Heaux! Heaux! Heaux! (Translation, if necessary: Ho! Ho! Ho!)

Donta Claus, who’s enjoying his twilight years to the max, makes his umpteenth ride around bayou country today while we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. That’s why it’s called Christmas.

I’ll pass out many presents, including special, personalized gifts for outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen who have made an impact on me and/or these outdoors pages in 2024. The Christmas-giving includes something for all, too, including hip boots, shotgun shells, truly waterproof raingear, trail cams, fishing line, duck calls, landing net, camouflage clothing, ice chest and other essentials to fish and hunt in the heart of Cajun Country.

Donta Claus sincerely wishes y’all a very blessed and Merry Christmas.

Bo Amy – After proving it’s possible to win AOY titles in both the Wednesday Night Hawg Fights Bass Tournament Series AND Louisiana Bass Cats, rinse and repeat next year.

Jeneen Baquet – One year’s worth of hunting, fishing and life memories ahead for one heckuva outdoorswoman, especially with the new arrival on the way. God bless all the Baquets.

Dr. Shawn Baquet – Grand finish down the stretch of the high school fishing season as boat captain for your son, Jarrett, and his teammate, Seth Switzer. And, oh, yeah, another United Hero Plaque.

Henry Bernard Jr. – More incredible scuba diving experiences, relaxing horseback riding, campground cuisine and other fine meals, chillin’ on the lake or in China with Jackie and a 66th high school reunion for New Iberia High School grads.

Dickie Broussard – Consistently good health, more inspirational messages on Facebook.

Kyle Broussard – Good stretch run to the duck season at your new lease near Pecan Island and great football seasons ahead for youngest son, Max.

Danny Bulliard – Better cellphone service in the X Row/Ceabon Canal areas, which you walked a long time after sunset trying to make an emergency call in early fall after beaching your boat in the shallow swamp, and at least one win on the Wednesday Night Hawg Fights Bass Tournament Series.

Chris Courville – More squirrels in the pot, as well as ideal deer hunting conditions the rest of the season to fill out those tags.

Malcolm Crochet – Banner spring for bass and crappie at Toledo Bend, many more breathtaking photo opps on the sprawling scenic lake, and a successful Grand Isle Dune and Beach Restoration Project.

Brock Daigle – Top finishes in the Louisiana High School Bass Nation as well as in Armed Forces Fishing League bass tournaments with your son, Hollis.

Dusty Davis – Now that both young sons have their “first deer ever,” both nice bucks, a great stretch run for deer hunting and, a few months from now, some good freshwater fishing in Lake Fausse Pointe. Enjoy teaching the young’uns huntin’ and fishin’.

Carroll Delahoussaye – Limit of ducks, doves and/or bass next year, along with a daily clean bill of health.

Brandon Derouen – Who says lightning can’t strike in the same place? Yes … another 8-13-pound bass from Teche Lake Canal. There’s nothing that says it can’t happen again while sac-a-lait fishing with a blue/white tube jig like that day in mid-March.

Dr. Eric Elias – Improved second half of the waterfowl season, as well as limits of red snapper next year on the  Megalodon.

Brian Evans – Time to run that boat to try out new trolling motor prop, healed shoulder for Olivia and deep run in the high school girls soccer state playoffs for CHS.

Jason Foster – A weekend or two to get in some duck hunting, a rewarding basketball season for Jackson Foster and even more productive New Iberia Ducks Unlimited Banquet next October.

Wilfred “Tuppy” Gary – Improved health, more memorable moments on and off the water with your son, plus another “hawg” on your hook at Lake Martin like the 8-2 in April.

Jacques Hebert – Another year of quality machining and manufacturing for the “Streamline Team,” plus a great red snapper season and a boat captain’s award for the skipper of the Sea Mistress.

John Hebert – Another 1 million-plus pounds grinding season at the LaSuCa factory in St. Martin Parish, then time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends in the offseason.

