Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy — Christmas party with John Le Carré in right foreground

December 24 2020 — I wanted to take the time to send all of you you my most sincere Christmas wishes. For sure, 2020 has been a hellish year, but I hope you will have a safe and beautiful Holiday Season! Don’t forget to laugh!  Don’t forget those who need your help. And don’t forget those we have lost. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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The Central Intelligence Agency employees’ enthusiasm for “cheer” is not its best-kept secret.

There were several unsuccessful attempts to ban alcohol entirely from holiday parties.

By 1984, attempts at enforcing mandatory sober shindigs had largely been abandoned.

But as a concession, a list of “Suggested Tips for Responsible Hosts and Hostesses” was now distributed to all department heads prior to their respective ragers.

PS/ I never know what to write on my Christmas card! If you are like me, this story may inspire you…

Before they departed to Texas on November 21 1963 , John and Jacqueline Kennedy had already selected and ordered their annual Christmas card.

It was a 4 1/2- by 6 1/2-inch Hallmark card, custom made for them, bearing a color photograph of an 18th-century Neapolitan crèche that had been displayed in the East Room of the White House each year they had lived there.

The inside of the card featured an embossed seal of an American eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and arrows in the other.

The message inside read:

“With our wishes for a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

2020 has been a tragic year. Let us hope that 2021 will turn the page on this pandemic. Be safe, be strong and be patient. This fight is far from over.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Christmas Party scene

We have lost many good people over these last 12 months. John le Carré passed away on December 12. I had planned to contact the indisputable master of the spy fiction during the summer, but life decided otherwise… Next life? Just a reminder that you should not wait too long to tell your feelings to those you love. Don’t waste any time with the others. Life is too short to live angry.

REFERENCES

The CIA’s declassified holiday safety tips — MUCKROCK

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MERRY CHRISTMAS — And the Very Best for 2021!