Crazy Chocolate Santa

2.4 million calories of chocolate: This giant Santa in a Houston hotel needs to be seen to be believed

Santa is already here in town and you truly won't believe how big (and sweet) he really is.

The Hilton Americas-Houston and its award-winning pastry chef Mahesh Weerasinghe created a 1,000 pound chocolate holiday display featuring Santa Claus and his elves.

Entirely hand-sculpted from what equates to a half ton of dark chocolate and chocolate dough, the larger-than-life Santa sits in his chair surrounded by two elves, a pack, a wagon full of toys and a lamppost, all atop a base of poured milk chocolate which has been carefully crafted to resemble the boards of a weathered wood floor.

The amount of chocolate used to create the piece is equivalent to 95,000 chocolate kisses.

The amount of chocolate used to create the piece is equivalent to 95,000 chocolate kisses. It's 2,432,000 calories of chocolate.

Using his training from award-winning chocolatier Rudy Wieder, combined with his own artistic talent, Weerasinghe crafted the tasty one-of-a-kind creation by sculpting the chocolate just as an artist sculpts clay. It took approximately 400 man-hours and two months of creative work and construction to go from the initial conception to the completion of the chocolate scene, which also includes a gingerbread-bricked fireplace behind the figures to complete the sweet Christmas diorama.

The unique creation will be on display in the lobby of the Hilton Americas — located at 1600 Lamar — until Dec. 30.

What will happen to the chocolate figures in the new year, you wonder?

Hilton Americas public relations manager Tere Perry tells CultureMap that it will be stored until the 2014 holiday season. At that time, Weerasinghe will add more to the display (perhaps a Mrs. Claus?) and the hotel will continue the tradition for years to come.

The one-of-a-kind chocolate holiday display at the Hilton Americas was crafted using 1,000 pounds of chocolate.

Hilton Americas holiday chocolate display December 2013

Photo by Elizabeth Rhodes

The one-of-a-kind chocolate holiday display at the Hilton Americas was crafted using 1,000 pounds of chocolate.

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only the best in HOU

Houston's IAH soars as 4th best airport for holiday travel in 2024

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston

George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Facebook

Houstonians are in safe hands at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Houston's punctual and award-winning George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) has just been rated the fourth best airport in the country for the upcoming holiday travel season, so says a new report by travel experts Locals Insider.

The study examined the percentage of on-time departure flights at 50 of the biggest airports in America to discover the 10 best and worst airports for traveling during the holidays. Departure statistics and reasons for delays were analyzed from November 17, 2023 to January 3, 2024.

According to the report's findings, IAH had an on-time departure rate of 85.8 percent during the 2023 holiday period. That means out of the 13,921 total scheduled flights departing from the airport, only 1,976 flights were delayed. That's a pretty good track record.

IAH has been working hard to deliver the best travel experiences for its passengers, including opening its new Terminal D, investing in much-needed bathroom upgrades, showing off its award-winning art and entertainment program, and providing top notch dining experiences.

Though IAH appeared on Locals Insider's top 10 best list, Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) descended onto the travel guide's 10 worst U.S. airports for holiday travel this year.

Appearing at No. 8, HOU isn't the worst offender on the list, but its holiday season delay and cancellation rate in 2023 was 22 percent.

"Although Houston’s William P Hobby experiences fewer departing flights compared to other airports on our top 10 list, it’s still prone to disruptions," the report's author wrote. "Overall, more than one in five (22 percent) of departing flights are either delayed or canceled during the holidays."

The study's data found 1,178 holiday flights at HOU were cancelled in 2023, and only 19 were delayed.

Ranking as the No. 1 best airport for holiday travel is Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., which had an 88.6 percent on-time departure rate.

For Houstonians that will be traveling this holiday season, Locals Insider recommended five best-practice tips for a smooth travel experience: Book an early morning flight as those are less prone to delays (additionally, book a direct flight), apply for TSA PreCheck to avoid long screening processes, and budget more time to arrive early to the airport.

The report also suggests packing light and shipping gifts to their intended destination ahead of time.

"Even the TSA recommends shipping your wrapped gifts rather than packing them in your luggage or carry-on," the report said.

The top 10 best U.S. airports for holiday travel in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Washington Dulles International
No. 2 – Minneapolis-St. Paul International
No. 3 – Salt Lake City International
No. 4 – George Bush Intercontinental
No. 5 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 6 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
No. 7 – Newark Liberty International
No. 8 – Detroit Metro Wayne County
No. 9 – Chicago O'Hare International
No. 10 – Charlotte Douglas International

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics defines the Thanksgiving travel period from November 17-28, and the winter holiday travel period from December 14 through January 3, 2024. The study included data from both holiday travel periods, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Airline Service Quality Performance System (ASQP).