Christmastime is past...

Christmastime is past.

Santa had a blast.

Girls and boys all got new toys.

Now sleep is here at last.

Hang a Shining Star

You can hang on shining star on Christmas for this year, because it's ON! Santa has left the Circle.

While watching the elves load up the sleigh, I noticed that a lot of you asked my dad to bring you my critically acclaimed book, North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus. I thank you for that, and I am super flattered.

No matter what Daddy gives you this year, may it bring you happiness and joy. I wish you the merriest of Christmases and the happiest new year ever.

Remember to be Nice and my dad will bring you more goodies next Christmas!

Can't wait for next Christmas? If you find a device under your tree that lets you read electronic books, or a gift card in your stocking to an online retailer of ebooks, you can visit the North Pole and jingle your bells any time of the year in the virtual pages of North Pole High: A Rebel Without a Claus.

The Great Scrooge-Off

Poor Ebenezer. He's the guy you loved to hate, until he found his Christmas Spirit. So it seems like an oxymoron to be looking for the "best" Scrooge. But that is the question I pose to you now.

Here are my five favorite Scrooges:

Jim Carrey

Okay, this is one actor with some serious Christmas issues. First he played The Grinch in the 2000 live-action version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas. A mere nine years later, the Dumb and Dumber star bah-humbugged his way through Disney's motion-capture-animated version of A Christmas Carol. How many lumps of coal did this guy get from Santa anyway?

Henry Winkler

At the height of his Fonziness, Winkler brought Dickens' character stateside, renaming him Benedict Slade, for the 1979 TV movie An American Christmas Carol. More recently, the former Fonz has celebrated the season with appearances in the TV movies Merry Christmas, Drake & Josh on Nickelodeon and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year on Hallmark, both from 2008.

Michael Caine

A two-time Academy Award winner and thrice Batman's butler, Sir Michael sang his bah-humbugs to Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, and a trio of Muppety ghosts in the 1992 musical comedy The Muppet Christmas Carol. He was still pretty mean.

Scrooge McDuck

Talk about a method actor! Mr. McDuck modeled his whole life on his Dickensian namesake. The miserly duck first appeared in his nephew's comic book in 1947, eventually headlining his own series, Uncle Scrooge, beginning in 1952. But it wasn't until 1983 that he finally got to portray his "hero," Ebenezer Scrooge, on the big screen in the Oscar-nominated short Mickey's Christmas Carol.

Patrick Stewart

Shakespearean actor and former Starfleet commander Jean-Luc "Patrick Stewart" Picard took the conn for TNT's 1999 adaptation of A Christmas Carol after creating a one-man stage show based on the novel that he performed on Broadway and in London. As convincing a portrayal as a holodeck simulation.

So there you have it. The Grinch, the Fonz, Batman's butler, Donald Duck's uncle, and Professor X have all gotten their Scrooge on. Still can't decide which is your favorite? You can stream all these Scroogetacular performances (and more) at Amazon.com.

Waiting for the Man with the Bag

BREAKING NEWS: Christmas is coming, again.

I know, I know. You're all waiting for the man with bag. He's coming. I promise. I should know. He's my dad. Like the song says, old Mr. Kringle is soon gonna jingle all your trebles away.

This swingin' jingle was first made famous by jazz singer Kay Starr in 1950. More recently, Boston University's student a cappella ensemble, The Treblemakers, performed their festive rendition as part of BU's Holiday Harmonies series. Enjoy!

North Pole Swap

Here's a super fun Christmassy way to while away the hours while waiting for Santa to visit you.

North Pole Swap is a match-three game for iOS with Christmas trees, candy canes, Santa hats, and even North Pole High stickers!

Created by 13-year-old elf-in-training Weston B. of Weston's Wacky World, this cool app is available right now in the iTunes app store. Just in time for Christmas! Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la!