Commuting by double-decker bus is much more pleasant than taking the subway home, even if it does take a little longer. And it can bring unexpected rewards. Two days ago, going home from work, I took the bus to Waterloo Station, from where I could take the Tube the rest of the way home.

As I entered the station, I thought I heard a brass band playing. I followed the sound to find a group of 15-20 carolers backed up by the small band. As announcements of trains arriving or departing echoed overhead, I enjoyed a rendition of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" that sounded almost exactly like the one you hear in "It's a Wonderful Life." I half-expected Jimmy Stewart to walk out of the crowd of commuters, many of them heading off early for the holidays.