Welcome to this late (by a few days) Lit for Christmas August party!

In this episode, Marty and his wife, Beth, partake in a few Mars Explosions while talking about Ray Bradbury’s short-short story “The Gift” in honor of Bradbury’s 103rd birthday.  Also, learn the history of grenadine.

BONUS POINTS:  Take a shot every time you hear a bad Close Encounters of the Third Kind allusion.

SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT:

Mars Explosion (courtesy of https://cocktailsandshots.com/recipe/mars-explosion/#google_vignette)

Ingredients:

• One shot vodka (omit for non-alcoholic version)
• Two shots orange juice (four shots for non-alcoholic version)
• 1/4 shot rum (omit for non-alcoholic version)
• 1/2 shot grenadine
• Ice
• Garnish: maraschino cherry or orange slice (optional)

Directions:

1. Add vodka, orange juice, and rum to shaker with ice. Shake.
2. Strain into a glass with ice.
3. Pour grenadine into glass. Do not mix.
4. Garnish with maraschino cherry or orange slice (optional). 

Directions for Non-Alcoholic Mars Explosion Recipe

 Follow same directions as above, omitting vodka and rum, substituting 4 shots of orange juice instead. 

Lit for Christmas Party Hosts:

Marty has an Master's in fiction writing, MFA in poetry writing, and teaches in the English Department at Northern Michigan University in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  He served two terms at Poet Laureate of the Upper Peninsula, and has published the poetry collection The Mysteries of the Rosary from Mayapple Press.  For more of Marty's thoughts and writing visit his blog Saint Marty (saintmarty-marty.blogspot.com) or listen to his other podcast Confessions of Saint Marty, also on Anchor.fm.  Marty is a writer, blogger, wine sipper, easy drunk, and poetry obsessor who puts his Christmas tree up in mid-October and refuses to take it down until the snow starts melting.

Beth has a BS in English Secondary Education.  She has worked as a substitute teacher, medical transcriptionist, medical office receptionist, deli counter attendant, and Office Max cashier.  Currently, she works in a call center and enjoys discussing/arguing about literature with her loving husband.

Music for this episode:

"Jingle Bells Jazzy Style" by Julius H, used courtesy of Pixabay.

"A Christmas Treat" by Magic-828, used courtesy of Pixabay.

Other music in the episode:

Zimmerman, Roy. "Christmas on Mars." Real American. Metaphor Records, 2010.

A Christmas Carol sound clips from:

The Campbell Theater 1939 radio production of A Christmas Carol, narrated by Orson Welles and starring Lionel Barrymore.

This month's Christmas lit:

Bradbury, Ray. “The Gift.”   Esquire, 1 Dec. 1952.