, of course, and plans to resell it soon, only because her new phone can't fit.

"I could sell it for thousands more, even in the shape it's in," Davis said.

As the ultimate handbag reseller, Davis shared three tips for shopping and selling handbags on the secondhand luxury market.

1. Classics are classics for a reason.

If you're looking for resale value, stick to signature styles.

Fashionphile's No. 1 selling bag this year is the Louis Vuitton Speedy. The Chanel Double Flap and Hermès Evelyne are also hits.

"We sell, every day, dozens of the classics," Davis said. "They get on the site; they move very quickly."

These bags are never on sale, and their prices increase every year. That means if you wait it out long enough — and treat your bag well enough — there will be a payday.

"You take that Louis Vuitton bag, keep it for a few years, you will be able to sell it for more than you bought it for," she said. "It's kind of like buying a house; you sell that, get more money, build your way up to your Birkin."

2. Black and brown can equal green.

Like classic styles, classic colors hold their value the best.

"Black is always a go," Davis said.

Brown — ranging from taupe to caramel to chocolate — is Fashionphile's second most popular color.

Unlike other colors, which can trend in and out, these neutral tones are timeless, which means you can resell an item in one of these hues next year or in 10 years.

3. Don't be afraid to dig.

Getting the best deal, whether or not you're planning to resell, takes work, Davis said.

"There are so many bargains to be had — 70%, 80% off retail — if you're willing to do the search," she said.

Fashionphile has tens of thousands of items available at any given moment. Most users, she said, won't go through them all, focusing instead on new arrivals or the most popular styles.

Some of the best deals are on items that are a slight variation of the classic. A navy Chanel bag will sell for less than a black one, for example, and a more obscure shape Louis Vuitton will sell for less than a Speedy.

"There are some funky little styles, and you take a little bit of color, you're going to get an incredible deal," she said.