4st Place: 9, 10 and11 years

The wind was howling on this Christmas
Eve when Santa and his reindeer Janded on my
front yard. Of course I didn’t know they were
out there but I was soon to find out. The way I
found out is b we were all h ing up
our stockings when . . . wait! [have to tell youa
little bit about myself first. My name is Angela.
[have a mom, a dad and a brother called Sam.
I am in grade 4. I am 9 years old.

‘As I was telling you Sam and I were hanging
up our stockings when I heard something. It
sounded like sleighbells. “What was that?” I
asked. “I can't hear anything.” Said Sam, “Lis-
ten,” I whispered. “Well I can’t hear anything!”
whined Sam. “I’m going to bed!” And he did. “I
don't care ifhe can’t hear anything I’m going to
check this out.”1 thought.

So I got my coat and climbed out the win-
dow to see what was going on (why didn't I go
out the door like a normal human being?) It
was freezing out there. I was glad I brought by

coat.

I looked around out there for a while but I
didn’t see anything. I was just about to climb
back in the window when I heard a voice.

“What are you doing here?” asked a gentle
voice. I turned around and to my surprise ‘I
saw a whole bunch of LAWN! What are YOU
doing here?” I asked,

“Well, it’s a long story

- “Good tell me all about it!” I interrupted,
“Well, I don’t think I'll have to introduce my-
self.” said Santa.

“My name is Angela,” I said. “I know.” said
Santa. “Now tell me that story Santa please.”
I said (you've got to remember your manners
with these kind of people.) “You see we were de-
livering the presents when some thing hap-
pened. THE PRESENTS FELL OFF OF THE
SLEIGH!” Cried Santa.

Then all of the reindeer began to cry. Now
Christmas is going to be ruined all of the chil-
dren will be so disappointed in me.” cried San-

ta.
“Look don’t cry.”I said. “I'll help you find the
presents.

You will? asked Santa and the Reindeer.

“Sure, I will!” I said

“Well, what are we waiting for?” said San-
ta. Let's go.

So I climbed onto the sleigh and the rein-
deer took off. It was wonderful flying through
the air in a sleigh pulled by reindeer. It was so
wonderful in fact that I almost forgot about the
presents. But I didn't.

“Where were you when the presents fell off?
I asked.

“Hmm, right about here.” remembered one
of the reindeer.

Well let’s land and see if we can find them,
I said. So we flew down and landed. We decid-
ed to split upo and meet at the sleigh in two
hours.

Saturday, December 21, 1991 @

ntwo hours we met at the sleigh but no one
had had any luck. So we decided to look to-
gether. After what seemed like forever I saw a
big bag. It was bulging with toys! “I found
them! I found them!” I squealed: Santa and alt
the reindeer ran tome (or galloped in the rein-
deers cases). “Well I think I'll have to be get-
ting home now.” I said sadly. You can’t go yet
Tl have to thank you first, no wait I have a bet-
ter idea. Tomorrow morning look for a special
present under the tree it will be my thanks.
said santa. “No I can’t take a special present,
from you I don't need any thanks. All I need i
the pleasure of knowing that all those childre,
won't be disappointed.” I said. So we got on
sleigh and traveled to my house stopping to
drop off presents on the way. Finally we
reached my house. “Good-bye Santa. I said. It’s
been so nice to help you. Then I gave Santaa
great big hug. I’m going to miss you Angela.
Said Santa. But.don’t be surprised if you find
something special for you. Oh Santa, I cried.
Then I waved to Santa and went back into my
house:

Santa returned the next day leaving a sim-
ple note: “Thank you friend, for Christmas is
saved.”

Melanie Gorman

Age9

2nd Place: 9, 10 and 11 years

The wind was howling this Christmas Eve
as Santa and his reindeer landed in my front
yard. Moral: People say Santa doesn’t exist but,
the true meaning of Christmas lies in his mist.
If all started when... Yawwn-.-Shawn woke
up. “Hey, Shawn, Brook said. It’s Christmas
Eve, come on. Shawn got up, ran down stairs,
got his advent calendar. “It’s an angel,” Shawn
said. There was a big Bang. What's that the
family said.

