"Take a picture of my red tic-tacs!" The boy's enthusiasm for stocking stuffers proved impossible to resist.

“It is December 19th, and yes, that is a bit late to be writing a Christmas letter. Those less affected by holiday cheer might have thrown their hands up by now and admitted defeat. But I, being filled with perennial mirth (and having years of experience with procrastination), am not the least bit intimidated by the fact that some of you may very well receive this letter post-Christmas. So all pretense of celerity be darned—a very Merry Christmas in any case I say, and such associated well wishing as may be appropriate to you and yours, given your respective affiliations, etc, etc.”

Adapted from a draft of the never-finished “Westhoff Family Christmas Letter 2002”