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I'm Jesse Thorne, live on tape from My House in Los Angeles.

It's the Sound of Young America from MaximumFund.org and PRI, public radio,

international.

Welcome to the Sound of Young America Holiday Special.

I'm your host, Jesse Thorne.

You know, I listen to public radio during the holidays,

just like you're doing right now.

And I feel like I've got a pretty good sense of the kind of stuff you're hearing.

A lot of stories like folk tales about various winter holidays,

a lot of general festiveness and good cheer.

You know, your favorite NPR anchors reading

twice the night before Christmas and that sort of thing.

And I'm all for all of that stuff.

I love Christmas. I love the holidays as much as anybody.

But it just so happens that this year's Sound of Young America Holiday Special

is a little bit darker.

You know, the dead of winter is when we have the shortest days of the year.

And when we have the shortest days of the year,

we have the longest nights of the year,

...