A strange man appeared at the fire place,
dirty as can be. “Hello he said. Oh, my goshit’s
Santa, said Brook. “Bingo, said Shawn. Ho, Ho,
Ho. But I'm in trouble, said Santa. Why said
Mom. Well I got fired and Christmas needs to
be saved, and how we can do this is we have to
find if people know the true meaning of Christ-
mas, so we have to go far and wide to find out
if they believe,” Santa said. “Well, let’s start
now!” Brook said. "Ho, ho, ho said Santa, and
with a touch of the nose Poof, they were off in
the time zone very scary. Santa said, in three
seconds’3, 2, 1. Poof. We were in the manger of
Jesus. Do you believe asked Santa to Brook and
Shawn. Yes, we do, they said. Poof, theywere
gone in the time zone. You have to help me, and
fast, said Santa. Yo said Brook, Gotcha said
Shawn. Poof they were in the air delivering
presents every second, laughing, talking,
singing. Santa returned the next day leaving
a simple note: Thank you friends, for Christ-

mas is saved.

Brook Papau

Ed Conroy

M.L.A.

"Best Wishes to
all this
Christmas
Season”

3rd Place: 9, 10 and 11 Years 2 te

The wind was howling this
Christmas Eve as Santa and
his reindeer landed in-my
front yard ( because he forgot
to land on the roof). So he went
in my front door, forgetting to
check if everyone was asleep.
He was so forgetful that he
couldn't remember where to
stop in France. So he was look-
ing for a nice child who could
remember where to go. I was
still awake when Santa came
to my house.

He said, “Little child sitting
in there, could you do me a
favour?

I said, “Sure I can do you a
favour.

“Okay, said Santa could you

deliver these gifts for me? I'm
too forgetful and I can't re-
member to-stop in France.”

“But I don’t know how to
work the sleigh and drive the
reindeer.

“Oh, no! said Santa I can’t
remember either.

“Well we all have to figure
it out or none of us will be able
to work them, I said.

“Well I might be able to re-
member. I’m not that forget-
ful,” said Santa.

So we went outside he
showed me how to work them
and then I was off into the
wind.

I made my first stop. In the
continued on page 17

Wishing You
AllA
Very Merry
Christmas
from all

WALLACE HORNING
PETER VATKIN

VI STOUSHNOW
MABEL ISAKSON
JEANNETTE HORNING
GAIL SHELLENBERG
LEE NEWTON
PHYLLIS GOLOSBURY
ELAINE MARTIN
LEONA MAY
MARRIANNA WESTINGHOUSE

TERRY PHILLIPS
DENNIS KRAHN
WENDY BAKER
AUDREY POLOVNIKOFF
CHRISTINE MARKIN

“CoM

Tre management and Staff from West's
Dept. Store would like to extend
Season's Greetings to all our customers
and thank you for your patronage . . .

ENJOY FREE SKATING AT THE

cy
Ee Ie}

KATRIN PINTER
LINDA BUDAY

LIL PRICE

GLADYS LECKIE
JUDY MORANDINI
SHARON ISFELD
HELEN SOOKACHOFF
CAROL SOMMERVILLE
DEBRA POTTER

JILL TAIT

SARA VATKIN

EDITH ERIKSSON
PENNY HURD
SHELLY OHLHAUSEN
LINDA BARRY
TONNIE STEWART
LIN DALLA LANA
CAROL McLEAN
HEDDA BRECKENRIDGE

COMPLEX
f) aya 4

@ Saturday, December 21, 1991

<

3rd Place: 9, 10, 11 continued
continued from page 16

house lived a boy and a girl. I unravelled the list.
It was so long that it took me an hour; just to find out
what they wanted for christmas, but it got even
worse. I went down the chimney the wrong way. I
managed to eat the cookies right but that was all. I
forget what they wanted for Christmas, that took me
er —ware! fant

e next house was 2000 miles away from the first

house, but with a flash I was there. I think they had
six children because I had to leave so many gifts.
Again it took me a long time to figure out what they
wantd for Christmas. I went down the ‘chimney the
right way this time. I thought that I might be getting
the hang of it but then I choked on a cookie crumb
and coughed so loud I could have woken up the
neighbourhood. I was glad that I had finished 2 hous-
es but there were still 800 more to go.

Aftger 400 houses I started to get tired but then I
remembered the promise I had made so I kept on go-
ing. I made it through three hundred more houses
when I really started to get tired.

_ Tsaid “there only a hundred more houses to go” so
I kept on moving.

Iwas on the last house when the bell on the sleigh
chimed one o'clock. I hurried, giving everyone a fee:
sent, and then dashed back to my home where San-
ta was waiting outside for me.

I said “hurry or you'll be late.”

