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🎄Soundtrack your holiday | Morning Newsletter

And the latest news.

Philadelphia Ballet dancer Peter Weil is the lead Candy Cane in "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker."
Philadelphia Ballet dancer Peter Weil is the lead Candy Cane in "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker."Read moreALEXANDER IZILIAEV
    by Ashley Hoffman
    Published 

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

It’s another cold one. Hanukkah’s getting underway so happy Hanukkah to all of you who celebrate.

In today’s newsletter:

🎶 Festive: We’ve got your nonboring holiday playlist covered to soundtrack your holiday.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

The holiday music playlist you need, want, and deserve

Ready to turn up the holiday music in the background as the snow may fall?

If you’ve had your fill of the classics (we love you, Ronettes), consider switching it up with new releases from some of pop’s biggest stars. Music critic Dan DeLuca’s full list of holiday song picks range from some of pop’s blockbuster voices, like Alicia Keys and Norah Jones, to more unexpected contributions, like songs from alternative musician Kadhja Bonet and a 1985 Ray Charles album reissued this year.

A sampling:

🌶️ The sexy one: Jody Watley “Christmas Time Is Here.”

🔮 The psychedelic one: Los Bitchos “Los Chrismos.”

🎄 The soothing one: Norah Jones “Christmas In My Soul / Christmastime.”

There’S plenty to fuel your nostalgia and original compositions that can help move your party playlist forward. Keep reading to see and hear what made Dan DeLuca’s cut.

What you should know today

  1. PhilTel’s first free public phone as a small way to resist big tech.

  2. Nuns and students are “dorm” roommates.

  3. An ex-Philly homicide detective who sexually abused witnesses and informants will get up to 49 years in prison.

  4. Our soccer writers make their predictions for how the World Cup will shake out in the end.

  5. The always spontaneous The Night Before on WXPN with Robert Drake — which runs every December 24 turns 30 years old.

  6. Here’s what’s open and what’s closed on Christmas in Philly.

  7. We have a guide to the cult favorite beauty brand Glossier’s new Philly store.

  8. Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.

âť“Pop Quizâť“

Where’s the weekend getaway Taylor was fantasizing about?

A) Little town of Bethlehem

B) America’s playground, Atlantic City

C) Snow on the beach (reference to that other Taylor)

D) Poconos cabin

Find out if you remember the answer.

🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩

Pre-Santa Claus who was said to stalk Philly’s streets with a bundle of birch.

LIBELSNECK

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to John Piernikowski who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: BRIAN DAWKINS.

Photo of the Day

🎶 For today’s Sunday track, “I’d know how it feels to be free.” 🎶

👋🏽 Enjoy the day. I’ll be starting mine at my hot cocoa bar.