MINYANVILLE ORIGINAL Stocks advanced for a third straight week even as Challenger Grey and Christmas reported a 34.4% surge in planned layoffs a trend that even Father Christmas doesn’t appear to be immune from alas. Investors were gratefully accepting lumps of coal from Santa however after fossil fuel powerhouse Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) jumped 20%.   A property on 666 Park Avenue sold for a billion bucks and in another real estate-related sign of an approaching Mayan Apocalypse the head of Goldman Sachs (GS) bought himself a $32.5 million home in the Hamptons. Housing stocks — on a tear of late — subsequently cooled off on cue. ...