Joel Waldfogel: Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn't Buy Presents for the Holidays

The author and his latest book was recently invoked in the Guardian article, "The economics of gift-giving: Of crackers and turkeys: In short, gift-giving is the action of a social creature rather than an economic one:" All of which makes this season something of an economic disaster. Indeed, the Wharton School's Joel Waldfogel describes present-giving at Christmas as "an orgy of wealth destruction". According to his back-of-the-till-receipt estimates, around £15bn of what we give and receive each Christmas is wasted. Or to put it another way, we are flushing away the entire annual GDP of Tanzania. It is a striking thought, and in his recent book Scroogenomics, Professor Waldfogel makes a knowingly provocative case for changing the entire cursed gift system. And yet both his assumptions in calculating that sum and the argument that he goes on to make are slightly suspect. In the process, the academic offers a gift of his own – to those who would see economists as often practising a rather antisocial science. Read that Guardian piece here.

Today: Why do we love a white Christmas? from BBC Podcast - Best of Today

Why are we so obsessed with the idea of a white Christmas? Social historian Juliet Gardiner and author Jacqueline Simpson discuss the origins of this expectation.

Download the podcast here.

"A Contrarian Christmas-Movie List: Nine Seasonal Scenes That Truly Stand Out" from NPR's Monkey See by Alonso Duralde

For most folks, Christmas movies are a seasonal treat that get pulled down from the attic with the ornaments and the tangled strings of lights. And like those brightly colored tree decorations, the movies often get taken for granted, viewed so many times that they become nothing more than a familiar background for holiday festivities. But when you've watched and rewatched these films as many times as I have, you start noticing weird and wonderful details that might escape the casual viewer. Here are a few, for your December delectation [...]

The crafty list was put together by Alonso Duralde, author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas (Limelight). Check that list out here; it's definitely worth the read. See also: 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men, Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema

Holiday Books 2010 from KQED's Forum Podcast

What was the best book you read this year? We open the phone lines to ask listeners about their recent and all-time favorites.

Download the podcast here. See also: A Christmas Carol, The Judge Who Stole Christmas, Stories Behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas (Stories Behind Books), The Case for Christmas: A Journalist Investigates the Identity of the Child in the Manger (Strobel, Lee)

At 51, David Shannon stays in touch with his inner child‎ Los Angeles Times - Susan Carpenter

There will be no peeking. No snitching. No playing with the Christmas ornaments. There will be no opening presents early. No staying up late waiting for Santa. And definitely no peeing of one's name in the snow. No, it isn't fair. That's just the way it is for a kid. 'Tis the season for temptation. It's these off-limits holiday enticements that are the focal point of "It's Christmas, David!" (Blue Sky Press), the new picture book from Los Angeles-area author and illustrator David Shannon, who paints this festive time from a child's point of view, with an impish spirit and in full-color detail. "Christmas is when you get in the most trouble and you get told 'no' the most. There's all this excitement that you have to be patient for," said Shannon, who, many years ago, was the David at the center of "It's Christmas, David!" and the other "David" books he's penned over the last dozen years on subjects as varied as potty training and getting ready for school.

Check the LA Times piece out, here. See also: Oh, David!, No, David!, David Gets in Trouble, David Smells!: A Diaper David Book