The Real St. Nick

On this, the feast day of St. Nicholas—the day on which Christians have traditionally given gifts, keeping clear from the clutter of stuff the Feast of the Nativity on Dec. 25—I give to you this wonderful lecture on The Real St. Nicholas. With wry humor and education that comes across more like love, John A. McGuckin, Nielsen Chair in Late Antique & Byzantine Christian History, relays the story of a radical critic of the slave trade, friend of the poor, and ardent defender of the Christian faith, and of how he became the fat, jolly icon of American consumerism. This may be the most devotionally enriching 25 minutes of your advent season!

This Week in the Blogosphere: A Special Christmas Music Edition

Because this is the first week of advent, I thought that more important than sharing my week’s meanderings around the web, was to do my part to help you prepare for the season. Of course, you can always check out my delicious profile to see what I’ve been sharing. But to get your holiday spirit brewing, here are some of my favorite Christmas songs:

Go Tell it on the Mountain, Bob Marley & the Wailers

Little Drummer Boy, Michael Franti & The Blind Boys of Alabama

Let It Be, Paul McCartney

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, The Good Lovelies

The Rebel Jesus, Jackson Browne



Christmas Song, Dave Matthews Band

Christmas Music

To get you into the Spirit, here are some of my favorite Christmas songs: