Merry Christmas from the Peak Team. We hope you enjoy this gift basket of goodies from this year’s holiday headlines.
Economy
On Christmas Eve, Shanghai silver prices reached $77.89 per ounce, compared to the COMEX price of approximately $72.23 per ounce. COMEX vaults reported significant depletion, including reductions of 1.42 million ounces at Asahi, 597,993 ounces at JPM, and 228,780 ounces at CNT, leaving registered stocks at 127 million ounces. Analysts have attributed the price gap to regional demand dynamics in Asia rather than a broader market breakdown.
Also this holiday season, major U.S. retailers have introduced return fees for mailed holiday purchases, ranging from $3.99 at H&M to $45 at Best Buy for activatable devices, while in-store returns remain free. Retailers cite the fees as a measure to offset processing costs from high return volumes, though consumer advocates have raised concerns about their impact on lower-income shoppers.
Meanwhile, GasBuddy analysis projects U.S. gasoline prices to average $2.79 per gallon on Christmas Day, the lowest since 2020’s average of $2.26. The decline from last year’s $2.95 average is attributed to completed refinery maintenance, rising supplies, and reduced winter demand. The national average currently stands at $2.905 per gallon, down from $3.030 a year ago, with prices varying by state from $2.339 in Oklahoma to $4.343 in California. National diesel prices have fallen to $3.642 per gallon. Experts caution that potential refinery issues or weather events could introduce short-term volatility despite the overall downward trend.
Epstein Files
Also coming on Christmas Eve, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the discovery of more than one million additional documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, provided by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI. These files were uncovered in compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act and are under review for redactions to protect victims before public release. The volume of material has led DOJ lawyers to continue work through the holiday period, with full disclosure potentially delayed by several weeks. Congressional sponsors of the act have expressed frustration over the timeline and extent of redactions in prior releases, while DOJ officials have defended the delays as necessary to safeguard ongoing investigations and victim privacy.
Society
A Statista survey found that 57 percent of Americans consider a Christmas tree essential to holiday celebrations, followed by holiday tunes at 50 percent and Christmas movies at 47 percent. When asked about anticipated highlights, 67 percent prioritized time with family and friends over commercial elements, with 52 percent preferring to give gifts rather than receive them. Polls indicate a shift toward secular traditions, with religious observances like church attendance declining amid sustained popularity of family gatherings.
Meanwhile, homeowners’ associations across the U.S. have clashed with residents over Christmas decorations this season. In Maryland, a family faced $650 daily fines for a front-yard Nativity scene, which their HOA described as distracting. An Idaho man settled a lawsuit against his HOA for over $75,000 after disputes over holiday lights and plans to install more displays. In North Carolina, a resident defended his 60,000-LED light show against complaints of attracting traffic on private roads. In Sacramento, an HOA fined a family for a light spectacle inspired by a contest it hosted. HOA representatives have cited uniform enforcement of guidelines to maintain neighborhood aesthetics and safety.
And in a look backwards, during the Soviet era, authorities replaced Christmas with a secular New Year’s celebration to align with communist ideology, banning the holiday in 1928 and reintroducing a festive tree in 1935 under Stalin, topped with a red five-pointed star. Ded Moroz, a Santa-like figure, was revived alongside Snegurochka, with gift exchanges, parties, and hymns emphasizing future-oriented Soviet values while reframing religious references as “winter” traditions. In modern Russia, Christmas is celebrated on January 7, which corresponds to December 25 on the Julian calendar used by the Russian Orthodox Church, while Ukraine has moved to reclaim Christmas on December 25 to distance itself from Soviet legacies.
European Politics
Earlier this month in the UK, supermarket Sainsbury’s removed a Dr. Seuss-themed Christmas card featuring the Grinch with the caption “This Christmas, I’m identifying as a Grinch” following complaints from a transgender activist, who described it as transphobic for trivializing gender identity. The card’s publisher and illustrator issued an apology, destroyed remaining stock, and halted sales. Critics of the removal have argued it represents an overreaction that limits lighthearted humor, though the retailer affirmed its commitment to inclusivity.
