ABC News' Emily Wither Reports: The United Kingdom celebrated the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin this week and marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of the English naturalist's famous book, "On The Origin Of Species." To mark the bicentennial, Darwin's home and study was re-opened to the public following a three month renovation by English Heritage. The Down House in Kent was Darwin's home for 40 years.

If you don't fancy a trip to Kent and want to stay in London, the Natural History Museum is also celebrating Darwin's ideas, running what it calls the largest ever exhibition covering all aspects of his life. The display features a range of original artifacts and documents as well as a ceiling installation of a cut-away tree.

If you have a date to impress this weekend, a sure-fire recipe for Valentine's romance would be a red rose flight on the London Eye. The eye, for those of you who don't know, is a large, enclosed ferris wheel offering spectacular views of the city during the day and night. This Saturday, it will be lit up in red and you can spoil your loved one on a 30-minute ride, rose, champagne and chocolates included.

And if an evening of forced romance in an overcrowded restaurant doesn't sound appealing to you, why not cheer yourself up with Comedy Camp's (Anti)-Valentine's Day Special at Barcode? Three top comedians who also feel equally grumpy about Valentine's Day will be performing.

ABC News' Emily Wither Reports: Londoners failed to maintain the British stiff upper lip this week as they were thrown into chaos after Britain's heaviest snow fall in nearly 20 years.

But with snowy weather expected to continue this weekend, why not beat the winter blues with a visit to Kew Gardens? This weekend the green fingers at Kew have been busy creating a "tropical extravaganza," filling a conservatory with thousands of orchids and tropical flowers such as bromeliads and anthuriums. The weekend also marks Kew's 250th anniversary and there will be all sorts of celebratory treats in store for visitors, not to mention over 300 acres of space for building the ultimate snowman.

If you'd rather spend the Saturday tucked up in bed, tire yourself out the night before in East London's trendy bar, "The Elbow Room." Tonight the kids will be given the elbow as D.J's Neil P, Ash and Reudan play old school R&B, hip-hop and soul for those born on or before Feb. 6, 1979.

Or if you've ever wondered what those city traders are really up to, take a trip to Soho Theatre this weekend for the fast-paced play "Roaring Trade" by Steve Thompson. It's a topical drama about how far people are prepared to go on the trading floor and it's been dubbed "well worth blowing your redundancy money on."

ABC News’ Emily Wither Reports: This weekend in London, visit The New Saatchi Gallery. The gallery opens its second show this weekend; “Unveiled – New Art from the Middle East.” Controversial paintings, sculptures and installations will be on display from 19 young artists from Iran to Algeria. Expect critical, explicit and political - the subject matter is grim ranging from suicide bombers to the oppression of women.

Also raising its curtain this weekend at The Barbican Theatre is a powerful Japanese performance touching on the themes of love and violence and blurring the lines between the old and new Japan. ‘Shun-kin’ is based on the writings of 20th century author Jun'ichiro Tanizaki and tells two tales; ‘A Portrait Of Shunkin’ and ‘In Praise Of Shadows’ which were both written in 1933. The performances will be in Japanese with English subtitles.

Or why not celebrate the year of the Ox in and around London’s China Town. Celebrations will kick off at midday on Sunday 1st February with traditional and contemporary Chinese entertainment in Trafalgar Square. Later on there will be fireworks in Leicester Square, lion dance displays in the heart of China Town and a performance stage in Shaftesbury Avenue.

Prosperity -- good luck, fortune and health -- are some of the blessings we all need at this time of year during these economic times.

For many Asian countries, the beginning of this week is filled with New Year festivities and traditions despite the state of the global economy. Asia celebrates the New Year based on the Chinese calendar and zodiac. The Chinese zodiac identifies 12 symbolic animals with specific characteristics for 12-year cycles that assign elements of metal, wood, earth, water or fire.

This lunar new year lands on Jan. 26 with the arrival of the ox and a mixed farewell to the rat. The ox symbolizes prosperity and fortitude -- a character with a lot of patience, who is a hard worker and tenaciously seeks solutions.

Across Asia, each country celebrates the New Year with different cultural food and traditions. China and Taiwan seem to be the most festive and colorful by celebrating with fanfare, fireworks, lion dances and ancestral memorials. Many people wear red, a color that symbolizes luck and good fortune and protects against negativity. Food, especially sweets, certain meats and noodles hold significant meaning. For example, long noodles symbolize longevity.

