Two well-written Christmas offerings:

1: In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash: Technically, the best of the holiday writing from this went into the film A Christmas Story, which remains my favorite holiday movie despite overexposure every Christmas day for most-if-not-all the years my kid has walked this earth.  The rhythm and the imagery are amazing. You can watch the movie with your eyes closed and envision the whole thing — though I wouldn’t miss one of Darren McGavin’s eyebrow twitches for all the money.

2: A Visit From St. Nicholas:  Seriously, does anyone write like this anymore? I still get goosebumps when I hear “More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came…”  Yes, poetry requires a lot more polishing and every single word choice matters, but this one is a time-honored tradition for a good reason — and it sounds just as good read out loud as it sounds in one’s own head.  True love.