Welcome to the new year! We're kicking it off with a story that is not at all political...

Laurie McCants will finish her reading of A Christmas Carol in today's episode. I won't tell you how it ends but... it's not bad.

Locals Jr. will take a break until January 10. We'll be back then with a slightly different format and lots more stories.

Have a pleasant holiday break.

When last we left our hero, Ebenezer Scrooge, he had just fallen asleep after meeting the ghost of his dead business partner and visiting his Christmases past. Tonight, more journeys and more ghosts.

Welcome to Christmas week on Locals Jr. The next three days will be Locals Jr.'s gift to your family, a reading of Charles DIckens' A Christmas Carol by Laurie McCants. This its a profound story of a man who is led to look into himself, at his life and his impact on the world. This is a journey we all should take (maybe without the ghosts however). Enjoy.

Christmas is a time of traditions and it is a family tradition for Elizabeth Dowd to hang out between the tree and the fire to read The Polar Express. We're ending this week on Locals Jr. in that way. All aboard.

How could we do a week of Christmas story episodes without this Dr, Seus classic? The answer; we couldn't. Here it is.

The people of Helm were foolish. They thought hard and came up with foolish solutions, much to our delight. And being different is OK. Just as Lisa Doerschler.

Here's Laurie with another Jack tale and Carrie Vitko with those two wonderful and squabbling friends, George and Martha. Enjoy.