Good morning and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Let’s keep it brief… I just wanted to check in to see that you survived the overnight winds and that all your presents landed safely from Santa.
We watched It’s a Wonderful Life last night, and it was inspiring as promised. I hope you found something fun to do too.
If you want to continue the uplifting stories, read this New York Times tale from 2015 about a little girl who lived in Hell’s Kitchen back at the turn of the last century, and her wishes to Santa — including “P.S. Please do not forget the poor.” (HT to Renee)

Don’t forget to tune in for the Save West Bank Cafe Telethon today. You can drop in to see over 200 guests (check the list) from midday until around 9pm this evening.
What We’ve Been Reading
Take a look back at this snapshot of a New York Christmas in the 1970s. (Stuart Bailey Media)
Have you been splurging this Holiday season? (New York Times)
Exploring the origins of a Jewish Christmas tradition. (Bowery Boogie)
Are they planning a reboot for Sex and the City? (Vulture)
Hell’s Kitchen’s Martha Duke talks about the Sober Mom Squad. “People are measuring by the bottle,” she continued. “That scares me. I know too many women who went from one or two glasses to two bottles of wine to vodka in your coffee cup.” (New York Times)
Freeze Frame x2
There’s a rule to never work with children or animals, but we’re throwing that out the window this Christmas Day! Yuletide Joy to Laura, Kevin and the Hickman Triplets — and not forgetting Chauncy🎄