Marlin Hebert – Make it back-to-back AOY titles in the Coteau Bass Hustlers.

Johnny Hester – For one of the most dedicated, hardest-working bass tournament anglers in Acadiana … an AOY next year in the Louisiana Bass Anglers.

Felix Jeanminette – Safe and healthy 2025, plus more and more bites each time you chase sac-a-lait, bream and bass.

Keo Khamphilavong – Deer showing themselves at your lease out-of-state and on the Attakapas Island WMA. Add many more bonanzas like the speckled trout trip several months ago to Tiger Shoals.

Chris Landry – Texas Bowl score: LSU 31, Baylor 20. We’ll ride the Nuss Bus.

Donnie Latiolais – League titles for major and minor ULL Ragin’ Cajuns sports and great girls soccer seasons for CHS, then travel team, for Marla.

Kevin Latiolais – Recipe book with secret ingredients to defend Swamp-a-laya title, a bigger and much more pristine “sinker” cypress tree and as long a life as possible for your oldest pup. Stay safe out there.

Kyle LeBlanc – Cash in again in the End of the Year Lake Verret Showdown with a sac-a-lait bigger than the 1.7 pounder you caught May 31, to anchor a third-place, seven-fish limit with teammate Kayde Nicholas, plus a prosperous year at Stan’s Tire and Automotive Center.

Mark Leger – Beaucoup bites during a great start to the second half of the Louisiana High School B.A.S.S. Nation season beginning Feb. 8-9 at Toledo Bend. Top 10 finishes in that derby and the next seven tournaments for your son Cannon and his buddy Greyson Young.

Tommy Lipari – Wrap job for Caleb Sumrall’s new Xpress. And, of course, a healthy and Happy New Year!

Bubbie Lopez – Of course, Elite 8 title for the second year in a row for the Louisiana Bass Anglers, plus more rewarding days as a grandpa.

Derek Louviere – The picture is worth a thousand words award after your son, Gabe, 8, killed his first deer Nov. 18 and rode triumphantly up the levee on a four-wheeler with the 8-point buck on board, pumping his fist.

Matthew Louviere – Quality Time with Morgan and Norah, greater recognition for outstanding sports photography and bright future as m.e. for The Daily Iberian.

Mike Louviere – Desired result for you in the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Division when it rolls around in May … onward and upward!

Ondina Louviere – Salute to a great-great-grandmother who followed in her husband’s deer hunting footsteps by harvesting a buck each of the past three seasons. The retired school bus driver, who also helped her husband, the late Widley J. “Pop” Louviere, run crawfish traps, killed a 7-point, 170-pounder Dec. 17.

Matt Migues – Your choice of either a Blackhawk 2.0 Covert Scouting Camera or a Real Tree’s EZ Hangers. Ho! Ho! Ho! Indeed.

Robert Minvielle Jr. – Beaucoup True South Custom Calls orders while adding a CNC Lathe.

Brian Moody – District championship, then a deep run into the postseason for the Catholic High School Lady Panthers soccer team in 2024-25, clutch tournament Ws for your United team(s) plus more fishing trips with Donta Claus.

Henry Mouton – Outdoors tales next year as good as or better than this year’s stories about Bennett Billeaud, the high school student who landed a big blue marlin Jan. 13, and your son, fisher/hunter Martin Mouton over in S.C. who shot down a duck banded in Louisiana.

Don Naquin – Quiet and enjoyable retirement days in Georgia but an opp to return home to New Iberia.

Hunter Neuville – Ticket punched to the next level via the 2025 B.A.S.S. Nation Central Division.

Mike O’Brien – Safe and adventuresome travels next year with Miss Mel, some shootable targets down the stretch of the deer season and sac-a-lait + big bass in the box next spring at Toledo Bend and Atchafalaya Basin.

Clay Peltier – Wonderful Christmas Day and a very Happy New Year for you and Miss Peggy.

Donald Romero – Gifting you another sweet spot for bass in Charenton Lake and good health in 2025.

