The Holly and the Ivy. If you’re feeling tired of the standard set of classic holiday films, give The Holly and the Ivy a watch. In the movie, a family gathers at the home of their father — a recently widowed parson. This is not a happy reunion; hidden discord and disappointments, linked to the adult children’s belief that they can’t tell their dad what’s really going on in their lives because he’s a clergyman, emerge and get discussed. The Holly and the Ivy isn’t a classic for a reason; adapted from a play, it’s a little stagey and theatrical, the tone is kind of dark and downbeat, and not a whole lot happens, plot-wise. But the performances are excellent, the tension that’s explored between individual fulfillment and familial obligation is compelling for its realism, and the ending offers some interesting existential musings. If you’re in the mood for a Christmas movie that’s more reflective than festive, queue it up.
Speaking of “The Holly and the Ivy” — that’s an underrated song, and I’ll resurface the recommendation I made a couple of years back to listen to this version of it by The Lower Lights.
Larry Joltin, Master Shoe Salesman. I came across a 1983 CBS News clip about Larry Joltin, a shoe salesman in Sharon, Pennsylvania, who was hell-bent on being the best at what he did. The guy knew his inventory, understood fit, and actually cared whether a customer walked out with the right pair of shoes. He took pride in his work. Watching it now feels like looking at a lost world. I remember going to shoe stores like the one Larry worked at and being helped by a friendly, knowledgeable salesman wearing a shirt and tie. Online shopping is sure convenient, but the absence of having that human touch when buying something also feels like a loss.
Use this magic bullet to shoot yourself in the foot by Adam Mastroianni. Mastroianni argues that a lot of us are engaging in collective self-handicapping when it comes to solving the world’s problems. We convince ourselves that these problems are unsolvable so we can’t be blamed for not fixing them. Democracy’s doomed, AI is unstoppable, etc., etc. If everything’s already lost, nobody can fault you for not trying. The problem? Shooting yourself in the foot still leaves you with a bullet in your foot. Self-handicaps become self-fulfilling prophecies. Mastroianni traces this handicapping to our expanded moral circle. We’re supposed to care about everyone and everything, which is more caring than our brains can handle. So we end up not doing anything and despairing. His solution isn’t to shrink the circle or pretend we’re helpless. Rather, it’s to pick one problem. Do one small thing. The sum of our small actions can make the world a better place. It beats being a mope.
Vintage Christmas Glass Wax Stencils. Kate grew up decorating her family’s windows with glass wax stencils every December, and we’ve kept that tradition alive in our own home. The process is simple: you tape paper Christmas stencils to your windows, and then dab glass wax (a liquid window cleaner that goes on pink and dries in a white haze) onto them with a sponge. Once the glass wax dries, you peel off the stencil, and it looks like Jack Frost paid a visit. You can find vintage stencils on eBay (the older designs have more character than modern ones), and glass wax itself is still available on Amazon. A fun, hands-on way to make your home feel festive.
On our Dying Breed newsletter, we published Sunday Firesides: Restore the True Meaning of Focus and Dying Breed Dialogues: Jimmy Hawkins on It’s a Wonderful Life.
Quote of the Week
The earth has grown old with its burden of care, but at Christmas it always is young.
—Phillips Brooks
