The Year in Review
A lot happened in 2025. So let’s talk about the politics of the past year and how it all factors into the midterm elections coming up next year and the presidential race in 2028.
Just kidding! There are plenty of places online to find (and argue about) news and politics, so let’s get to the stuff that’s really important.
Books of the Year. Here are lists from NPR, The New York Times, Esquire, and The Wall Street Journal.
Films of the Year. Here are lists from Time, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, and Will Leitch and Tim Grierson.
TV of the Year. Here are lists from The New York Times, The Guardian, Sight & Sound, and Rolling Stone.
If you’re the type of person who’d rather read about the worst of the year, here are Variety’s list of the worst films, TVLine’s worst TV list, and Literary Hub’s worst books.
And if there’s something I missed, such as music and podcasts, the Year End Lists site has you covered.
250 Years of the USPS
Jane Austen celebrated 250 years in 2025, and America will celebrate the milestone in 2026. Another semiquincentennial (please don’t make me have to spell that word again) we need to mention is one we talked about a few months ago, the United States Postal Service. But it’s okay to mention it again because CBS did a nice feature about it.
Uploaded to YouTube by CBS Mornings
Name a Snowplow
A lot of cities have “Name a Snowplow” contests, but I really do think that Boston kids come up with some of the best names. This year’s winners include Thaw Patrol, Flake Maye, Sleet Caroline, and (my favorite) Clearopathra.
Another winner is You’re Killing Me, Squalls, which…well, if you get the reference you get the reference.
Jimmy
This biopic about Jimmy Stewart looks great, and it’s rare for an actor to even try getting the voice of a famous person exactly right without overdoing it.
Uploaded to YouTube by ONE Media
RIP Peter Arnett, Chris Rea, James Ransone, May Britt, and Betty Reid Soskin
Peter Arnett was a Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent for CNN and The Associated Press. He died last week at the age of 91.
Chris Rea was a British blues/pop artist known for such songs as “Fool (If You Think It’s Over),” “Driving Home for Christmas,” “Let’s Dance,” and “The Road to Hell.” He died Monday at the age of 74.
James Ransone appeared in such movies as It: Chapter 2, Inside Man, Old Boy, and The Black Phone films, as well as TV shows like The Wire, Treme, Bosch, and SEAL Team. He died last week at the age of 46.
May Britt was an actress who appeared in such films as The Blue Angel, The Young Lions, and Murder, Inc. She was the wife of Sammy Davis Jr. She died earlier this month at the age of 91.
Betty Reid Soskin was the oldest park ranger in the U.S. She died Sunday at the age of 104.
This Week in History
“White Christmas” Debuts (December 25, 1941)
It was first sung by Bing Crosby on his NBC radio show The Kraft Music Hall.
Time‘s “Man of the Year” is the Personal Computer (December 26, 1982)
Okay, technically, it was “Machine of the Year.”
This Month in Saturday Evening Post History: “Santa at a Computer” by Scott Gustafson (December, 1982)
Even before Time declared the computer important, the Post had Santa using one on the cover.
New Year’s Eve Recipes
New Year’s Eve remains the most overrated holiday. Given the choice of staying home where it’s warm and comfortable or going out in the cold to a crowded place where people are probably going to be drunk? The former wins every single time.
So stay home with your family and/or friends and make something. Like these Deviled Potato Bites or these Bacon Cheese Straws from The Pioneer Woman. The New York Times has Pigs in a Blanket, Delish has a Buffalo Chicken Dip, and Southern Living has classic Cocktail Meatballs.
If you’d like a cocktail to go along with the appetizers, try a Poinsettia or a Cocoa Martini, both from Country Living, or the Blackberry Fizz from Total Wine.
Making breakfast or brunch the next day? Here are recipes from Smitten Kitchen for Breakfast Slab Pie, Crispy Crumbly Potatoes, and Twisty Cinnamon Buns.
Happy New Year!
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
Bowl Games (late December/early January)
Here’s a complete list of the college bowl games coming up (and the ones you might have missed, sorry). There’s a Duke’s Mayo Bowl!
National Hangover Day (January 1)
Of course this is celebrated on the first day of the year. Here are some remedies, though I can’t vouch for any of them.
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Comments
Yes, the CBS feature on the 250th of the USPS was excellent. A lot learned in under 5 minutes. Also, the trailer for the ‘Jimmy’ biopic does look excellent. The actor nails the voice and his essence extremely well. His looks also. Very tricky to pull off. Arguably it was probably even more difficult years ago for Cate Blanchett in portraying Katharine Hepburn, yet she did a great job by treading lightly.
Classic ’82 Post cover by Scott Gustafson; Santa at the computer. The Pet Vet Insurance feature was pretty cutting edge back then. Thanks for this now completed past full year of your terrific column, Bob.
Hello Bob and Merry Christmas and happy new year. I thought the CBS morning link on 250th. Anniversary of the Postal Service that you provided was right on target. Packed with tons of information it did not disappoint.