I am an incurable romantic and when I was a boy most of life’s romance coalesced around Christmas. Doubtless inspired by all those Victorian Christmas scenes, when I was seven-years-old I decided to try my hand at Christmas caroling. Somehow I managed to convince five boys in my neighborhood to join my expedition, but when I called on them later that night every one of them fearfully reneged on his promise. Heartbroken, I secretly made a fateful decision: I would go Christmas caroling all by myself.

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