One common tradition shared by many Asian cultures is to clean your house on New Year's eve. Spring cleaning to start a new year gets rid of any bad luck and evil spirits. Much of the holiday is spent with family. Children bow to their elders with well wishes of health and joy. In return, they receive a little prize of their own -- envelopes of money.

You don't need to be in Asia to celebrate the lunar new year. Asian Americans in the U.S. spend the holiday with local restaurants and community activities. For instance, restaurants and performers gather in New York's Chinatown for a week-long celebration. Most of New Year's is spent with family and extended relatives.

Personally, my family has kept simple Korean traditions for Seolnal (Korean lunar new year). Every year, Koreans eat a bowl of sliced rice cake soup with dumplings called duk mandu gook or ttukguk. Many Korean families eat this from the start of the morning and it's jokingly said that each bowl you eat adds a year to your life. My mother also prepares sashimi for our family set for good luck. Young children are dressed in the colorful silk hanbok, a traditional outfit.

For fun, most children play a game called 'Yut' (pronounced 'yoot'). It's a board game where you throw one-side-painted sticks instead of dice. The way the sticks land with art laying up or down determines how many points you move on the board.

When young Koreans bow to their parents and elders, we have a certain bow which we call sebe and a saying -- "Say hae bok man he bah du say oh" -- for well wishes in the new year. As we bow, parents and elders give their blessings and hopes for each individual in the new year. Children receive envelopes of money from their elders. Families will also pay respects to their past relatives by either setting up a table with fruits, food and dates or by visiting their graves. Respect, best wishes and eating together with family is central to marking the lunar new year.

The Year of Obama?

Coincidentally, President Barack Obama was born under the sign of the ox in 1961. And it seems that he's started his presidency with all the characteristics of his lunar sign. Recently, he's brought some prosperity to local businesses by hanging out in the local scene around the nation's capital. (Read: Obama: Washington's Man About Town)

Born on Aug. 4, 1961, Obama is more specifically a metal ox.

According to astrology.com: "Since this is an Earth year, those people born in a Metal year will generally fare better than others of their animal sign ... The year 2009 will be a period of lasting accomplishments."

Hence, in the year of the ox, it's no surprise that the nation, as well as the world, is waiting to see what fortune Obama's first year in office will offer.

- ABC News' Eleanor Hong

In the latest advance in green air travel, a Continental Airlines flight leaves from Houston's George Bush Airport on Wednesday powered in part by biofuels.

The 737 jet will not carry passengers but will be the first flight by a U.S. carrier powered by a combination of traditional jet fuel and a biofuel. The biofuel, made from oil from the jatropha plant blended with algae, is among many alternative fuels that people are testing in hopes that they will do less damage to the environment than traditional jet fuels.

"The technical knowledge we gain today will contribute to a wider understanding of the future for transportation fuels," said Continental chairman and CEO Larry Kellner in a Wednesday statement.

The flights are the latest advances in the aviation industry's efforts to go green. Whether constructing new terminals or offering travelers ways to offset the carbon emitted from their trips by donating money to environmental projects, the industry is working to curb the notion that commercial aviation is polluting the skies.

"The simple combination of sunlight, CO2 and algae to produce a carbon-neutral, renewable fuel source has the potential to profoundly change the petrochemical landscape forever," added Jason Pyle, CEO of Sapphire Energy, the group that provided the algae oil for the Continental flight. "Today's flight puts us one step closer to moving away from fossil fuels and energy dependency, and with no impact on the transportation infrastructure, food sources or the environment."

Though the Continental flight is a first in the U.S., other airlines around the world are also working to make strides in environmentally friendly aviation.

Richard Branson tested an alternative fuel in one of his Virgin Atlantic planes last February when the carrier flew from London's Heathrow airport to Amsterdam using biofuels. Air New Zealand also recently conducted a similar test on Dec. 30, flying a 747 plane partially powered by jatropha oil.

Still, many say relying on biofuels to power flights will take some time.

-ABC News' Kate Barrett

He's the season's most famous traveler and so far his trip appears to be running on time.

As travelers await their flights in airports nationwide, Santa Claus is gearing up for a lengthy Christmas Eve journey himself, according to several web sites that track Jolly Old St. Nick.

