Dear Eric, Love John

That would be John Lennon to Eric Clapton, in a note apparently considering joining up forces to create a little magic together. I guess someone had other plans. But this little nugget is for sale, and you can buy it, alongside items like letters from Van Gogh, an apology from Joe DiMaggio to Marilyn Monroe, scribbles by Beethoven, and sketches by Thomas Edison. They are up for auction later on this month, but for now are on display at the Madison Avenue gallery of Douglas Elliman Real Estate. I'll be in that very neighbohood this weekend and maybe we take a gander for ourselves since "early Charles Dickens manuscript" didn't make any of our Christmas wishlists.

Know Yr Xmas: Dickens

Before settling on the name of Tiny Tim for his character in "A Christmas Carol," three other alliterative names were considered by Charles Dickens. They were Little Larry, Puny Pete, and Small Sam.
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Charles Dickens' initial choice for Scrooge's statement "Bah Humbug" was "Bah Christmas."
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After "A Christmas Carol," Charles Dickens wrote several other Christmas stories, one each year, but none was as successful as the original.