Let us turn, now, to the lighter side of the holidays here in good ol’ bawl’more.

There’s nothing like making a little fun of yourself from time to time, and Baltimoreans have plenty of provincial ways that make us, well, “unique” from other states across the country. This song seems to capture all of the little nuances that make us who we are. Love us or not, there’s really no second-guessing where we’re from when you get us talking about our Nattie Boh, our crabs, and our beloved O’s.

Believe it or not, though, this song evokes a bit of familial pride about a hometown I’m proud to call my own. There’s a certain comfort in coming home to a place that so easily defines you. For many years, I’ve taken extended trips up north to New England, a place where I feel an inexplicable affinity every time I am there. In fact, there’s a part of me that still wants to move up to Concord, Massachusetts permanently. I just cannot explain how or why I feel this charge, but it’s there. I walk the small towns as comfortably as if I had worn out many pairs of shoes along those streets in the past. I guess if you believe in reincarnation, you might think that I’m tapping into another lifetime. I don’t know. As I said, I can’t explain it.

But even when in New England, that feeling is deeply personal; my connection to that area begins and ends with me. That’s not the same charge I get about growing up in Baltimore. And this song, love it or hate it, captures that love affair that hometowners like me have with our beloved,  leave-us-alone little city.

So take the time to get a cup of holiday Joe and go down to 34th Street for a little Christmas cheer. Check out the traditions that have defined the place I call home, and just relax. It’s Bawl’more, hon, after all, and don’t you forget it.