“Shall the Dust Praise Thee?” is a short story by Damon Knight, published in 1967 in the anthology Dangerous Visions. The Day of Wrath has finally arrived: the heavens open, trumpets sound, and the throne of God appears, wreathed in fire, to preside over the Last Judgment. Seven angels descend upon the Earth to carry out their missions on the Final Day; however, something prevents them from doing so. The world is not what they expected to find.
“The Christmas Present” is a short story by Gordon R. Dickson, published in January 1958 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Allan Dumay, a six-year-old human child living with his family on the planet Cidor, befriends Harvey, a Cidorian being who dwells in the marsh near his home. On Christmas Eve, Allan and his mother try to explain to Harvey the meaning of this holiday imported from Earth. While mother and son wrap presents, the boy decides to make a special gesture toward his alien friend.
“The New Father Christmas” is a short story by Brian Aldiss published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in January 1958. Set in the year 2388, it tells the story of Roberta and Robin, an elderly couple who live on the upper floors of a gigantic factory. When Roberta discovers that it is Christmas, she decides to share the news with three homeless people hiding in the basement of the factory, which continues to operate tirelessly. However, by inviting them up to her home, she sets off a chain of events that will forever change the fate of the inhabitants of this oppressive mechanized world.
“Santa Claus vs. S.P.I.D.E.R.” is a short story by Harlan Ellison, published in January 1969 in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. Kris, a secret agent living hidden in the Arctic under the identity of Santa Claus, receives an urgent call that draws him into a confrontation with S.P.I.D.E.R., a mysterious organization with an eight-point plan to destabilize the world. Eight American political figures have been possessed and turned into puppets of the enemy. Kris must infiltrate and neutralize each phase of the conspiracy, using his arsenal of sophisticated gadgets and espionage skills, while uncovering the true intentions of this dangerous entity.
“Human Is” is a science fiction short story written by Philip K. Dick and published in 1955 in the magazine Startling Stories. Jill is a woman trapped in a marriage with Lester Herrick, a cold and emotionally abusive husband, an extremely rational scientist wholly devoted to his work. However, after being sent on a mission to the planet Rexor IV, Lester returns with a completely different attitude: kind, affectionate, almost unrecognizable. This change unsettles Jill, who begins to wonder what the true reason behind her husband’s transformation might be.
“The Last Night of the World” is a short story by Ray Bradbury first published in Esquire in February 1951 and later included in the anthology The Illustrated Man (1951). It tells the story of a married couple facing the possibility that humanity may end that very night. On an afternoon that unfolds with complete normalcy, while their daughters play, the husband shares with his wife a premonitory dream about the apocalypse—one that, intriguingly, has also been experienced by his coworkers and many others. The narrative explores how they and their community confront the imminent certainty that they are living their final hours on Earth.