Gavin Savoy – Where to start for a young go-get’um outdoorsman? Enough shotgun shells, fishing tackle and gas for the new seasons ahead in ’25.

Tee Roy Savoy – Even greater Jackie Savoy Memorial Big Bass Classic, which benefits cancer patients and families as well as other charitable causes.

Johnny “Shake” Schexnayder – Sumptuous eats at home or out on the town to go along with bass-catchin’ days to brag about each time out.

Armond Schwing – Oh, heck, why not? Another Merriam’s wild turkey on another memorable hunt next spring with your son, Saint, the ultimate all-around outdoorsman, and a blessed year for the Schwing family.

Brandon Sellers – More Ws in bass tournaments with hotspots like Mud Cove and another enjoyable night at the next Kiwanis Trivia Night.

Jacob Shoopman – Pair of winter gloves, vacation destinations Worlds of Fun and Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium for you and your growing family in ’25, back-to-back WN Hawg Fights BTS wins again with the old man and, “Oh my. Good Lord” – successful defense on Feb. 15 of the 2024 Louisiana Bass Cats Open title. Add a Kansas City Royals run to the World Series.

Joshua Shoopman – An “I (Really) Visited the Evangeline Statue” button, beaucoup trips to Rome and Ecuador, plus a return sometime to Antarctica, which Aussie comedian/TV producer Andrew Denton likens to Mozart, Michelangelo and Shakespeare. And many, many returns to your roots, New Iberia.

June Shoopman – What’s better than being a Maw Maw? Being a Maw Maw X2 with the pending arrival of a baby brother for young Miller. (Add a plethora of overnight stays on Victory Drive.) Good ol’ beach time in Biloxi, MS. Plus multiple bass catchin’ trips when the weather’s mild, particularly in the Black Forest and Grevemberg.

Mike Sinitiere – One 2024  ZX200 with a Yamaha Sho 200 (delivered one month ago today), at least one win on the 2025 WN Hawg Fights BTS, your very own Coca-Cola polar bear costume, two painted car port pillars, and an end to the carousel of slightly owned high-performance bass boats.

Nicole Smith – Bent fishin’ rods and livewell full of good fishin’ rodeo fish whenever the Aquaholics all-women crew gets back out on the water to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Ryan Sonnier – Brisk Iberia Outboard business as well as ever-increasing traffic at the bait shop.

Phil Soprano – More bass on the business end of your line in ’25, plus easy ingress and egress to Charenton Lake.

Ben Suit – Countless hugs and kisses for a proud, loving dad with Riley Elizabeth Suit, born 10.22.24, countdown to first fishin’ trip with her and your wife, Taylor Dean Suit, and another “Dirty 30!” with your hawg-catchin’ brother, Zach.

Kevin Suit – Plenty of time to hug and spoil infant granddaughter Riley Elizabeth Suit, plus more Super Bait Buzz Bait “Eye Series” models for you and your sons, Ben and Zach.

Zach Suit – A Toledo Bend bass even bigger than the 10.71-pounder you hooked and your brother, Ben, grabbed in a death grip March 17, another bass club win with “Mr. October,” Jacob Shoopman, and a successful chiropractic career for your wife, Dr. Melinda Green Suit.

Caleb Sumrall – If not a Bassmaster Elite AOY title, then at least one Top 10 finish on the circuit in ’25.

Austin Theriot – Anniversary gift next year like the one you and Leryn Quintana enjoyed while hunting geese Dec. 7 in Kaplan, plus a repeat WN Hawg Fights BTS Classic win with Gavin Savoy.

Joey Trahan – Backup for every red-hot crank bait in your boxes on the way to capturing the elusive AOY in the Coteau Bass Hustlers.

Chris Vedrines – Peace, happiness and big bites in whatever bass tournaments you fish next year.

Gordie White – Lifetime service award for the outdoorsman who bleeds red for Ducks Unlimited, as well as, most importantly, good health in 2025.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.