John Cox

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www.cbr.com

Calvin and Hobbes Debate Exactly How Santa Claus Defines the Term 'Good'

This piece introduces the first day of an Advent Calendar feature spotlighting Christmas-themed strips from notable comic strips, beginning with Bill Watterson's Calvin and Hobbes. The entry examines how Calvin navigates the seasonal pressure to appear good enough for Santa by philosophically debating the nature of goodness with Hobbes, even attempting to get a reference letter, while also featuring strips where Santa and his elves deliberate Calvin's worthiness and Calvin dreams of a poem convincing Santa to reward naughty children instead. The piece highlights Watterson's skill at blending clever wordplay with strong visual storytelling to explore Calvin's characteristically twisted imagination.

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www.nytimes.com

How to Decorate Your Christmas Tree Like a Pro

Rather than discussing holiday magic philosophically, this practical guide offers specific strategies for making Christmas tree setup and takedown easier, from investing in a quality tree stand like the Krinner (which one person can operate alone) to stringing lights vertically for better coverage and leaving the back of the tree undecorated if it's against a wall. It also includes concrete storage solutions such as using winders for lights and keeping ornament hooks attached, plus a surprisingly effective hack of wrapping the tree in a fitted sheet before removing it to contain needle mess. The piece combines product recommendations with time-saving tricks to reduce the genuine frustration involved in holiday decorating.

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michaelbluejay.com

Battery Christmas Lights: How to convert Xmas lights to run on batteries/DC (regular or LED)

Running Christmas lights off batteries requires using DC power instead of the AC power from wall outlets, and the key to making this practical is switching to LED lights, which use 80-90% less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs and can provide roughly 10 times longer battery life. The article outlines three approaches—buying pre-wired DC light sets, using an inverter to convert DC to AC power, or rewiring existing lights yourself—and provides detailed guidance on calculating power consumption, selecting appropriate batteries (with 12V battery packs recommended for convenience), and physically wiring lights for battery operation. With LED lights and proper battery selection, even modest battery packs like a 2200mAh unit can deliver dozens of hours of runtime, making it feasible to decorate bicycles and other locations without access to electrical outlets.

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