December 22, 2024

This week, we rocket coast to coast photographing holiday decorations, enter the hypnotic backyard world of damselflies ... and ask you to identify a story by a single stunning image. Plus, see the best wildlife and micro photography of the year.

PHOTOGRAPH BY JESSE RIESER 

A very American Christmas: As part of a project, photographer Jesse Rieser toured 18 states across the United States to document intriguing and visually arresting holiday decorations. From jogging Santas to Elvis in action (above) to an electrified Moses parting the Red Sea, he was on a mission to capture the extraordinary range of expression through Christmas decorations.

An evolving holiday: See how Christmas has changed over time 

See the ingenious toys made by refugee children

Embracing winter: This Nat Geo Explorer celebrates her (brrrr!) Arctic roots 

PHOTOGRAPH BY REMUS TIPLEA 

Oh, hello there: Photographer Remus Tiplea spent a summer mesmerized by the big-eyed, intricate, and colorful damselflies in his backyard in Romania. What he captured transports you into an almost Alice In Wonderland realm of wonder. 

Related: These 2024 images capture the stunning world under the microscope 

Photography 101: How Nat Geo Explorer Anand Varda photographs these little wonders

Related: This rare disorder is a leading cause of blindness in young people

Also: Face blindness is more common than you think

PHOTOGRAPH BY M’HAMMED KILITO

Your turn: We give you part of an image. You try to figure out what story the image is illustrating. We give you four options. Take the quiz to find out.

Related:
--Pictures of the Year 2024 
--How we got these stunning images 
--Wildlife photos of the year

Today’s Soundtrack:  Blue Christmas, Elvis Presley

Bonus track: ¿Donde Esta Santa Claus? Los Lobos 

Thank you very much for reading today’s newsletter, which was edited and curated by David Beard and produced by Alister Egamov, Sign up here to catch our Photos of the Week newsletter in 2025.