I own and operate a Web site, www.alwaysangels.com, on which I sell a variety of Angel-themed gifts. I find most of my Angels at the International Gift Fair which is held twice a year at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

But I don’t find all of my Angels in San Francisco.

Some of my favorite Angels I find right here in Petaluma. If you live in Petaluma, you know Petaluma has a number of antique stores. Also, there are open-air fairs where antique dealers from around the area set up tables and booths filled to overflowing with the old, the odd and the unusual. I like to browse the stores and fairs in search of Angels you are unlikely to find at your typical commercial gift fair. These are the places where I find some of my favorite Angels.

Usually, when I buy an Angel, I buy it to sell it on Always Angels. Occasionally though, I find an Angel or two that I like too much to part with. This doesn’t happen often but over the years, an Angel here and an Angel there has grown into a small collection.

I bought four, small Angels in Petaluma. I don’t remember where I bought them or even when. They are about three and a half inches tall and are all little bells. Each Angel is a young cherub girl, dressed in a long gown and holds one of these four letters: L E O N. I like them so much, I’ve added them to my personal collection.

I’ve come across hundreds of Angels browsing stores and dealer tables over the years but I’ve never seen a collection of Angels like these that spell out someone’s name. When I asked the person who sold them to me who Leon was, she smiled and said she didn’t know. Whoever he was, I like his taste in Angels.

Merry Christmas to those who do and to all a happy new year!

Leon