Holiday Open House at the New York Public Library

In the seasonal spirit, the New York Public Library threw open its doors for a holiday party that included a Dixieland band, Christmas characters galore (and a few non-Christmas ones --- what Dorothy has to do with the holidays we're at a loss to explain), choral performances, cookies and punch, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the stacks (no photos allowed). But our favorite part was a small case that included some literary ephemera: a Christmas card sent by James Joyce, a statue of Tiny Tim, and a copy of A Christmas Carol marked up by Dickens for his public performances of the tale.