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The holiday season slows the country down — but civics doesn’t stop.

In this special episode of Plain Civics, Joe Ulery looks at how holidays fit into American civic life. From early debates over Christmas in colonial America to Congress making it a federal holiday, from George Washington’s Christmas-night gamble to how government continues operating during the holidays today.

This episode focuses on history, constitutional context, and civic reality — not politics of the moment. It’s a calm, fact-based look at how shared traditions, public service, and democratic institutions intersect during the holiday season.

Bobbi Fisher has the day off. She’ll return next episode.

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