I know he made it back that night and the reason
why I know is because Santa retunred the next day
leaving a simple note: “Thank you friend, for Christ-

mas is saved.”
Erika EvansAge 14

1st Place: 12, 13 and 14 Years

The wind was howling on this Christmas Eve
when Santa and his reindeer landed in my front yard.
Telipped ous oftbed and into my slippers. Down the

raced, then stopped at my little siste: -
tha’s bedroom door. ats . sister Samman

“She would probably want to see Santa too,” I

thought to myself. I watched her eyes twinkle when
I told her Santa had landed at our house just a
minute ago. Together we ran down the stairs. Half

way down we heard a “Thud” in the fireplace, and_

watched as Santa stepped-out and began_brushi
himself off. Weirdly enough he was fo 0 gai
‘s ening not supposed to grumble,” whispered
“Excuse me, Santa, but did something go wrong?,”
I asked curiously as we walked into the livi a.”

Startled, he looked up. ‘ Sie

“Yes,” said Santa. “Rudolph caught a bad cold and
I must have crashed into a dozen snowmen on my
way here.”

“Poor Rudoph,” said Samantha. Then she smiled
and asked, “Can reindeer have cough syrup?”

“Why, yes, they can, ” said Santa.

‘Do you know of an open store that carries cough
syrup?”

“Forget the store,” I said and went to find our
cough syrup.

When I returned I saw Rudolph sitting on the car-
pet next to the heater. Samantha was stroking his
soft brown fur. At her knees was a bright red scarf.

“We thought it would be good to get him out of the
cold. I hope you don’t mind,” said Santa.

“Why wound I mind?” I asked, “After all the nice
things you've given me year after year.”

os handed Santa the cough syrup, and after he had
given Rudolph the correct amount Samantha
wrapped him in the red scarf.

“I found out why I crashed into all those snow-
men,” chuckled Santa as he pulled out his glasses.
Santa picked up his bag and handed each of us a huge
candy sane.

“Thank you,” we said together. Saman
Rudolph one last hug. . a

“You're my favorite reindeer,” she said. Rudolph’s
nose seemed to glow brighter. Santa threw his pack
over his shoulder, and dup Rudolph. Then lay-

“Thidtd fire Vedt CHPtindd fvel* said Samantha,

- ba ral rg apaeirbiaesey me. Before going to
ed we stopped at the kitchen fc a

nee ee oopeeee n for our own snack of

Santa returned the next day, leaving a si ote:
“Thank you friend, for Christmas is — %

Heather Sheppard

Age 12, Grade 7

2nd Place: 12, 13 and 14 Years

The wind was howling on this Christmas Eve
when Santa and his reindeer landed in my front yard.
I was surprised! I rubbed my eyes and blinked twice
and then I ran to go my boots as I leaped out the door
as fast as I could to see what the problem was. “San-
ta”, I said, “what's the trouble?” He looked up to me
(he is short, only about 4’11”) and said “I broke one
of the rails on my sled.” I invited him into the house,
and put his sled and the reindeer in the back so no
one would get suspicious. I asked him if he wanted
some coffee or hot chocolate, “no, I must get my sleigh
repaired and be on my way, I haven't much time.” I
led him to the garage and got my dad’s toolbox. We
went directly to the sled .

Just as we got there it started to snow heavily. He
showed me the broken rail. “No problem” I said, “all
it needs is a screw and a bolt”. I ran back into the
garage and searched all the drawers for a screw and
a bolt. In the last drawer on that cupboard I found
one. I grabbed a wrench and ran back to Santa. He
quickly put it in. Then just as he was about to climb
into his sled, he noticed Rudolph was loose. I checked
the harness, sure enough it was broken. I ran onto

the patio and climbed onto the roof. I looked at all the
sleeping streets looking for a red glow. I saw him at
Castlegar Primary playing on the equipment. I ran
down the path and up the street and along the fence
until I found an opening: I called to him softly.

ing a finger at the side of his nose, and giving a nod
up the chimney they rose. .

“You forgot your milk and cookies!” Samantha
called after Santa. Magically the cookies twirled up
through the chimney to Santa.

“Rudolph, Santa is waiting for you.” He cautiously
looked at me as if I were crazy. I showed him the
house and then he ran along beside me. We finally
got there and I went into'the house quietly to get
something to fix the harness with.

continued on page 20

Season s Greetings

The management and staff of WKP wish all .
of our customers a happy holiday.

Gb West KOOTENAY POWER

EE

May your Christmas carol repeat the sounding joy.

CASTLEGAR PLUMBING
& HEATING LTD.

1008 Columbia‘Avenue, Castlegar, B.C. Ph. 365-3388

O
Christ
mas tree,
O Christinas

ei