Long ago, in a place far away, I used to watch the WPIX Yule Log at Christmas time. Now, in this place, I often use it in the bonding part of the “hey I’m from [Connecticut, Long Island, Manhattan, etc]” conversation, as in “hey, did you ever watch the Channel 11 Yule Log?” The televised video of a crackling fire, accompanied by a soundtrack of carols was fascinating in ways I could not fathom. I’d stare at it, wonder how long the loop must be (the log never got smaller), and then realize I had just spent many minutes watching a fireplace on television. Gone since 1989, the log returns this year, but only for two hours on Christmas morning. The NY Times reveals background trivia (the first log video was a 17 second loop, the one I knew was a 7 minute loop), and this Bring Back the Log website helped get that log back where it belongs.