CHEERS to Santa Claus, who traveled around the globe on Christmas Eve to bring the holiday spirit to good girls and boys everywhere. We hope he found plenty of milk and cookies along the way.

JEERS to the fact that many shelter pets did not have a loving family to spend Christmas with despite the shelter staffs’ best efforts to find them all homes.

CHEERS to everyone who made charitable efforts this holiday season. Lending a helping hand to someone in need is one of the best ways to help your community and give yourself the gift of sharing their joy.

JEERS to news that several major retailers will be closing their doors in the coming weeks. From Sam Goody to Party City and Big Lots, many of those brands are staple stops for shoppers in our region.

CHEERS to all the people who hosted family gatherings over the Christmas holiday. All of that cooking and decorating is a lot of work, and we need to show our appreciation for them.

CHEERS to all the people who adopted shelter pets this year. Whether puppies or kittens or older cats and dogs, all of them deserve to have the warmth and safety of a good home.

CHEERS to all the incoming officeholders who will lead agencies such as sheriff’s department’s and coroners’ offices as the new year gets underway.