He’s over the Congo as I write this, having recently made stops in Baghdad, Istanbul, and er, Saudi Arabia, where celebrating Jesus’s birthday in public is apt to land you in prison. Glad to see he made it out okay. It’s worth clicking on the little video look-ins, especially the one with the Pyramids. Did I miss something on the map, though, or did Santa skip Israel this year?

There may or may not be posts tonight. In case not, treat this as your holiday open thread. Below you’ll find something to put you in the mood; Ace’s version is more technically impressive, I grant you, but the music for this one is more seasonal. Whatever your preference, rest assured that you’re helping to kill the planet.

Finally, and fittingly, a wee lump of coal in the stocking courtesy of the Minnesota Supreme Court. Even on Christmas Eve, Republicans can’t catch a break.