The Mark Evanier Holiday Tale

From time to time in this here parts, I will post something by my pal Mark Evanier or have a link to send you to his great site.  If I only posted one thing by Mark, though, it would be this.  It's not only probably one of my favorite, if not my favorite, piece he's written on his website (which is saying a lot), but it's one of the finest holiday articles I've read, period.  Not just because the story is so wonderful, but also because the writing is.  I've probably read it a dozen times, and I find it as terrific and moving and funny each time.  Though the first time was the best.  If this is yours, lucky you.  If you've read it before...well, still, lucky you.

Every year Mark posts the story on his site -- and every year I link to it here, as well.  And across the Internet other people post it, too, though not always giving Mark credit, and sometimes even taking credit themselves.  

To read it officially on Mark's website, you can find it here. 

(I have to admit, another reason I love this piece is because my mother went to high school with Mel Torme, at Hyde Park High, in Chicago.  I had a chance to have a nice, brief conversation with him about that when he worked on Naked Gun 2-1/2 when I was the unit publicist on the film.)

And with that, head over to Mark's webiste for the tale from July 9, 1999.