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George McGovern, Arlen Specter, Warren Rudman, Dan Inouye ... just some of the political giants who died in 2012. This week's super-sized Political Junkie column is dedicated to their memory.

With several things to worry about — including the possibility of automatic tax increases and spending cuts — it appears American consumers weren't in the cheeriest of holiday spirits on the last weekend before Christmas. Shoppers were out, but analysts say their spending was subdued.

The 2012 Republican presidential nominee had to be convinced by his family to get into the race, his son tells the Boston Globe. "He wanted to be president less than anyone I've met in my life," Tagg Romney says.

ABC polled a few Santa suit makers, who say Santa's girth has been steadily increasing. The man known for excess can now order suits up to size quadruple X. That's a 70-inch waistline.

Mark Shoopman is into green beans. The Illinois chef is cooking 270 pounds of beans and 75 pounds of onions. His goal, according to WMBD in Peoria, is the largest green bean casserole in Central Illinois.

Also: Peace envoy meets with Assad; woman in police uniform kills U.S. contractor in Kabul; snow could make post-Christmas travel tough in much of the nation; Sen. Mike Crapo, D-Idaho, faces drunk driving charge.

The National Rifle Association spokesman says killers such as Adam Lanza would find other ways to try to kill so many people. Lanza shot and killed 20 school children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn.

The rebels, rule breakers and renegades who rule this year's Top 10 list aren't looking for a Ph.D. in Traditional Cooking. They're pleasure seekers whose books are filled with quirky facts, gorgeous pictures and ingredients deployed in unexpected places.

A combination of greater job security, fewer bills and rising wealth sent shoppers heading off to car dealerships, malls and restaurants. "Job growth was not great, but it was good enough to make people feel like things are getting better," said Nariman Behravesh of IHS Global Insight. NPR's Marilyn Geewax covers 2012's economic good news.

Before Christmas Eve dinner, some families share the oplatek along with good wishes for each other. The tradition dates back hundreds of years: Back when bread was scarce, exchanging it with neighbors was a gesture of goodwill.