Al’s Christmas Tea: Uncovering St. Nick’s Sarcophagus, Unraveling the Mysteries of the Office Christmas Party
Welcome back in for Al’s Christmas Tea, our chance to stop and sample some news of the season.
Have Archeologists Uncovered the Sarcophagus of “Santa Claus”?
Archeologists in Turkey have uncovered what they believe to be the sarcophagus of Santa Claus. Or more precisely, St. Nicholas of Myra, the fourth-century bishop whose generosity of spirit and secret habit of giving gifts to children gave rise to the figure we know as Santa Claus.
Fox News reports the sarcophagus was discovered in a two-story annex at St. Nicholas Church in Antalya, Turkey, the site where tradition holds St. Nicholas was originally buried.
Is it where the saint who became Santa was buried? The head of the excavation effort, Ebru Fatma Findik, says: “The discovery of a sarcophagus near the church, which is believed to be the resting place of St. Nicholas, could indicate that this site may indeed be the sacred area in question. We can say that we have reached archaeological evidence that confirms historical sources about St. Nicholas’ burial place being in the city’s sacred area.”
Elves in Santa Claus, Indiana Help Answer Mail for the “Man with the Bag”
Did you know that Santa has a town named after him in Indiana? In fact, Santa Claus, Indiana is home to numerous “elves” who for nearly a century have replied to letters addressed to the Big Guy in Red.
Every year, thousands of letters come into town, and volunteer elves make sure to personally answer each and every one.
Chief Elf Pat Koch has been helping craft replies for several decades now, starting when she was 12 years old. She told Fox News her father helped launch the project in the 1930s.
“When my father came back from the Navy, from World War I,” she said, “he went to the post office to visit the postmaster in Santa Claus, and found that he was just inundated with mail and letters from children.”
The letters are not all sugar plums and requests for video games. “We do get many sad letters,” she said. “I can say, last week I think it was, a child who was mature said, ‘I hope my mom gets drug tested.’ That’s really sad. And all we can say is, ‘Santa is hoping your mother gets better.’”
Letters to Santa can be sent to the Santa Claus Museum and Village any time of the year at:
Santa Claus
P.O. Box 1
Santa Claus, IN 47579
Tips for Surviving the Office Christmas Party
Christmas season means office Christmas parties, which can be a gift-wrapped opportunity for some employees to “holly-jolly” themselves right out of a job. On the other hand, office parties can also offer a chance for staffers to shine — and not just with tinsel.
John LeFevre, a former investment banker and creator of the previously anonymous GoldenSachsElevator Twitter handle (@GSElevator) that covered and satirized the banking industry, has posted a list of office party “do’s” and “don’ts.”
Rules for the office Christmas party:
1. Don’t skip it.
2. Eat before you show up to avoid getting intoxicated.
3. Wear what you wore to the office. The guy who changed into skinny jeans and his "going out" shirt clearly has too much free time.
4. Show up on time. Most…
— John LeFevre (@JohnLeFevre) December 12, 2024
Do you have any additional tips? We’d love to hear them at [email protected].
We Don’t Know Who This Little Girl Is, But …
… are we sure she’s not related to Donald Trump? This confident redhead tells it like it is after her boffo Christmas pageant performance, saying that she is “very proud of myself” before sharing her opinion of her friends. Well, as much as she could share before the microphone was taken from her tiny hands.
Adorable. Hysterical. Not the reason for the season, but the kind of seasoning that makes the season so tasty.
"VERY PROUD OF MYSELF": Four-year-old stuns Christmas show crowd with a nod to her own performance — and a special message to the critics in her class. pic.twitter.com/ocx0EqrSR9
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 17, 2024
Do we go to children’s Christmas shows for perfect performances, or for those moments like this no one can script?
The child was pretty gracious for the most part, and learned a valuable lesson in the meantime about oversharing. Kudos to the teacher with perfect timing and a gentle touch!
On the Stream Menu…
Jules Gomes reports “Vatican Insider Blows the Whistle on Pope Francis’s Gay, Green, Pro-Palestine Cabal.”
Wanda Alger tells us that “No, We Cannot Be Silent” about the scandals that continue to be exposed across ministries — but that we need to be careful and led by the Spirit in how we talk about them.
Al Perrotta is The Stream’s Washington bureau chief, coauthor with John Zmirak of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Immigration, and coauthor of the counterterrorism memoir Hostile Intent: Protecting Yourself Against Terrorism.