The week in pictures

It's this week's most interesting stories in pictorial form. By Sian Claire Owen

There are no words

Funerals for the twenty children and seven teachers who lost their lives during the Sandy Hook tragedy are held in Newtown, Connecticut.
Window shoppers

Shop owners are making the most of their windows to entice shoppers to spend their money. This year, austerity bites and many are cash-strapped. Will Christmas save the day?
He does his own stunts

Tom Cruise plays Water Wars with presenter Jimmy Fallon in the US. He does his own stunts, including work with water pistols. Why do we look at Cruise and think of the word ‘frolick’? Hmmmm.
Winter mists

It may not be a White Christmas, but we’re certainly in for some wintry weather this year! Wrap up folks…
Winter sports-fest

Athletes compete in the FIS Nordic Combined World Cup in Austria. That looks cool, we want a go!
Christmas comes to Downing Street

An amazing Christmas party, complete with reindeer, is hosted for sick children at Number 10 Downing Street. We hope they had a wonderful time, we’re sure they did!
Utter madness!

Suggs proves that he’s still got it, as Madness perform at the O2 Arena in London.
Sports personality of the year!

Narrowly losing out to Bradley Wiggins on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, elite athlete and Olympic superstar Mo Farah (pictured with his daughter Rihanna) shows that nothing can get in the way of him having fun.
Molecule-tastic!

Singer Kelly Rowland performs at the WH1 Divas 2012 in Los Angeles, California. We’re perplexed at the stage set though. Is it a Christmas bauble, or is it a giant festive molecule? Interesting…
Crazy art

Fancy a skeleton in your cupboard? Damien Hirst’s ‘St Avertin Syndrome Charity Spin’ (yes, that is the name of the psychedelic skeleton) goes on sale at Sotheby's along with works from Anish Kapoor and Anthony Gormley. And all to raise money for the Kettle’s Yard Development Appeal in Cambridge.

See also: The Daily Bite
The Grinch steals Christmas!

The Grinch (well, actor Jeff McCarthy) visits the Empire State Building in New York, presumably before he decides to wreak Christmas havoc!