Make Me Smile — By Tommy Purser

An update from a decades old column I wrote:
Things that would make me smile on Christmas day:
A blanket of snow on the ground outside my window.
A hot cup of coffee to cut the winter chill.
The sight of flames dancing in the warmth of a roaring fire.
Out of control laughter from a delighted child.
A hug from my grandson.
A smile from my granddaughter.
A wink from a pretty lady.
A good joke.
Carolers.
A box of popcorn.
Two boxes of popcorn.
The delight of an unexpected gift being exactly what I wanted.
The wonder in the eyes of a child on Christmas morning.
Finding a lucky heads-up penny.
Finding a twenty dollar bill.
Catfish chowder.
A gathering of friends.
Dancing.
Playing a round of golf with my son.
A long back rub.
Finding a piece of candy when I thought I was fresh out.
My mother’s German chocolate cake.
A night out on the town with my youngest daughter.
Seeing the excited look on the good wife’s face as she watches the grandchildren open their gifts.
Seeing her “tear up” when she gets something she really, really likes.
A bird feeding from one of my backyard feeders.
A hug from a pretty little girl.
Someone offering to pay all my Christmas bills.
A visit from a real live Santa Claus.
An afternoon nap.
A fishing trip.
Doing something for someone in need.
And some local personalities that make me smile just about anytime:
Jim Girtman manning a Salvation Army kettle outside Wal-Mart.
Jeffery Spell leading a choir.
Niki Perry storming the sidelines and shrieking as her Lady Jackets perform on the basketball court.
Judge E.M. Wilkes III talking about his beloved Yellow Jacket football team (the Georgia Tech kind, of course).
Margo and Marlo Mincey smiling.
And, last but certainly not least, all the other folks that make Jeff Davis County a great place to live.