Topic: Poems

Adam Curry describes the Dutch tradition of Sinterklaas, noting the character's thin appearance and red robes compared to the American Santa Claus. He explains the custom of drawing names for a gift exchange where presents are hidden in elaborate "surprises" (such as boxes of wood chips) and accompanied by anonymous poems. The segment also touches on neighborhood "house wars" involving competitive Christmas light displays.

A producer submitted a "No Agenda" themed parody of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to celebrate his knighthood as Sir Spike Fork. Another donor, Brian Martin, compares the show's media deconstruction to "media proctology," diagnosing the "assholes" of the mainstream media.

The episode concludes with a dramatic reading of a surreal poem titled "The Song of the Cow," written by Beto O'Rourke under a pseudonym during his time with the "Cult of the Dead Cow" hacking group. The hosts also play a remix of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez defending the Green New Deal against critics. The show signs off with a reminder of the next broadcast on Sunday.

The contrast of Christmas celebrations in different climates is explored, specifically the sight of Santa Claus and reindeer in the 100-degree heat of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The hosts also discuss neighborhood "light wars" and the Dutch tradition of "surprises," where family members draw names and create elaborate, often messy, gift packages accompanied by personalized poems.

A listener in government procurement shares a rhyming poem about the legal restrictions on accepting holiday gifts. This sparks a debate on the pronunciation of "poem" versus "pome" and a challenge for the host to pronounce "milk," "Illinois," and "pillow" in a Chicago regional accent.