HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-12-22, Page 3030
Exeter Times -Advocate
Wednesday, December 22, 1999
"How are you planning
to celebrate the last
Christmas of the century?"
"I am going to spend it
with my family and we're
going to have lost of fun
celebrating it."
— ADAM JOHNSTON, 12,
GR. 6 STUDENT AT
MCCURDY PUBLIC SCHOOL
This Christmas we'll
gather and celebrate as a
family. We'll open gifts
and listen to Christmas
carols while thinking
about future Christmas'.
We'll think about things,
such as, Will there be
Snow on Christmas morn-
ing? Or will it be gone for-
ever due to global warm-
ing? Will our tradition of
having Christmas trees no
longer be around due to
lack of forests? These are
some ideas that I have
heard from other people
about the upcoming mil-
lennium. Next year, on
January 1st, 2000, will
our lives change forever?
Will everyone lose faith in
our God or love for our
family? I think all of these
things listed above are just
fears of superstitious peo-
ple. I also don't think that
these things are true
because no love is
stronger than for God and
family and both will help
us through our problems.
If things were to change
this Christmas, there are
some traditions I would
like to keep, such as hav-
ing a Christmas tree to
add a festive touch to your
home, or exchanging gifts
to get into the spirit of giv-
ing, and most importantly,
getting together with the
family for Christmas. The
aspect of Christmas that I
hope will remain for as
long as we celebrate it, is
that we must remember
that this day is not about
receiving gifts, but that
this is the day that our
saviour was born.
ANITA KLAASSEN
GRADE 8, ST. BONIFACE
SCHOOL
This year my Christmas
will be much the same as
every year before, except
this year I will be cele-
brating Christmas on two
different days. On
Christmas Eve, I will be
going to my mom's with
my two older sisters. On
Christmas Day, I will be
celebrating at home with
my dad.
I was looking through a
flier today, and realized
how commercialized
Christmas has become. It
is no longer about cele-
brating the birth of
Christ. It is about Santa
bringing presents, and
how many presents you
can get. We have become
so materialistic that we
can't even see the true
meaning of Christmas. I
would like to say that I
take more pleasure in
giving gifts than receiv-
ing. Honestly, though, 1
can't.
Every Christmas my sis-,
ters and I play old
Christmas records. They
really remind you what
Christmas is supposed to
be -about...Being with
loved ones, being healthy,
and living in peace. There
is a song that I used to
sing all the time. It .truly
explains the meaning of
Christmas. The chorus is:
So I say a silent prayer
For creatures great
and small
Peace on earth,
good will to men
Is the greatest gift of all.
This year I have made a
resolution to smile at
everyone I see. I encour-
age you to do the same.
You never know, it could
be the best present they
get.
DIANNA BRADLEY -
GRADE 8, BIDDULPH
CENTRAL SCHOOL
For the last Christmas
of , the century I will
spend it like I have every
other Christmas. On
Christmas Eve my family
and I will go to church.
In the morning our fami-
ly will open presents
togather. My aunts,
uncles, cousins, and
grandparents will all
come and we will spend
the day together. For
dinner my family will all
sit at the table and enjoy
a large turkey dinner.
BRANDON BAIRD
GRADE 8, MT. CARMEL
SCHOOL
"(I am going tr
Christmas) with lir
at home and we're going
to have lots of ftui."
SARAH FLETCHBR, 10,
GR. 5 STUDENT AT
MCCURDY PUBLIC SCHOOL
"I am planning on
spending the last
Christmas of this century
with my friends and fami-
ly because there's no bet-
ter place to be, and
because of that I love
them all."
SARAN PARKER, 13, Ga.' 8
STUDENT 'At STEPHEN
CENTRAL SCi00L'
"I arp going to spend it
at my house with most of
my family from my
mom's side. We're going
to have one of the biggest
dinners you've ever seen.
My aunt Sherry's
boyfriend, Chris Moore, is
going to take pictures of
all the individual families
and one big picture of
everyone. Then we will
blow up the picture of
everyone and give it to
my grandparents for a
Christmas present next
year."
BRENT WINDSOR, 12,
GR. 7 STUDENT AT
MCCURDY PUBLIC SCHOOL
This Christmas will be
the most exciting
Christmas ever because it
is the last one of the cen-
tury. It will also be special
to me. because I will be
alive to see thebeginning
of a new century. We are
planning a traditional
family Christmas. The day
of December 18 we will
be celebrating the
Ducharme Christmas. We
will be celebrating it in
the basement of the
Catholic Church in Zurich.
