It’s Christmas Eve, the fifth night of Chanukah, and ten days before the Iowa caucuses. Not-too-cold weather and clear skies will create good conditions for stargazing. The only thing missing from an otherwise perfect weekend is enough snow for sledding.

I hope everyone in the Bleeding Heartland community is enjoying friends, family and your favorite foods of the season. I’m eating the traditional Jewish Christmas Eve meal. Tomorrow noodle kugel is on the menu.

This is an open thread: happy holidays to all, and all topics welcome. A few Republican presidential television commercials now airing in Iowa are below.

Newt and Callista Gingrich went for a full-blown Christmas ad:

Texas Governor Rick Perry is highlighting “honor” and military service in his latest commercial:

U.S. Senator Rand Paul wishes Iowans merry Christmas and makes the case for his father, Representative Ron Paul, in this new ad. That’s an attractive Christmas tree in the background.

Mitt Romney’s wife Ann is the star of his latest Iowa commercial, “Character”:

Incidentally, the super-PAC supporting Romney has temporarily pulled its anti-Gingrich advertising for the holiday.

Former Senator Rick Santorum is running a commercial he would have launched months ago if his campaign had real money. It highlights his family and his legislative record, but it’s quite a summery setting for a Christmas weekend ad.