The Three Most Interesting History Stories I've Found:

In the mood for holiday stories? Sorry, the history world has not complied. Instead I offer these:
So ... ever wonder who designed these iconic icons?
Yes, there'a a real person behind them, and she also created the fonts used on the first Macintosh computers, and the cards for Microsoft's Solitaire game. You can see more of her work on her website.
Here's the Smithsonian write-up on Susan Kare, who just received a National Design Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Cooper Hewitt Museum. This Priceonomics piece goes into more detail and includes a 1983 Apple commercial featuring Kare. 

Curious to see the patents of the many toys featured in the Toy Story movies?
The Claw was a Depression-era innovation - odd, since few people had coins to spare back then. But Slinky Dog, Etch-a-Sketch, Barbie, and even Chatter Telephone (Boomer favorites) are here, with later toys like Care Bears and Speak & Spell, all with mini bios as well as their patent drawings.

A collection of thought-provoking essays about slavery and it's effects on our culture and country, is presented by the New York Times in The 1619 Project. Not easy reading and not without controversy, but sometimes we need to prod ourselves and open our eyes a bit.
You can also listen to podcasts on The Daily (if you subscribe), or here at Google Play.
(1619 is the year that slaves were first offloaded from a ship onto American shores .. one year before the Pilgrims landed.)