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The Times Advocate, 2007-12-19, Page 3434 Times -Advocate Wednesday, December 19, 2007 Hailey Hanson Age 7 Precious Blood Interesting facts about Christmas The "Twelve Days of Christmas" was originally written to help Catholic children, in England, remember different articles of faith during the per- secution by Protestant Monarchs. The "true love" represented God, and the gifts all different ideas: The "Partridge in a pear tree" was Christ. 2 Turtle Doves = The Old and New Testaments 3 French Hens = Faith, Hope and Charity— the Theological Virtues 4 Calling Birds = the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists 5 Golden Rings = The first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which relays the his- tory of man's fall from grace. 6 Geese A -laying = the six days of Creation 7 Swans A -swimming = the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments 8 Maids A -milking = the eight beatitudes 9 Ladies Dancing = the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit 10 Lords A -leaping = the ten commandments 11 Pipers Piping = the eleven faithful apostles 12 Drummers Drumming = the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed The abbreviation of Xmas for Christmas is not irreligious. The first letter of the word Christ in Greek is chi, which is identical to our X. Xmas was originally an ecclesiastical abbreviation that was used in tables and charts. The Christmas season begins at sundown on 24th December and lasts through sundown on 5th January. For that reason, this season is also known as the Twelve Days of Christmas. Real Christmas Gifts Coleson Gackstetter, Grade 3, Huron Centennial Christmas is a time in the season when you wish for good things to happen to others. I want Christmas to be a sharing time. I want Christmas time to be a respectful one. I want Christmas to be a loving one. I want Christmas to be the most exciting season of the year! Dear Santa Wade Coombs, Grade 3, Hensall Public School Hi Santa, my name is Wade. I am 8 years old. I am in Grade three. I go to Hensall Public School. I live on Lorne Avenue. My sister is in Grade 4. My Mom loves to cook and my Dad builds stuff. I have been good this year. What do the elves do in the winter? How do you get around the world? What does Mrs. Claus do when you are gone? I just want a few things a Tico RC truck and a leather jacket. I hope you and Mrs. Claus have a great Christmas. Your friend Wade Dear Santa Dylan Rau, Kindergarten, St. Boniface School I know that you are red and live at the North Pole. You have reindeers that are brown and presents that you give people. I love your presents, well, only the boy ones. I love you. For Christmas I want an Apatosaurus, that's a long neck dinosaur. I also want a t -rex, too. Love, Dylan Christmas Sam McEwan and Jon Baker, Grade 4, Exeter Public Christ the Lord was born on Christmas day Holly Jolly Christmas Rudolph pulls Santa's sleigh Into the chimney Santa goes Santa Claus is coming to town Toys for many children Many blessings to you and all A lot of smiles from children across the globe So many presents to give away Dear Santa Hailey Meikle, Age 7, Precious Blood How are you and Mrs. Claus? I'm looking forward to Christmas. I hope that the reindeer and elves are good. How was your holiday? The year went by quickly. I like to play in the snow and I like hot chocolate and I like sledding. Thank you for all the gifts that you gave me last year. This year could you possibly bring me a new Webkinz and a new Barbie house and a new cell phone? I have been a good girl this year. Your friend, Hailey Alice Dear Santa Patricia Elizabeth Pellow, Grade 4 Huron Centennial Because all you get is milk and cook- ies, my class, especially me, has decided to thank you and Rudolph and the wonderful elves. All of your hard work is making bright smiling faces. Milk and cookies just aren't a thanks. If you haven't noticed I say good night to you every night. You're the coolest person on planet earth! Please make sure j you say thank you to Rudolph and the elves! I wish you a lucky Merry Christmas!!! Tips for staying safe during the holiday season When the holiday season comes about, everyone is ready to relax, to share a drink or two and enjoy the time off from work and school. This means that the holi- days usually see an increase of alcohol consumption. To stay safe this holiday season, follow these tips when enjoying your holiday drinks! Stay Safe, Plan Ahead The best way to make sure you won't end up on the road after spending the evening drinking at the office holiday party is to make plans to get home before you go out. You've got many options for a safe night out. Have a designated driver: If one of your friends spends the night sober, everyone can get a safe ride home. A designated driver should be the one consuming 0 alco- holic drinks, not your friend who has had the least to drink! Be sure to rotate DD duty, so that one person doesn't get the short end of the stick. Take a taxi: Share a cab with friends or colleagues who live in the same neighbourhood as you. Take public transit: The bus, streetcar or subway is a cheap way to get home after a night out on the town. Spend the night over: If you can't make it home, don't want to spring for a taxi ride or live in a rural area, spend the night at a friend's house or arrange for a hotel room close to the venue. Coffee and food do not sober a person—only time can do that! Hosting Safe Parties Everyone wants to invite his or her friends over to cel- ebrate the Christmas or the New Year, and there's no reason why you shouldn't! As a host, it's your responsi- bility to keep your loved ones safe and happy this holi- day season. Serve food with drinks: Be sure to have lots of munchies around the house for guests to snack on with their drinks. Better yet, serve dinner or order out to be sure your guests aren't drinking on an empty stomach! Stay away from salty snacks, as they tend to make peo- ple thirsty. Have non-alcoholic options: If you offer non-alcoholic drinks along with alcoholic ones, you give your guests options. This means water, sodas, juice and mocktails should be available and out in the open. Ensure everyone has a safe ride: Make sure your party -goers know beforehand that you expect them to have a safe ride home. Plan to have guests spend the night; let your friends know that is an option! When you take your guests coats, take their keys too. Have a reliable bartender: Guests shouldn't be mixing their own drinks! Have a friend or family member be the mixologist for the night. That way they can monitor how much your guests are consuming. It's best if your bar- tender is Smart Serve certified, but anyone with a cool head and a book of recipes can act the part. Your bar- tender should stay sober. Hosts should stay sober: It's a party, I know. But it's your party. Remember, it's your house, it's your shindig and they are your friends. They are your responsibility. Keep a clear head and you can ward off accidents before they happen. Sports and Alcohol People tend to get in more accidents when drinking Although the issues associated with alcohol consumption and driving cars are established, people tend to forget that motor function is inhibited when drinking alcohol. This means that balance, agility and the ability to per- ceive distance are affected on top of reasoning skills. To keep injury at a minimum, don't mix drinks with any kind of sports. Skiing, snowmobiling and skating are fun winter sports that require full use of all your skills. If you want to organize a skating party, skate first and then move indoors to someone's home or to a local venue to enjoy a few drinks. Host with the most Enjoy your holidays and spend time with friends! Remember to plan ahead and then you're free to enjoy the evening to the fullest. Hosts can take steps to make their party fun and safe. Even though it sounds like a good idea to mix that warm drink with a day on the hills, stay accident free by keeping alcohol and physical activi- ty separate!