I first shared this story locally in the Times Vedette printed edition three years ago, and I published it last year in this digital edition. I am pleased to share it again today. Call it tradition, as that is what this story is all about.
The piece was written in 1977 by Bob Hullihan, a writer for The Des Moines Register. Michael Gartner, who was the editor then, asked Hullihan to write a Christmas story for the newspaper. Hullihan obliged, and it ran in the Register. Years later, when Gartner co-owned The Tribune in Ames, he ran it there as well.
Eighteen years ago, Gartner reached out to me and told me how much he valued traditions. He then asked that I consider running Hullihan’s story in CITYVIEW. I wholeheartedly agreed to it, but I wanted to add a strong visual element, too, so I asked cartoonist Brian Duffy to draw the images for me. He did, and the combination was truly wonderful.
The next year, Gartner reached out and asked if I was planning to run the story again.
“Again? The same story we ran last year?” I replied.
“Yes, it is a great tradition that I think you should continue,” Gartner told me. “But it’s your call,” he said.
I reluctantly ran the story again, ironically missing the underlying message about traditions and the changing of the guard that are prevalent in the story. So I read Hullihan’s Christmas classic again. And again. And again.
Eighteen years have passed, and I have been running that story with artwork from Duffy every year — and I will here, too. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do and can make its reading a tradition for you and your family as well.
Merry Christmas to all of you, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital newsletter
shane@gctimesnews.com
641-332-2707