Today’s five hand-picked stories cover the challenges to unity in the U.K., the Republican Party’s innovative edge in messaging U.S. voters, the rebuilding of community ties in the Bahamas, the moral debate over safe injection sites, and our picks for the best nonfiction books of 2019.

In Aberdeen, Maryland, some Grinch tried to steal the joy of Christmas. But that’s not going to happen on Officer Cynthia Mowery’s watch.

When vandals destroyed a homeowner’s Christmas decorations, the Aberdeen police officer purchased a lighted Santa, sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer. In the dead of night, she placed them in the yard, so that the family’s two boys (ages 3 and 5) would see the sleigh when they awoke the next day. For good measure, Officer Mowery left a couple of stuffed animals by the door. 

“This is not the first time she has demonstrated an act of kindness that goes above and beyond the call of duty,” according to the Aberdeen Police Department Facebook post. 

Did I mention that Officer Mowery is a 53-year-old rookie? After careers in non-profit public safety and criminal justice, she joined the police force in January. Generosity and initiative have marked her freshman year. In May, she was selected as Aberdeen’s officer of the month after she helped a U.S. veteran in need by organizing donations of gift cards and printing business cards to help him get work.

Protect. Serve. And deliver the spirit of Christmas, all year round.