Xmas Movies, Gift Wrap Science, Festive Etymology, Holiday Catalogs & More: Endnotes 19 December

Every Friday, we celebrate the weekend — and all the reading and relaxing and daydreaming time ahead — with Melissa's favorite book- and travel-related links of the week. Why work when you can read fun stuff?!

This post is part of our Endnotes series.

We had a lively discussion about our favorite Christmas movies over on Substack this week. It’s filled with recommendations if you’re looking to enjoy the beloved holiday equation ‘couch + Christmas movie + cookies + hot cocoa.’ This is also a fun list of The 16 Best Christmas Movies You Can Watch On Tubi (free!). This piece from Slate is a fascinating look at the Hallmark Christmas movie industrial complex. In our house, it’s not officially Christmas until this happens.

Welcome to an all-Christmas edition of Endnotes. We’ll be back with regular book- and travel-related links on January 9. Wishing you an excellent holiday season!

• 9 Christmas Words with Surprising Histories. ‘A sugarplum is not a plum at all — it is a small round or oval hard candy made from sugar. Traditionally, it is made by hardening sugar around seeds, nuts, or spices in successive layers, and it likely got its name from the end result being similar to the size and shape of a plum.’

• Do you miss the thick, glossy catalogs that used to hit your mailbox each holiday season? Here’s an archive of Christmas catalogs from the 1830s to 2017. Sears! JCPenney! Montgomery Ward!

• So many opinions on Christmas markets in Europe! From the BBC, CN Traveler, and Wanderlust magazine. (Dave and I have a note our calendar for next fall to buy tickets for the market in Ravenna Gorge, Germany; it looks so magical!) Wanderlust also went all-in on Czech Christmas markets.

• Related news you can use: 7 of the Best European-Style Christmas Markets in the US.

• We don’t have a mantel, a sunroom, a dining room large enough for a horse race, nor a grand staircase, but wow! I really love looking at these photos of 29 ideas for using Christmas foliage to create a magical display.

• Speaking of… feast your eyes on the beautiful Christmas decorations at the home of actor (and known Barbra Streisand super-fan) Richard E. Grant.

• If you like marzipan like I like marzipan, you will want to read this: A Country-by-Country Guide to Marzipan Shapes Around the World. They really run the gamut of cute to huh? Marzipan eels?! Little piggies! Bright miniature fruits! And potatoes?!

• Helpful and timely! How Maths Can Help You Wrap Your Presents Better. ‘If you have bought anyone a ball, then woe – spheres are arguably the hardest shape to wrap. It’s impossible to cover a ball smoothly using a piece of paper, not only because the properties of paper stop it from being infinitely bendable, but because of the hairy ball theorem… The theorem explains it is impossible to comb hair on a ball or sphere flat without creating at least one swirl or cowlick.’ The solution is, basically, to make a flower out of wrapping paper! That tip alone is worth clicking through to the article.

• Fashion bloggers Tom and Lorenzo are my go-to every day when I need a fun break from work. They’ve been doing a Christmas Movie Dress Advent Calendar that’s both a delight and a crash course in how costumers used outfits to convey meaning. I especially loved this one about the dress in 1958’s Bell, Book, and Candle — but each installment has been great. Here’s Day 1 if you want to start from the beginning.

• Oooh, fun! The editors of House and Garden shared what they read during the festive period. Such a good mix of genres with holiday vibes. I also enjoyed this list that leans more wintry. I’ve had The Party by Tessa Hadley (recommended in the latter list) on my end table since last December. Will I finally read it? Who can say?

• What are you doing New Year’s Eve? Maybe watching one of these 42 movies that are set on the big night!

Wishing you all the warmth of the season and a very happy start to 2026.