Table of contents for December 24, 2023 in Parade

1989 The worst: Cleanup was continuing after Exxon Valdez spilled oil all over Alaska’s Prince William Sound. The best: The Berlin Wall fell, giving Germans on both sides hopes of reunification. The offbeat: Harper’s Index reports that the percentage of runners who say they think about sex while running was 66. 1999 The worst: We mourned the shooting at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., that left 15 dead. The best: The nation celebrated the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team’s thrilling victory over China in the Women’s World Cup finals. The offbeat: Low-budget thriller The Blair Witch Project became a cult hit. 2001 The worst: The tragic events of Sept. 11 shattered our nation’s sense of security. The best: The bravery of the firefighters and police who rushed in to…

Personality WALTER SCOTT ASKS... How is it different to play Sofia on film vs. Broadway? There are huge changes. When I did the John Doyle [Broadway] production in 2015, we only had a wooden stage and wooden chairs. We had to use our imagination to bring the story to life. We had to imagine going to Africa with sheets that we raised up in the air and with lighting effects and things like that. That was fun because that’s truly where all the exploration comes from, using your imagination. And doing that eight shows a week for a year, I really got to tap into the core and the depth of who Sofia is. All these years later, stepping into the film and actually being in Georgia where it’s…

Dear Marilyn, What U.S. city has the greatest chance of an annual white Christmas and has four distinct seasons, too? —Yvonne Kelly, Nashville, Tennessee Longing for the days of Norman Rockwell? The only place with a real expectation of an annual white Christmas would be the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota. But those four classic Currier and Ives seasons belong largely to the American Midwest, famed for its blissful and fragrant springs, hot and thunderous summers, crisp and vibrantly colorful falls and winter weather that ranges from heavy snow to ice storms. With its constant daily variation and so many extremes, the weather in the Midwest is never boring. Dear Marilyn, Suppose your six pet mice are snuggled into three drawers. Two gray mice occupy one…