HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-12-23, Page 7The Grade 2 and 3 class at St. Mary's do a Biblical version of The Night Before Christmas at
their concert this year. Mary and Joseph are played by Danielle Theriault and Brandon Cor-
riveau. (photo by Susan Hundertmark )
To our customers
-'� and many friends
wishing you a
Merry Christmas
and the Best
for the New Year!
from the staff at:
BROWNS DECOR
CENTRE
Lee, Paul, Jeff and Bus
race Pat.tersor:
E, MBER 23,190 PAG,E7
we contains the
spirit of Christmas for many children
BY SUSAN HUNDERTMARK
When she thinks about all the children
.;who have climbed onto her knee for the
past six Christmases in Goderich, her
bright blue eyes sparkle behind her
glasses and her rosy cheeks crinkle up into
a smile.
Grace Patterson's smile contains the
spirit of Christmas. And, as Mrs. Claus,
she's listened to the Christmas wishes of
almost every child in Goderich and sur-
rounding area.
"The children will sit on your knee and
get their faces so close to yours with a dead
serious expression and it's surprising what
they'll ask you for. Some will ask for so
much but others will ask for whatever you
can bring them," she says.
From the timid ones to the enthusiastic,
Mrs. Patterson says all the children are
very polite and very cute. Most can name
their desires in exact detail.
"One boy told me he wanted a shirt with
snaps here and here and at the cuffs and a
nice -pair of socks to go with it. Most of the
children know the name of everything to
ask for," she says.
Some kids want to develop closer ties
with the Claus family in the North Pole.
"One little girl said she didn't want
anything but she wondered if Santa Claus
could come to her house and have
Christmas dinner with her family. Another
little boy brought a Christmas card for me
and Santa with his name and phone
number inside," she chuckles.
When the children are asked if they've
been good during the year, some honestly
reply that they haven't though they've
tried. Mrs. Claus also asks if they'll leave
out carrots for the reindeer and leave the
door open or clean out the chimney for
Santa.
"I'm sure some of the fathers wouldn't
be too impressed by questions about clean-
ing out the chimney when the children got
home," she says.
Mrs. Patterson, a member of the
Goderich Kinettes, was asked to become
Mrs. Claus when the Kinsmen Club spon-
sored the Santa Claus float in the
Christmas parade. "It must have been my
size. I was the biggest Kinette," she jokes
adding that Mrs. Claus should be a roly po-
ly person.
Though she enjoys waving and yelling,
• "Merry Christmas" from her seat in the
cutter on the Santa Claus float, Mrs. Pat-
terson says the most important part of her
job is talking to the children.
"Every child gets on your knee and gets
his picture taken," she says.
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For more information write or call:
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Grace Patterson as Mrs. Santa Claus
Prerequisites for the job include a love
of children, a vivid imagination and a
careful reading of the Christmas catalogue
to ensure she knows the names of all the
toys.
"A few years ago, with all these space
toys on the market, you never knew what
they were asking for," she says.
One of the more difficult aspects of the
job, though, is climbing onto the Christmas
float by ladder.
"One year, I went up and down the lad-
der so many times I lost my glasses. I'm
not young to be doing this but I get a kick
out of it," she says.
Playing a member of the Claus family is
part of a Patterson family tradition. Mrs.
Patterson's late husband, Pat used to play
Santa in Goderich many years ago for the
IODE and borrowed the costume along
with some sleigh bells for Lhe Patterson
celebration at their sons' homes.
"He used to walk up and down the street
in his Santa suit ringing the sleigh bells
and peering into the windows. All the kids
on the street used to wait for him to arrive
for Christmas," she says.
A great fan of the Christmas season,
Mrs. Patterson says she may be in the au-
dience at the newly -released Santa Claus
movie this year.
"Maybe I'll pick up some pointers," she
says.
From all of us to
all of you...a very
Merry Christmas
SACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Kay Sharp Bill Bakelaar Lorraine Franken David Anstett John Anstett Ya'-•ck
Higgins FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT: Lynda Horbanuik, Margaret Taylor
SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM ANSTETT MANUFACTURING LTD. LEFT TO
RIGHT: Jamie Anstett Dennis Vere, Jim Zimmerman Mike Becker, Paul Anstett
(manager) SEATED Suanne Smith
ANSTETT
J=WE LL ERS
8 ALBERT STREET, CLINTON