It’s Christmas Eve! Misty and in the 50s today, rainy and in the 40s (with an atmospheric river, as a treat) tomorrow. To anyone who didn’t grow up here it might feel woefully un-festive, but this is Seattle Christmas, damnit. 

Who wants news on the holidays? No one, so we’ll keep it brief, give you some holiday recs, and then you can pretend your phone is just for Wordle for the rest of the day. (But if you need an excuse to dip out from a conversation with That One Family Member, you can always come back and read it again.)

“This is what a reckoning looks like.” That was part of the statement released by Dr. Ben Danielson’s attorneys after the jury came back yesterday, awarding him $21 million for racial discrimination from Seattle Children’s Hospital. Danielson sued them last year after resigning in the wake of the George Floyd protests, accusing Seattle Children’s of allowing institutional racism to permeate the hospital, and retaliating against him when he drew attention to it. His resignation led the Children’s to launch an independent investigation.

Drone war: The Seattle Times reported this morning that the State is using aerial drones to cover graffiti along the highways. The drone is an $86,000 battery-powered aircraft that’s tethered to pump paint from the ground. So far, the state has spent $22,000 to clean graffiti using drones, and plans to spend up to $60,000 by the end of June 2025. Cool cool cool. 

Starbucks workers still on strike: It's expanded to 300 stores in 45 states. (Wanna get your mind blown? That's only 3 percent of their locations). Workers are out on the picket line on Christmas Eve, so get your little whipped-cream-topped treat somewhere else today (and bring a treat to the picket line while you're at it). 

ICYMI: Yesterday, Ashley gave us a rundown of what we can take away from the King County Metro stabbing and arrest; I shared some local history about Kristen Waggoner, our fellow Washingtonian, CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom, and an essential player in the anti-LGBTQ push in the Supreme Court; Hannah explored why there’s no clear challenger against Mayor Harrell yet; and the 2024 Cookie Countdown continues. 

Speaking of cookies: If you haven’t followed the cookie countdown lately, let me recommend a few recent gems: Marcus Harrison Green’s treatise on Hood Famous’s Ube cookie (in which he calls all other cookies “a lie besieged by sugar”); Vivian McCall’s Ode to the Grocery Store Clam Shell Cookie; and Megan Seling’s ongoing argument that “Not all cookies are for you, kid.”

I hate to Trump Christmas, but it’s worth keeping this from getting lost in the holiday news fog. Yesterday, Trump named Mauricio Claver-Carone to be his special envoy to Latin America. Claver-Carone is notorious for his hard-line positions on Cuba. He was part of the first Trump administration, but left for what should have been a prestigious five-year post running the Inter-American Development Bank. Instead, he was fired after just two years amidst allegations that he was in a romantic relationship with a subordinate, whose salary he’d increased by $133,000 in less than a year, according to The Associated Press. All of this is notable, sure, but what stood out to me most in the NYT’s announcement was that “blogger” was the second word used to identify him. 

Okay let’s do some holiday stuff. 

Tomorrow is the first night of Hannukah, and if I wasn’t bouncing between family members’ homes in different parts of the state all day, I’d be going to SIFF’s Fiddler on the Roof Sing Along. Mostly because I have very strong feelings about how that one part of “If I Were a Rich Man” should be pronounced, and you can’t convince me otherwise. 

Are you a dumplings and fried rice kinda gal on Christmas? We got you. The EverOut team broke it down by their favorite Cantonese, Sichuan, Dim Sum, and Chinese American spots. And if you have decision paralysis, just go for Chengdu Taste. 

High Volume: Looking for a batch cocktail for your holiday party? We have that too! Megan Russell from Bar Miriam shared the recipe for her Golden Spice Martini. All of the work is in the infusion: add your saffron and your spices to 20 oz of gin, let it sit for two hours, and then it’s all about the garnishes. It’s beautiful, it’s a crowd pleaser, and you won’t spend the whole party behind the bar. 

More than sugar plum fairies: We all think about the Pacific Northwest Ballet during Nutcracker season, but don’t miss the show that comes next. We got to go behind the scenes with their costume department while they prepared for the biggest production the company has ever taken on: a brand new take on Sleeping Beauty. 

Somebody sent you something gigantic! As a treat, here’s the gayest thing to ever happen on a children’s Christmas show (a high bar).