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Dr. Francine McGregor enjoys listening to NPR's "Santaland Diaries" by David Sedaris during the holiday season. Karolina Strack/The Daily Eastern News

Time hasn't worn away the feel of Christmas

By: Jim McNierey and Hayley Clark

Posted: 12/7/07

Christopher Wixson's favorite holiday story is not one to be found in a book.

While attending a Christmas party at his future father-in-law's house before he was married, the assistant English professor created his own story, and quite a mess.

Wixson said he had drank a little too much punch and decided that he needed to tend the fire but was unwilling to put his drink down to free up his hand.

"While gracelessly wrangling one-handed with the poker, I watched in abject horror as a burning log rolled out of the fireplace and across the white carpet," Wixson said.

Two sober party attendants managed to arrive on the scene and put out the fire and return the log before too much harm was done.

"Luckily, my future father-in-law was in another room which prevented him from chasing me through the snow with a baseball bat, or worse, cutting off my punch supply," Wixson said.

He said that most of the ash came out of the carpet, so the log did not cause much permanent damage. But Wixson is convinced he can still see the spot.

"Visiting the in-laws from then on became akin to living inside a Poe story," he said. "For I always believed I could still see the stain, its dark outline taunting me, an everlasting reminder of who let the log out."

Francine McGregor, an associate English professor, also has a non-traditional favorite.

She first heard about "Santaland Diaries" when her husband mimicked part of the performance.

"Santaland Diaries" is a performance on National Public Radio by David Sedaris where Sedaris tells of his days working as Crumpet at Macy's department store.

McGregor's husband imitated the part where Sedaris is recounting his singing of "Away in a Manger" to Santa Clause as Crumpet, one of Santa's elves, who sings like Billie Holiday.

"Crumpet singing is still my favorite part," McGregor said.

McGregor said it is her favorite holiday story "because it's irreverent, silly and funny."

She said that the first time she managed to hear the performance herself; she only caught the tail end of it.

"I had to wait until the next year to hear it again," she said.

McGregor finally caught the whole performance around 1996 and has been a fan ever since.

"Santaland Diaries" has also been included in Sedaris' book Barrel Fever and has been made into a short play, according to National Public Radio's Web site.

While many people like Wixson and McGregor have non-traditional holiday stories, others have stories that have been around for years.

Bonnie Irwin, dean of the Honors College and English professor, favors "A Christmas Story."

"I like the funny ones," she said.

She does not remember watching it as a child, but said it brings reminders.

"I love the scene where they have to go to the Chinese restaurant for Christmas dinner at the end," Irwin said. "Sometimes things don't turn out the way you planned and that's the way I like it."

Other household favorites are much older.

"It's A Wonderful Life" hit theaters sixty-one years ago and is still a popular holiday film today.

English professor Michael Loudon prefers this film around the holidays.

"About 30 years ago my wife introduced me to it," he said. "I have been watching it since then every Christmas."

He said he watches it regularly, but out of habit.

"It's an annual tradition," he said.

While movies may be vivid, some people still prefer the imaginative element involved in reading a book.

English instructor Mary Dwiggins is one of those people.

Dwiggins' favorite holiday story is "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazwell.

"I used to read it to my kids and we all go sappy and cried," she said. "The pictures in the book kind of look like my kid actually."

She said it is a Christian story about a child's afterlife in Heaven. The child had a box on Earth and wanted badly to retrieve it. The box is full of the child's toys and is meant to be a gift for Jesus Christ.

"The boy is afraid his present…won't be good enough, but it turns out to be the Christ child's favorite gift," Dwiggins said. "It's a very touching story."

*Heather Holm, staff reporter, contributed to this article.