Joey Dee’s Christmas Memories #1: My First North Dakota Christmas

Last night, after leaving the studio in Mandan, I headed toward my house in Bismarck. This was the first year that I haven't been under some obscene deadline to get things done before I had to be at someone's house for dinner.

When I first accepted the position her at Hot, I really was looking forward to bringing my family out here. While I grew up in Seattle, I was looking forward to a change of pace for me and my family.

The only thing I wasn't looking forward to was spending my first Christmas away from my family. My family is my biggest support system, and I wasn't looking forward to being away from them through the holidays.

Now it's 6 pm on Christmas night and the kids have settled down for now, it gives me a chance to reflect on my first Christmas in North Dakota.

I have never met a more generous community of people in my life. I have only lived here a couple of months, but I can already feel myself more connected to this community than I ever did living in Seattle. My neighbors brought me cookies and gifts even though we haven't talked but once, my bosses went out of their way to help me and my family settle into our new city, and everywhere I go there are already people that recognize me.

I have worked at many stations in my career, and I have never felt as welcomed into the community as I do here. I look forward to meeting all of you in 2014, and connecting myself into this community that has embraced me and my family.

Thank you to each and every one of you. You have made us feel welcomed into your beautiful community. I just hope that someday I can make each and every one of you feel as special as you all have made me feel in just 2 short months.

Onward and upward to 2014!