Pinpointing Santa is a complex process that involves satellites, Santa Cams, radar and fighter jets, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, which has famously tracked Santa for more than 50 years with increasingly precise technology. Radar will indicate exactly when Santa Claus leaves the North Pole. High speed-cameras scattered at various locations around the world will capture photos of him as he zooms through the night. Fighter pilots will fly alongside him to welcome his sleigh to North America.

"Satellites positioned in geo-synchronous orbit at 22,300 miles from the Earth's surface are equipped with infrared sensors which enable them to detect heat," NORAD's web site explains. "Amazingly, Rudolph's bright red nose gives off an infrared signature which allow our satellites to detect Rudolph and Santa."

In addition to finding out where Santa is online, families can also turn to NORAD to track Santa on their cell phones.

In cities around the country, families and aviation officials are also on the lookout. The Dallas-Fort Worth airport, for instance, "has it on good authority that Santa will be landing at DFW between 11 p.m. and midnight Christmas Eve," according to a Monday press release.

Starting on Christmas Eve, children can track Santa and his reindeers' journey online as he flies through Texas, thanks to the airport's "one-of-a-kind navigational technology." Families can also call 972-586-NOEL (6635) for an update on his whereabouts.

"Santa is scheduled to arrive on the west airfield on runway 18 left / 36 right, guided by the FAA, he will have easy access to the Airport's General Aviation facility for his quick refueling stop," said Ken Capps, vice president of public affairs for the Dallas Fort-Worth Airport. "Last year he only stopped long enough for a 'wink of his eye and a twist of his head.'"

-ABC News' Kate Barrett

EARLY EVENING UPDATE: More than 1,000 cancellations nationwide are plaguing holiday travelers today. Cancellations and lengthy delays of up to five and a half hours continue to face travelers at New York City area's three major airports, including JFK, LaGuardia and Newark. Winter weather is also backing up planes in Philadelphia.

In New Jersey, Teterboro airport keeps opening and closing due to snow removal. Elsewhere in the country, travelers are faring okay in Chicago with no major delays. Milwaukee's airport is closed due to snow removal. In the west, Salt Lake City is experiencing delays due to weather. Air travelers will also encounter minor delays in San Francisco.

Between Delta, Northwest and nine Delta connection flights, the carriers are in the neighborhood of canceling more than 300 flights collectively. Delta says it has been able to rebook more than 90 percent of its passengers within 8 hours of their original flights.

***
Today is one of the two busiest travel days of the holiday season, according to the Air Transport Association, but winter weather across much of the country means travelers today are facing significant delays.

Around 2 p.m. Friday, here's information from the FAA about how delays are stacking up.

At New Jersey's Newark airport: Snow and ice in the New York City region is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 5 hours and 27 minutes.

At New York's JFK: Travelers are looking at an average 3 hour and 20 minute delay on some arriving flights at JFK.

At New York's LaGuardia: Some arriving flights are delayed an average of 4 hour and 20 minutes.

In Philadelphia: Wet weather, snow and ice have arriving flights delayed an average of 2 hours and 55 minutes.

At Chicago O'Hare: The winter weather means air travelers are looking at gate hold and taxi delays between 16 and 30 minutes.

In San Francisco: Weather and low ceilings are creating minor delays of 15 minutes or less.

Airlines, too are reporting on their status as of 2 p.m. All airlines are allowing travelers to rebook with no penalty.

Southwest has canceled 35 flights today.

Continental has pre-canceled about 90 flights for today in Newark.

US Airways is reporting 19 system-wide cancellations at mainline today due to bad weather among its mainline flights and another 265 cancellations on its Express flights.

At United, 67 flights were canceled as of noon CST.

At American, 45 roundtrips were canceled out of O'Hare because of today's snow, but expects the situation to improve later in the day. American reported that it had about two dozen deicing trucks working this morning. American Eagle also canceled 32 roundtrips so far. At LaGuardia, American canceled 16 flights, including 6 between LaGuardia and O'Hare. At JFK, the carrier pre-canceled 7 flights for this afternoon. In Boston, American pre-canceled six flights for this evening because the snow is expected to be heavy there later in this afternoon.

JetBlue, whose largest operation is at JFK, has canceled 12 flights and are facing delays at the airport. Expectations are similar for JetBlue's flights out of Boston's Logan Airport.

Air Tran has canceled about 70 flights system-wide today because of severe weather in the Midwest and Northeast.

-ABC News' Lisa Stark