T(abel) Reads 8

Friday December 27th, 2024 - Edition 008

EVERYONE'S FAVORITE BI-WEEKLY NEWS SOURCE... UNLESS YOU'RE NOT EVERYONE

AND TO ALL A GOODNIGHT!

With the Holiday Coming and Going, This Time of Year Is Not Only Full of Joy but Also News...

ART AND FASHION

As the Christmas season winds down, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the holiday’s rich history and how art and fashion have become beautifully intertwined with its traditions. A quintessential holiday symbol is the Christmas tree, and few are as iconic as the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. This cherished tradition dates back to 1931, when a group of coworkers pooled their money to purchase a modest 20-foot balsam fir, decorating it with handmade garlands. Beyond tree decorating, fashion icons like Elsa Hosk, Kendall Jenner, and Emily Ratajkowski have elevated the holiday into an opportunity for creative expression. From stylish Christmas photos to thoughtfully adorned homes and even festive pajamas for opening presents, their holiday flair inspires fans worldwide. There’s something magical about the season that fills not only homes but also hearts with joy and warmth.

TV AND FILM

Christmas movies have become a cherished tradition, with classics like It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) and A Christmas Story (1983) gaining popularity through repeated TV broadcasts. It’s a Wonderful Life, despite its initial box office failure, became a holiday staple after entering the public domain in 1974. Similarly, A Christmas Story found its audience through cable showings, including TNT and TBS’s 24-hour Christmas marathon. In recent years, streaming platforms have expanded holiday offerings, with the number of Christmas movies increasing sixfold from 2000 to 2023, peaking in 2020 during the pandemic. This growth translated into significant revenue, with holiday movies generating $132 million in Q4 2023, up from $121 million in 2022. Despite the influx of new content, classics still dominate holiday viewership. For instance, Home Alone remains a favorite, with 87% of respondents in a 2022 survey indicating they had seen the film.

MUSIC

Santa has come and gone, signaling the end of Mariah Carey’s reign for another year as she retreats back into hibernation—until next holiday season. This year was especially historic for the R&B icon, as her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You” surpassed her 1995 hit “One Sweet Day” for the longest streak on the Billboard Hot 100. The beloved Christmas anthem now boasts 17 weeks on the chart, placing it third all-time in the category. As we near the conclusion of our series on 2024’s most notable albums, we turn to the second standout: GNX by Kendrick Lamar. This album was nothing short of a victory lap for the Compton superstar, who infused his California roots throughout the project with beats from DJ Mustard and features from fellow Californians Lefty Gunplay and Dody 6. GNX showcased Kendrick’s immense influence, debuting at number 1 on the charts and seeing all 12 tracks land on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously—a remarkable achievement, made even more impressive by the lack of any prior album promotion.

Read & Listen More: All I want for Xmas is YOU, GNX

Author: Bray Olmstead

SPORTS

Professional basketball in America traces its roots back to the end of World War II, with the NBA officially established as the premier league in 1949. Since then, the NBA has become synonymous with Christmas Day, hosting games every year except during the 1998 lockout. With no fixed system for matchups, the holiday often features marquee showdowns, like this year’s games, all decided by 10 points or fewer. While other leagues have occasionally played on Christmas, the NFL appears to be ramping up its holiday presence. Traditionally, the NFL only scheduled Christmas games if the holiday fell on a Thursday, Monday, or weekend. This year, however, the NFL aired two games, including one streamed on Netflix, directly competing with the NBA’s broadcasts on ABC and ESPN. In fact, The NFL’s Steelers vs. Chiefs game drew 24.2 million viewers, far surpassing the NBA’s primetime matchup at 5.2 million. So, which channel did your family have on this Christmas?

MARKET

The S&P 500, represented by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), experienced strong fluctuations. As of December 27, SPY is at $593.90, reflecting a 1.2% decline from the previous close, aligning with broader market trends where technology stocks led declines. On December 18, most public stocks dropped 3% or more after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) issued a bearish 2025 outlook. However, markets rebounded with a strong Santa Claus rally leading up to Christmas. Bitcoin (BTC) held steady at $94,410 on December 27, down 1.21% from the previous day, after surpassing the $100,000 milestone earlier in the month, contributing to a cryptocurrency market cap of $3.83 trillion, with Bitcoin holding a 52.7% share. Treasury yields rose 20-30 basis points to their highest levels since May, posing challenges for stock valuations.