Christmas Links #23

Coca-Cola didn’t invent Santa ... the 10 biggest Christmas myths debunked:
"Are you still boring your relatives with stories about Prince Albert’s tree and the origin of mistletoe kisses. Stop! The truth is much more interesting..."

The Worst Tweets Of 2016:
"Everyone should be ashamed of themselves."

Spain's 'El Gordo' lottery sparks celebrations across Madrid:
"Workers at a home for the elderly were among those celebrating Thursday in Madrid after all the tickets with the top prize-winning number in Spain's 2.3 billion-euro ($2.4 billion) Christmas lottery were sold in one city neighborhood."

COLUMN: December 22, 2016:
"TWAS the day before the night before the night before Christmas, and all through the house it was utter bedlam."

The Definitive Analysis Of ‘Love Actually,’ The Greatest Christmas Movie Of Our Time:
"“Love Actually,” the 2003 film that launched a generation of cinematic hot takes, is the story of nine interconnected relationships in the weeks ahead of Christmas in the United Kingdom."
[Editor's note: That title. But it's otherwise a pretty useful analysis which hits many of the same notes as my research.]



It's Christmas! The best festive songs, chosen by Slade, Neil Diamond, the Waitresses and more:
"Slade, Loretta Lynn, Run-DMC and Mike Batt have given us some all-time Christmas classics. But what’s the one Christmas song they couldn’t get through the holidays without? They – and other festive hitmakers – give us their picks ."

Jewish family flees Lancaster County after wrongly being blamed for Christmas play cancellation:
"A Jewish family has fled Lancaster County after the cancellation of a 5th grade production of "A Christmas Carol" was partially blamed on them by conservative news outlets."

FULLY OPERATIONAL FANDOM: FANS SHARE STAR WARS HOLIDAY MEMORIES:
"‘Tis the season and Star Wars fans have already received the best possible gift thanks to the release of Rogue One. But as the holiday and the end of the year approaches, it’s only natural to turn towards the past. I asked fans about their memories of holidays of yore that have ties to Star Wars and received answers that will make you smile from ear to ear."

The North Pole is going to be 50 degrees warmer than usual, three days before Christmas:
"For the second year in a row, temperatures in the Arctic region have spiked, startling scientists."

Racist White Lady Spreads Racist Christmas Cheer To Hispanic Ladies, Racistly:
"Yay, another white racist lady video has gone viral! Even better, this time it is Christmas-themed, because it’s Christmas! It’s a truism these days that, wherever several are gathered when a white lady (or a dumb white man trying to work out his resentment over why he didn’t do better in life) goes on a racist tirade in public, somebody will pull out their Obamaphone and film the whole thing, and they will get reaction shots from the other bystanders, who are equally as “WTF?” as everybody else about the fragile, melting white snowflake making noise in front of them."