Weekend coffee #153.

And we’re back to Saturday and the continuation of the strangest holiday season I’ve lived through (so far, at least). I followed through on my Black Friday tradition but broke with my usual no Christmas until December mandate in favor of putting the tree up early. Shopping is about done and my least favorite part, wrapping, is up next. Here’s the latest, otherwise:

• The death of the department store and the American middle class

• Real? Fake? Terrifying either way.

• Tony Hsieh’s American Tragedy: The Self-Destructive Last Months Of The Zappos Visionary

• This looks delicious. Time to bring back soup season.

• While citing Jenny, here’s her gift list, it’s better than anything I would come up with this year.

• The Twisted History of the Cherry-Stem Tongue-Tie Trick.

• Can You Find the Doe Hiding Among the Stags?

• What Does History Smell Like?

That’s all for now. Until next time - thanks for following along and be well.

Image by @khlebnikovayulia.