With a name like mine you have to know that Christmas has always been a key part of my life.

With a name like mine you have to know that Christmas has always been a key part of my life. 

There is no denying that this year finds a lot of folks are having a grim time of it. As for why, my   father advised me to view politics with a jaundiced eye and avoid religious zealots of every stripe  like the plague.  

Many of our small towns have taken on a weather beaten look to be sure, but much of that is because they are simply old; bricks chip, wood dries and cement cracks, and yet this time of year they are bedecked with lights and wreaths and Santas.  

I’ll use Port Rowan as a setting since it’s the one I know best. 

Getting out of the Jeep to finish shopping I can hear the voice of Johnny Cash of all people singing the Little Drummer Boy. 

First stop is what used to be Howie’s hardware when I was a kid with its full wall of small........

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