At our Ducharme Family
Christmas we will be play-
ing cards, eating dinner,
and opening presents.
The next day we will be
celebrating the Schroeder
Christmas. This is the only
time we getto see many
members of the
Schroeder family because
they live sofar away. At
the Schroeder Christmas
we will also be. playing -
cards, and having dinner
to$ether. The only thing
we don't do is exchange
presents.
On Christmas Eve we
are going to celebrate
Mass at our church in St.
Joseph. We are also plan-
ning to take time to thank
God for what we have
received this century and
for the life He has given
us.
One part of Christmas I
really enjoy is opening our
presents on Christmas
morning.. I also love going
to my grandparent's
house to celebrate
Christmas there. At my
Grandpa and Grandma's
Christmas I see my aunt,
my uncle, and cousins,
who I don't see very
much. Above all, this last
Christmas of the century,
we are going to have fun
and thank God for the
birth of His Son.
I feel very excited and
happy to be celebrating
the last Christmas of the
century. At the same time,
it makes me feel sad that
we will be leaving behind
this century and the won-
ders of the past thousand
years. The coming of the
new millennium makes
me think that the years
pass by too fast. I wonder
if next Christmas will be
as exciting as this
Christmas. The futute is
ever se close and there
are many possibilities yet
to be seen and experi-
enced.
COREY DuuHARME
GRADE 7, Sr. BONtiPAcR
• ScaooL
"I plan to celebrate the
last Christmas of the cen-
tury by enjoying it with
my family. If there hap-
pens to be any snow, I
wou1tl love to go snowmo-
biling."
MAEGAN KIPPER, 12, -GR. 8
STUDENT AT STEPHEN
CENTRAL SCHOOL
"I'm going to spend it
with almost all of my
family on my mom's side
and . open presents. Then
a week later. I'll spend It
with my relatives on my,
d04'S fide." .. ; : ,
NICOLE CHRISTIE, 13, GR.
8 STUDENT AT MCCURDY
PUBLIC SCHOOL
This Christmas I will be
spending it like all of the
other ones. We will be
going to a family mem-
ber's house. We will have
a turkey dinner with all of
my cousins, aunts, uncles
and grandparents. After
the dinner is done we wlll
exchange and open gifts.
When all of the gifts are
opened, we ,will watch all
of the young ones play
with their new toys. Then
we all relax and share
stories.
JESSE KADLECIK
GRADE 8, MT. CARMEL
SCHOOL
Will Christmas change
in the new millennium? I
don't think so because
Christmas is about family
and they'll still ,be there
on Christmas moring, so
it won't be anydifferent
than any other year. We'll
still open presents by a lit
fire and reminisce. about
the past year we have
spent together. Drink hot
chocolate while singing
carols that bring joy to my
whole family's hearts. I
hope that these little tra-
ditions that our family has
become accustomed to,
will stay the same
through the millennium
because even though
they're small, they mean
a lot to me and my family.
Christmas just wouldn't
be the same without
them. Also, I like having
the tradition of celebrat=
ing ,Christmas at my
Grandma's house with. all
of my aunts' -and uncles
because sometimes I
don't see them as much
as J'd like to. This is also a
god chance to have * finn
with everyone hi my faint-
ly, not just room,' .dad,
brother, like cousins,
aunts and uncles. If things
don't change in the new
millennium I'll be glad
because even though tra-
ditions aren't much to
some people, they mean a
lot to me and the rest of
my family. If these simple
traditions were everlost, I
couldn't imagine what
Christmas would be like.
DANNY MASSE
GRADE 8, ST. BONIFACE
SCHOOL
For the last Christmas of
the century I'm planning
to spend it the same way
as every Christmas. My
family is planning on con-
tinuing traditions, like
going to church on
Christmas Eve, exchang-
ing and opening gifts
Christmas morning, hav-
ing a large breakfast, and
celebrating with my fami-
ly. I'm going to about four
Christmas dinners where
we will have a large
turkey dinner. Most of aU
I will be relaxing with my
family and friends.
Awe MCCANI
GRADE 8, MT. CARMEL
• SCHOOL