Why Wait?

Animal lovers can make an impact right now by donating to Houston SPCA

No need to wait until the clock strikes midnight and 2024 arrives to make an impact in the lives of so many animals in need, right here in Houston.

Animals like Arnie, a beautiful Belgian Malinois who was rescued by Houston SPCA Animal Cruelty Investigators after surveillance video caught his owner hitting him with a weight and repeatedly kicking him. Arnie, now renamed Bones, is currently in a happy home with his fur siblings, living his best life.

That’s what gifting to the most comprehensive animal rescue and protection organization on the Gulf Coast can do.

And through December 31, every donation will be matched up to $45,000 thanks to a group of leadership donors.

So making an impact this holiday season is twice as nice for some of the most vulnerable animals in our city — before you even say farewell to 2023.

Here are two ways you can spread the joy of giving:

Monthly giving

Your monthly donation can help Houston SPCA equip and support its staff and facility every day.

By supporting Houston SPCA, you enable the staff to respond to the 14,000 cruelty reports and rescue calls they receive each year and provide direct care to animals who have been neglected and abused.

Their goal is to ensure that every animal in the Houston area is freed from abuse and neglect, but they rely on a strong and growing community of donors to achieve this.

Set up monthly giving here.

Planned giving

If you love animals and want to ensure that your love for them continues even after you're gone, you can take steps today to make a planned gift to the Houston SPCA.

This will not only be a powerful statement about your love for animals, but will also help countless animals through the organization's lifesaving programs.

Create your legacy today with planned giving.

Photo courtesy of Houston SPCA

Arnie, now named Bones, is now living his best life thanks to the Houston SPCA.

animals charity promoted

Winter Wonderland

Houston shines as top-10 hottest winter travel destination of 2026

Photo courtesy of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

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Houston's sunny disposition and affordable holiday happenings make it a hotspot for a winter getaway, and Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land has just been declared the No. 6 best winter destination for warm-weather lovers in 2026.

The ranking comes in WalletHub's new study, "Best Winter Holiday Destinations," which analyzed 69 U.S. metros based on the cost and convenience of traveling and the affordability of local attractions and activities. The rankings were categorized into six key dimensions: travel costs and hassles, local costs, attractions, weather, warm-weather activities, and safety, and the results were broken down by cold weather and warm weather.

Las Vegas leads the nation as the No. 1 best warm-weather winter destination, while Atlanta, Georgia ranks No. 1 among cold winter wonderlands.

The report found Houston ranks No. 3 nationwide for its "travel costs and hassles," and the metro also boasts the fourth-lowest "local costs," which included the cost of a three-star hotel room, the average price for a two-person meal, taxi fares costs, and the cost of living.

Here's how WalletHub broke down the metro's ranking across the remaining categories:

No. 6 – Attractions
No. 7 – Warm-weather winter activities
No. 23 – Weather
No. 34 – Safety

While Halloween is still on the horizon, that hasn't stopped local businesses from sharing their jolly events happening around Houston this holiday season.

"Whether you love to have a chill in your bones during the winter travel season or prefer to escape to somewhere sunny, the top travel destinations can cost as little as $200-$300 to reach by plane from major U.S. cities, with no connections," said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. "In addition to being affordable, the top cities also have an abundance of attractions that fit their weather patterns, along with high-quality restaurants and relatively low crime rates."

Texas dominates the 10 best warm-weather winter destinations for 2026 with Dallas-Fort Worth (No. 3), Austin (No. 4), and San Antonio (No. 9) joining Houston. Four other Texas cities earned spots lower on the list: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (No. 26), Brownsville-Harlingen (No. 31), Corpus Christi (No. 33), and Beaumont-Port Arthur (No. 35).

The top 10 best warm-weather winter destinations for 2026 are:

No. 1 – Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
No. 2 – San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California
No. 3 – Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
No. 4 – Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, Texas
No. 5 – Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, Arizona
No. 6 – Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas
No. 7 – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
No. 8 – Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida
No. 9 – San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas
No. 10 – San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California

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