Last year, Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle was asked by a check-out clerk in the grocery store if he had a Merry Christmas. His reply was, "I'm still having it. Well 2004 was just full, 2005 was overflowing. The tally so far is $150 in cash $75 in Walmart Gift Cards, A copy of the Farmers Almanac, a pile of something called Discovery Magazine (two publications that he's never read before, but will get on ASAP), but the gift he is most proud of is The Ditty Bops Bicycle Bikini Calendar that Larry Nickleson gave to him. Not only was that a great Christmas gift, but it is an excellent way to wish one a Happy New Year. Larry will probably be Jerry's favorite uncle for at least a year or so.

Christmas Day was overflow for Mary Hinkle as well. With 12 people over for noon vittles (served at 1:30pm) and 16 people chowing down at evening vittles. She still has leftovers too.

The Hinkle family has nothing to complain about. Jerry would have been happy with just a $1 gift certificate from McDonalds, and he didn't even deserve that much. It may have been tempting, or even easier, for the Hinkles to skip church as well. It wouldn't have been right, however, so they didn't.

Word was received that Pastor Harold Salem's wife, Beulah Salem, spend her first Christmas with Jesus after passing from this life on Saturday. All of us here at the Holabird Advocate are happy for Beulah, but share in her family's grief. We knew she was in the hospital, but didn't know she was that ill. We hold out hope that we shall all meet her at that big Christmas dinner in the sky someday.