In what can only be described as an appropriate homage to the late, great George Michaels 'Last Christmas', Notre Dame pulled off a Yuletide miracle yesterday, crashing Duke's premature holiday bash. It was as if an angry Grinch in a No. 11 Notre Dame jersey decided to snatch away the Blue Devils' early Christmas joy at the last minute. In a stunning gridiron rendition of the classic Christmas tune, Notre Dame's Audric Estime remained unimpressed by the Blue Devils' strategic 'gave you my heart but the very next day you gave it away' play. Seizing the moment, Estime bolted down the big, snow-dusted field in Durham for a decisive 30-yard touchdown with just a stocking-stuffer's worth of time left on the clock. "Quicker than grandma on a Black Friday clearance sale, Estime was off!" recalled one mesmerized spectator, still clutching his half-empty, lukewarm cup of cocoa. "Right there, under the twinkling stadium lights, we witnessed our Christmas miracle." Quarterback Sam Hartman, who we can only assume has been drinking his nog and saying his prayers every night, revved up the 'Irish sleigh' with a jaw-dropping 17-yard scramble on fourth-and-16, setting up the festive coup de grâce. With the scent of roasted chestnuts still hanging heavy over the stunned Duke crowd, Hartman delivered a toys-in-a-sack kind of performance. He completed 15 out of 30 passes for 222 yards. Aside from being an excellent orchestrator on the field, reports indicate that he also excels at setting up Christmas lights and writing congratulatory Holiday cards. While Duke fans scurried around in their elf hats, looking for some yuletide solace, Notre Dame celebrated securing their spot on Santa’s nice list. And to top off their Christmas cheer, Hartman found Rico Flores Jr. for a two-point conversion that served as the perfect mistletoe to finish under. Football. Christmas. Notre Dame. The perfect blend for a holly-jolly season. Deck the halls with victory, Notre Dame! For those chanting 'Blue Christmas' at the stadium earlier, it’s more like a brew of holiday spoil served à la Fighting Irish.