Attribution: Photo by Norman Tsui on Unsplash By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, looks over the keeper’s shoulder as he and Phyllis view the tragic Christmas morning news under the headline: “SANTA MISSING AFTER SLEIGH CRASHES INTO NONEXISTENT WHITE HOUSE WING.” The unredacted story followed. “In what witnesses described as a terrible accident, Rudolph, using misinformation from elf …
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Category:Holidays
Christmas Spirit 2.0
Attribution: Sheila Sund from Salem, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter This piece will be published on Christmas Day, 2025, so Merry Christmas to everyone. May God bless us, every one—and God knows we need it. Despite enduring one of the most malignant, avaricious, spiteful, and vindictive men to ever hold …
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Kickass and Good Luck
Attribution: Evan-Amos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports that he and the keeper and Phyllis wish everyone a very merry Christmas and the best of luck in the coming New Year. And isn’t it “luck” that it all comes down to—good luck in dodging the bad ones and …
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The Pen in Hand Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: An Evening with Jon Batiste
Attribution: Possibly Jenny Nyström (1854-1946), Swedish illustrator, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The holiday season is all about family tradition. Whether it’s about going to Midnight Mass, carving the Christmas ham, avoiding the mother-in-law’s homemade eggnog, or sampling Grandma’s oyster stew, traditions are what makes our holidays special. We are lucky to …
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The Pen in Hand Guide to Unconventional Christmas Moments: Enjoying the Holidays at Pee Wee’s Playhouse
Attribution: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The holiday season is all about family tradition. Whether it’s about going to Midnight Mass, carving the Christmas ham, avoiding the mother-in-law’s homemade eggnog, or sampling Grandma’s oyster stew, traditions are what makes our holidays special. We are lucky to be able to celebrate …
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Kickass and Polar Plunge
Attribution: eagle102.net, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper is anxious to firm up his and Phyllis’s excuse for not attending the big Mazomanie Winter Solstice bonfire and the subsequent plunge into Black Earth Creek. The fact is they were both busy with their recliner clinical trials …
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The Pen in Hand’s Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: Auggie Wren’s Christmas Story
Attribution: Marek Slusarczyk, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter The holiday season is all about family tradition. Whether it’s about going to Midnight Mass, carving the Christmas ham, avoiding the mother-in-law’s homemade eggnog, or sampling Grandma’s oyster stew, traditions are what makes our holidays special. We are lucky to be able to celebrate …
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Kickass and Playing Santa
Attribution: John Malmin, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons By Bill Stokes Kickass, the doorstop dog, reports the keeper doing a dive into Christmases past, WAY past when he was a State Journal staffer back in the ‘60’s and city editor Glen Miller ordered him to come up with an annual Christmas story to entertain the …
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The Pen in Hand’s Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: “Fairytale of New York”
Attribution: John Tenniel , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons By Geoff Carter Katzenjammer and Ben Caplan The holiday season is all about family tradition. Whether it’s about going to Midnight Mass, carving the Christmas ham, avoiding the mother-in-law’s homemade eggnog, or sampling Grandma’s oyster stew, traditions are what makes our holidays special. But some people are …
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The Possibilities Book
Photo by Geoff Carter By Geoff Carter Christmas is a time that, for most of us, evokes fond childhood memories. Who doesn’t sit around the tree on Christmas morning, watching their adorable children tear violent swaths through reams of wrapping paper, and remember their own visions of sugarplums, bikes, road race sets, Barbie dolls, board …
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Blue Christmas
Artwork by Michael DiMilo By Geoff Carter As we were trimming the tree last weekend, my wife asked me to bring in the laptop so we could listen to Christmas music. I complied—as any trained husband will—and set up the sound system in our dining room. And so we trimmed the tree and drank some …
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The Pen in Hand’s Collection of Unconventional Christmas Moments: “Babs and Knuckles Deck the Halls”
Babs and Knuckles in their Holiday Special Deck the Halls Artwork by Michael DiMilo Video and Story by Michael DiMilo In memory of Dave Bolyard The holiday season is all about family tradition. Whether it’s about going to Midnight Mass, carving the Christmas ham, avoiding the mother-in-law’s homemade eggnog, or sampling Grandma’s oyster stew, traditions …
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