Wherever you are around the world, from New Hampshire to New South Wales, Quebec City to Kuala Lumpur, we wish you the merriest this December 25th. Mark is having a quiet Christmas, but he was here last night for what has become an annual tradition at SteynOnline:
CHRISTMAS EVE LESSONS AND CAROLS
with Mark and his guests
Thank you for your many kind comments about the above:
Merry Christmas. This is beautiful Mark; the scripture, the stories, the music, the prayers. 🤗🙏🏻🙏🏻Uplifting. Thank you.
— Dianasugar (@Dianasugar7) December 25, 2025
Diana's near namesake, Diane - a brand new Steyn Clubber from Minnesota - agrees:
I'm a new member and got up early this morning and turned on the tree lights got comfortable in my 50 year old culb chair the dog on a blanket on the couch and pondered what is Mark up to. What a wonderful surprise 2025 Lessons and Carols I just loved it so fun and heart warming Thank you Mark Steyn and all involved in this project. My grandchildren will hear it today. Don't worry keep praying From a Grandma in Minnesota.
Thank you, Diane. Johnny in mid-Ulster writes:
A wonderful service Mark. Great to hear you in such good voice. The last line of your duet was beautiful - 'where meek souls will receive Him still, the dear Christ enters in'. The Gospel in a dozen words.
One more from Josh in Massachusetts:
'Il est né, le divin Enfant' was delivered as promised; within barely ten minutes I had heard my devoutly wished 'In the Deep Midwinter' (instrumentally) and 'O Come, O Come Emmanuel' (ethereally sung by Rhoda Barfoot). My heart and my stocking were full, yet o'erflowed with yet more divinely inspired song—and Andrew Lawton's reading of the Lord's Prayer. I cannot thank Mark Steyn enough, however I try. To the musicians, I pay tribute with tears.
Merry Christmas to us all.
Not sure we'll be able to get Andrew Lawton back, Josh. Next year he'll probably be a Privy Counsellor.
Many other listeners enjoyed the return of Steyn Show favourites such as Patsy Gallant, Peter Noone and Randy Bachman to our Christmas Eve observances - as well as newer talents, such as Rebecca Enkin with her lilting "Once in Royal David's City". Our francophone regulars will enjoy Patsy's lively version of "La Marche des Rois", a popular Provençal carol making its debut on our show. (On the other hand, they might feel differently about the English lyric Mark wrote for Patsy on "Il est né".)
Here are Randy and Tal running down their number on camera:
If you're partial to the Bachmans, you can also see them on our 2003 Mark Steyn Kinda Christmas Show with some ad hoc takes on seasonal staples that Randy says he only does "for Mark".
If you prefer your rhymes without tunes, here's a seasonal entry to Mark's anthology of video poetry (because, at Yuletide as at any other time, video poetry is where the big bucks are):
THE OXEN
by Thomas Hardy
On the other hand, if you prefer your words without rhymes at all, here is the late Orson Bean giving us his take on Dickens. Orson was born during the presidency of his fellow Vermonter and second cousin once removed, and lived a long and full life. Here he recalls his early years in the Green Mountain state, quotes somewhat surreally Stevie Wonder, and then gives us a rather moving performance as Ebenezer Scrooge on the road not taken:
That proved to be Orson's final performance of his seventy-year career. He died just a few weeks later, crossing the street in Venice, California.
If you've left it too late for a genuine English Plum Duff, here's a délice de Noël that requires rather less preparation time, as long as you have the ingredients to hand. A few years ago, on The Mark Steyn Christmas Show, Denis and Agnès from his favorite boulangerie, the Owl's Bread in Mansonville, Quebec, were bearing Steynwards the gift of a wonderful bûche de Noël when it was seized at the border by the crazed fanatics of US Homeland Security - the ones who let all the rapists and murderers into the country but are right on top of it when it comes to pâtisserie.
But Steyn is not a man to take his dessert orders from the federal government. Click below to watch:
As William Housey tweeted:
Listened, learned, laughed, and imagined eating that French pastry.
Some things shouldn't be left to your imagination, William. Hop in the car and treat yourself to one of Denis' bûches de Noël. It's worth the drive (or flight, or ocean voyage). Three years ago, because of his Yuletide heart attacks, Mark was in southern France for Christmas, and, despite his doctors' advice, was pining for a bûche. As his daughter-nursemaid will confirm, even amidst the glories of Provence he could not find one to match that of Denis and Agnès in Quebec's Eastern Townships. Even though Denis is an authentic Frenchman, that is impressive.
It's become a tradition each December at SteynOnline to offer Christmas editions of our Tales for Our Time audio adventures. Click below to hear Mark reading Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Conan Doyle, O Henry, Jack London, Lucy Maud Montgomery ...and some fellow called Steyn:
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
The Little Christmas Tree
by Mark Steyn
Little Women at Christmas
by Louisa May Alcott
All the World Is Wandering in the Wood
by Stephen Leacock
The Gift of the Magi
by O Henry
A Klondike Christmas
by Jack London
Christmas at Green Gables ...and Beyond
by L M Montgomery
A Merrie Old Christmas
by Washington Irving
Do you like detective fiction with a seasonal twist? Steyn has a couple of Christmas whodunnits for you:
The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Queen's Square
by Dorothy L Sayers
And, if all that still leaves you with time on your hands, click on the links below for a cornucopia of Yuletide delights from the Santa Steyn grotto - carols and lessons, movies and memories:
THE PERFECT "PERFECT CHRISTMAS" BOOK
and of course...
BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE
Mark will be back on Boxing Day with a musical special. Don't miss it!
