I'm at the family home in New Hampshire (a timber-for-timber replica of a 10th century Viking longhouse!) My wife Susan and our kids Caleb, Micah and Titian and are nestled in their beds (Don't tell, but I got them all pottery wheels and some pretty smart-looking No Fear gear!). Cider is mulling over the seydis or central fire pit. The stockings are stuffed with Chinese yo-yos and jerky. Even Bluto, our mixed-breed Welsh corgie/lahsa apso is asleep in the foyer (Dreaming of not having fatty cists all over his abdomen?) The scene is just so perfect, I'm expecting Old Father Christmas to come rapping at the door any second, to bid us a "joyeux Noel" and then beg for hobnails.

As this is my vacation, there will be no new comic today.

I know what you're all thinking: Christmas has been ruined!

But here's what you're forgetting: the good cheer, the gifts, the food, and spending time with your own families! Christmas is bigger than No-Town. It's the one day a year when we actually take the time to show each other how much we care!

And for all you non-Christians, Christmas is a day when you can take the time to... you know, watch 20 episodes Nash Bridges on Spike TV and then eat a pot pie, alone. Becuase you don't have to work. But it might be nice if you did, because it sucks that nothing is open, today.

My point is this: I give to you 364 days a year. Maybe you can give me this one?

Thank you.

In the immortal words of one J. Christ (I think he's got a birthday this time of year!), "Sweat not those things which are small; for all things under heaven are small."

Merry Christmas!

Hey gang! As the creator of a popular web site, you may assume that old Tom is rolling in dough.

I appreciate the assumption, because it means you value my work. But I'm afraid it's not so. I mean, I do alright (I live in a split-level, 3-bedroom ranch house and drive a 2003 Toyota 4Runner). But even still, certain reasonable amenities lay beyond my current means: an above-ground swimming pool, getting my kids out of public school, a skeet launcher etc.

This why I've decided to begin discreet product placement in No-Town comics.

"Say what? Product placement? Tom, have you sold out to 'The Man'?"

Absolutely not. I hate "The Man" and his stupid "fiscal security" and "non-desperate living" as much as any of you! But I'm confident that the integrity of No-Town will not suffer in any way from this new venture.

You see, each placement will be an organic outgrowth of the pure artistic vision that compells me create each comic. Say "The Mayor" becomes massively incontinent (because it was necessary). Why, he'd almost certainly have to resort to wearing adult diapers, wouldn't he? And as long as a character is wearing adult diapers, we may as well not kid ourselves. Everyone knows Depends is the Rolls Royce of adult diapers!

And if I use that exact phrase, there's a chance Rolls Royce will cut me a check too!

You see, people, I do this because I love to make you laugh. And maybe one day I will be able to live in a house made of your laughter and eat your laughter for dinner and wear your laughter on my back.

But in the meantime, these skeet aren't going to launch themselves (I mean, you can throw them but that's very low-class).