Christmas Morning Open Thread

Merry Christmas!

I don't know why, but I was thinking of the time when I was studying abroad in Paris, at the age of 19, and our assignment was to stand in front of the class and explain in French a Christmas tradition from our native country. I chose the story of Santa, and explained to my mostly European colleagues how Santa visited our homes on Christmas eve, arriving on a big red sleigh, with Rudolph at the helm, and how he'd drop down our chimneys and leave gifts for all the kids, then twinkle his nose and fly back up the chimney, yelling "Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!" as he drove away with the red-nosed reindeer leading the way. They thought I was flipping nuts.

Which is a perfect segue to David Sedaris telling the tale of how Christmas is celebrated in Holland. I had tears in my eyes re-reading this last night. It is a joy, read it. Chris is posting the audio in the next few posts. Listening to Sedaris' deadpan is fabulous.

Oh, and Bush really is the gift that keeps on giving. One of the guys he pardoned this week is being accused of cheating low-income families into buying homes with hidden mortgage costs. After it was reported that the guy's family also contributed a rather large sum to the Republican party, Bush just unpardoned the guy a day later. Which has me scratching my head. The president has absolute power in the Constitution to pardon anyone. He does not have the power to unpardon. In essence, he just sent this guy back to jail, after his sentence was erased. I'd be real suspicious about the notion that Bush has the power to re-sentence anyone. And if Bush can do it after one day, can he do it after 10, or 100, or 1000 days? Can Marc Rich be unpardoned? How about Cap Weinberger? I mean, if you can unpardon your own pardons, then why can't another president unpardon your pardons? I'm going to enjoy the lawsuit that this is certainly going to lead to.