Merry Christmas Friends!  Go tell it on the mountain! We all have something joyful to shout about.  Each Christmas season families gather together to celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. I have so much to be thankful for, my Savior, my family, my Church, community and all of you, just to name a few.  And yes, there's my pets; I am thankful for their companionship and their loyalty.

With the holidays upon us I am also thankful for two of my favorite places, and I call them both my home away from home.  

I've read that Bass Pro Shops is the number one tourist destination in the states in which they reside.  And, did you know I once worked as an elf at Santa's Wonderland giving old Santa a helping hand in the Broken Arrow, Oklahoma store?

Cracker Barrel is my other home away from home and I often joke I could wallpaper the office in my Cracker Barrel receipts.  With over 70,000 employees and an average of 6,700 visitors a week in their 620 stores, I'd say that there are more people than just me that consider Cracker Barrel their home away from home.

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with Herman Meister and John Johnston at my home Cracker Barrel in Alma, Arkansas and enjoy a more intimate look at what makes Cracker Barrel tick.  I encourage you to read more about it in this month's newsletter and enjoy a friendly dinner by the fire at your local Cracker Barrel, too.

                                                      Peaceful wishes and a very merry Christmas,

                                                                      Happy