Safety during the holidays is so important. While it is a normal expectation to celebrate at . . .

Christmas and New Years, its always a good idea to practice safety at home, while driving and when we are socializing.

In particular, fire safety should be considered. Many residents heat their homes with wood burning stoves and furnaces. Good chimney and smoke pipe maintenance is critical to fire safety at this time of the year.

Also partial or complete chimney blockage can cause carbon monoxide to fill the home. This deadly gas is invisible and cannot be smelled. For this reason, it is a very good idea to install at least one CO alarm in every home.

If you have a natural Christmas tree inside your home, place it away from any open flame, such as a fireplace, add water to the base each day and remove the tree as soon as possible after Christmas. Fire departments recommend the artificial Christmas trees as a safer alternative to natural trees.

Birthday wishes are extended to our nephew David Perry, Ita Perry and Tina Jolicoeur Pilon who are celebrating their birthdays on Dec. 24. Enjoy your special day, and we hope that Santa is good to all of you.

Well, here we are another Christmas and a New Year are fast approaching. From our house to your house, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you a blessed, Merry Christmas filled with love, peace and joy. May 2020 be a prosperous New Year filled with health, happiness and the warmth of family and friends. May your smile be your greeting and your words be true and fair. May wisdom, patience and kindness fill your every human experience. May all who come to know you, also come to know joy and hope. Happy holidays and please be safe.