Last week the MuckRock team took a short week to celebrate Thanksgiving, so there are no new features. This week, we’ll be back at it, including at our weekly volunteer night Tuesday evening.

With over 55,000 requests filed through our site, MuckRock and its users are thankful for getting the docs and holding government accountable through them.

With the holidays upon us, requesters everywhere are making a list of the documents they hope to find in their stocking this year. But not everyone is in the mood for transparency cheer, with allegations that some top officials are pulling a Grinch when it comes to handing out the documents the public is owed.

Since last year, MuckRock users have filed a collective 14,852 requests — but none of that would have been possible without dedicated public servants. This holiday, take a minute to thank a FOIA officer who helped make government open and accountable.

As challenging as public records can be, it’s an incredibly important part of the democratic process. And it wouldn’t be possible without government officials doing their job, and often going above and beyond in the name of transparency. Take a moment to say thanks.