How many elderly children remember a major staple of Christmases past from Main Street in Louisville, Mississippi. The Hathorn brothers, Ronnie and Billy, always stood stoic in front of their father’s grocery store selling fireworks.

For the life of me I cannot imagine why this Christmas tradition hasn’t spread worldwide. Celebrating the birth of our savior with fireworks.

But it was a big deal in our little corner of the world.

Their little stand was on the south side of Main. The side of the street that was forever in the shadows. The cold side. They were always bundled up like Ralphie on The Christmas Story movie. Red noses and all. I imagine if they had stuck their tongues to the old soldiers moment in the middle of the street they’d have stuck.

The Hathorns had the market cornered when it came to selling fireworks. Had the government known, I’m certain they would have been hit with an antitrust suit. Nevertheless, they were safe in our little Mississippi town.

Tucked away in our Christmas shoeboxes filled with oranges, apples and candy were always a few firecrackers and Roman Candles that my parents had purchased from the Hathorns.

When we were younger we’d rise before the sun to see what Santa had left beneath the tree, and while it was still dark we’d run outside to shoot the Roman Candles up into the dark sky.

We knew better than to aim anywhere near the barn. We didn’t want to set it on fire. But almost any other direction was fair game.

In the early years we stuck them in Coke bottles to be safe, but with each passing year we grew older and bolder.

The last year we found Roman candles in our Christmas boxes was the year I thought it’d be fun to wake up the cattle. I know there’s a song about the cattle lowing the babe asleep, but cattle lowing and scattering to the four corners of the earth wasn’t on my father’s playlist.

One more Christmas tradition bit the dust.

Their are no fireworks here today. It’s been a long, long time since they made their appearance beneath my tree. That only enhances the memories I have from my childhood.

On the other hand, I hope the Hathorn boys are warm these days.

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Rick Algood
December 25, 2020