In Germany, authorities arrested a 21-year-old man from Central Asia suspected of planning an Islamist-motivated attack on crowds at a Magdeburg Christmas market, the site of a deadly 2024 vehicle ramming. The suspect, who entered Germany as an au pair in 2024 and had military training, was not previously known to security services; deportation proceedings have begun. This follows the arrest of five foreigners in Lower Bavaria for an alleged vehicle attack plot linked to a local mosque. Officials have emphasized the role of intelligence tips in prevention, while some analyses point to online radicalization as a key factor beyond migration patterns.
In Poland, police also reportedly foiled an ISIS-inspired scheme by a 19-year-old law student to use explosives and firearms at a Christmas market, after intercepting communications with IS representatives.
US Politics
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders granted state employees the day after Christmas as a paid holiday, citing the birth of Jesus Christ in her proclamation. The Freedom From Religion Foundation criticized the language for promoting Christian beliefs in official communications. The group argued it violates church-state separation, while Sanders defended the wording as reflective of the holiday’s religious origins. Sanders responded by describing Christmas as a religious celebration and refusing to alter the language, while extending holiday wishes to critics.
In Tennessee, the Cookeville Christmas Parade rejected a gay pride float application from Upper Cumberland Pride, citing a focus on the event’s theme of honoring Jesus. Organizers also denied a Young Republicans entry to avoid political elements. The parade occurred last week under the banner “Remember the Reason.” Local advocates called the decision discriminatory, though organizers maintain it preserves the event’s religious focus.
In the nation’s capital, the Secretary of War authorized National Guard members in Washington, D.C., to wear Santa hats during duty. The move has been praised for boosting morale but criticized for its unusual optics during patrols.
Canadian Politics
In Montreal, a group that described itself as modern-day Robin Hoods, dressed as two Santas and 40 elves, took approximately $5,000 worth of groceries from a store. The items were placed under a Christmas tree in Place Valois square for those in need, accompanied by a letter criticizing corporate profiteering, with the remainder intended for food banks. Police are reviewing surveillance footage and social media videos, but no arrests have been made. Authorities are investigating the incident as theft, noting it could lead to higher prices for other shoppers to cover losses.
As an honorable mention, we’ll leave you with this bit of satire from The National Roast! Merry Christmas.
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Sources
America’s Christmas Must-Haves: Trees, Tunes, and Family Over Gifts
67 percent of the respondents look forward to spending time with friends and family, making it the top answer by far.
How the Soviets Swapped Christmas for a Stalinist Winter Spectacle
The Christmas Tree has been officially abolished, Father Christmas has become Father Frost, the Christmas Tree has become the Winter Tree, the Christmas Holiday the Winter Holiday.
HOAs’ Grinchy Crackdown: The Wildest Christmas Decoration Battles of the Year
Here are this year’s wildest stories of HOAs waging war on Christmas decorations
National Guardsmen Authorized to Wear Sant Hats
Source | Submitted by AaronMcKeon
Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Fiery Christmas Stand Against Secular Grinches
Yes. Yes, she did. And it is glorious!
British Supermarket Yanks ‘Transphobic’ Grinch Card After Solo Activist Outrage
“This Christmas, I’m identifying as a Grinch.”
Tennessee Christmas Parade Rejects Gay Pride Float to Honor Jesus
“Our goal from the beginning has been to point others to the reason for the holiday that we are celebrating. We wanted to make much of the person of Jesus born in Bethlehem.”
Montreal Grocery Heist: Two Santas and 40 Elves Play Robin Hood with $5,000 in Stolen Goods
Two Santas, 40 elves rob Montreal grocery store
Holiday Return Fees Hit Major Retailers: From $3.99 at H&M to $45 at Best Buy
Popular American retailed are all implementing new ‘return fees’ this Holiday Season
Europe Foils Fresh Islamist Plots Against Christmas Markets in Germany and Poland
Authorities across Europe have thwarted two more Islamist-inspired terror plots targeting Christmas markets in as many days
U.S. Gas Prices to Hit COVID-Era Lows This Christmas
U.S. gasoline prices are set to fall to the lowest level since 2020, thanks to increasing supplies, despite some ongoing refinery maintenance, GasBuddy has predicted.
Shanghai Silver Surges to $78, Exposing $5 COMEX Gap and Vault Depletion Crisis
Paper price ≠ physical reality.
FBI and SDNY Unearth Over a Million Epstein Documents, Fueling Transparency Demands
“The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case.”
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Reuters, BBC News, Additional reports, OilPrice.com and GasBuddy, Statista and Gallup.
by aaronmckeon 
