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The Huron Expositor, 1998-12-23, Page 44-TWU NUMMI IMPOOIT'OR, D.omnMr SLUM Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Terri -Lynn Dale - General Manager/Ad Manager Scott Hilgendorff - Editor Gregor Campbell - Reporter Larry Dalrymple - Sales Pat Armes - Office Manager Dianne McGrath - Subscriptions/Classifieds A Bowes Publishers Community Newspaper ,iBSCRIPTION RATES- LOCAL - 32 50 o year, in advance, plus 2 28 G.S T SENIORS: - 30.00 a yeor, in advance, plus 2.10 G S T USA 8. Foreign: 28 44 a year in advance, plus 578 00 postage, G 5 T exempt SUBSCRIPTION RATES• Published weekly by Signol-Star Publishing at 100 Main Si. Seaforth Publication moil registration No. 0696 held at Seaforth, Ontano Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with o reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rote In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or dosage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes Changer of address, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor Wednesday, December 23, 1998 arlNreat sod asslwess Otftleee - 100 Mate atrset.,aeubrth 1r1spbewe (519) 527-0240 Pax (519) 527-2558 Manly Addresr - RO. M: 69, aeaferN., Oste r's, NOK 1 WO Member of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association. Ontano Community Newspapers Association and the Ontario Press Council Publication Mail Registration No. 07605 Christmas spirit shines all around Seaforth The Christmas spirit continues to shine in Seaforth and across Huron County. The Christmas Bureau sees strong support•fro -i The community and, without having to express a need, so has the Seaforth and Area Food Bank. During the period ,leading up to Christmas, focus is placed on the Huron County Christmas Bureau and the food supply at the local food bank begins to decline. But in the spirit of giving, others in the community have remembered the food bank too and extra donations have come their way as well'. Many from people who have probably already given to The Christmas Bureau. People who can barely afford their own presents under trees give what they can, whether it be used clothing or new toys for a child. - It sometimes seems the less people have, the more willing they are to give. It sounds like a cliche anymore to say that kind of spirit and caring needs to be maintained all the time. It doesn't ,have to be in ' donations to charity but just in a willingness to help others. We live in a world where you have to be afraid to pull over and help someone fix a flat tire. Or be afraid of the person 'who stops to help. But a little more caring from a lot more people can ensure that the first person to stop is not a predator but an honest, caring person. It's easier to give from our pockets than it is from our hearts but this is a world where both are needed. STH How to access us Letters to the Bir and other subttttissions can be made to usby noon on Mondays at: huronexp @ odyssey.on.ca A11 letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone lumber. All submissions are subject to editing for bath latgtheuills riot. Dtfthn'tforget 10 t iseck out our homepage af: www.boweraeLcalokaqoadtor/ is jt Dear Santa ...hope you had a good rest Dear Santa, I hope you have had a good rest. I've been a really good girl. For Christmas, I would like a camera, a two -wheeler bike, a pony and a puppy. Love Abbey Alexander (Age 3) P.S. Please bring my mommy a broom and Uncle Jeff a car because he's too big for toys. Thanks. Dear Santa, Hi. I've been a very busy boy since I've learned to walk but I'm a really good boy. For Christmas, I would like a toy truck, a Little Tykes golf set and a new outfit. Love. Ethan Doig (17 months) P.S. please bring my mommy and dads and Grandmas and Grandpas Doig's and Claus's special presents too! Dear Santa. Hi. I've been a real good boy! For Christmas, I would like 'a truck, a movie and a treat. Love Wade Barker (Age 2 ) P.S. please bring Aaron some cd's and Dylan a big truck. Thanks. truck, a Teletubby movie, an outfit and a tractor like Papa John. 1 would also like a baby brother like Ethan. Love Kalen Marlene (Age 2) P.S. Bring Grandma and Grandpa Marlene something special too. Dear Santa, I've been really good this year. I would like a tractor with a loader. choo-choo train and a big truck. 1 will leave you a snack. Love Dustin Clarke (Age 3) P.S. Bring my big sister Tanya some new clothes and a toy. Kristen Flanagan, Grade 4, St. James Catholic School Dear 'Santa, I've been a really good boy. I'm a super helper at Jenny and Jacob's house. For Christmas I would like a Hot Wheel Track, some Brio Train track and a surprise from vou. Love Ryan Martene (Age 5) P.S. Bring Grandma Louie a new nightie and fuzzy slippers. Thank you. Dear Santa, I've been a really good boy. For Christmas. I would like a little so don't he afraid). Dear Santa, Hi, I'm in Grade 1 this year. My teachers are Mrs. Million and Mrs. Miller- Whittmore. They said I've been a really good girl. For Christmas, I would like a singing Spice Girl, little girl make- up, jewellery and a new dress. Love Jenny Duffy (Age 6) P.S. Be careful when you come to our house. Tasha our dog barks a lot when people come. Just give her a chew bone and she'll he happy. (She's only Dear Santa. My name is Melissa. I am 7 1/2. Thank you for the gifts you gave me last year. This year. I would like Gooey Louie, a camera, Dentist Barbie, Sporty Spice doll. Dr. Ken and 'Tommy. Jeep Power Wheels. Star Gymnast Jamie and Disney's Wonderful World of Trivia. 1 will leave a snack for you and the reindeer Melissa Pushelherg Huron Centennial People can take steps to stay holiday safe The holiday season is known- Mr 'more than happiness and fun in Ontario. Unfortunately, say safety and spending experts at Ontario's Ministry of Consumer and Commercial Relations. it's also the time of year, with the highest incidence of careless accidents and mishaps. Whether your idea of holiday -season fun is to flake out by the fire after shopping 'til you drop or to ddnate the money you could have spent on gifts to charity. remembering these tips can help make your season safer. • Keep children, pets and anyone who has mobility problems away from gas fireplaces. The glass on a gas fireplace can get hot enough to give them third degree burns. Placing a spark screen a few feet back from the fireplace as a barrier is a grfodfltst stElf. Btfrdbui't stop there. Arrange furniture to ensure the foot -traffic path is at least six feet from the fire. Also. avoid placing anything flammable on the mantle. • Have your wood - burning fireplace and chimney professionally cleaned and inspected once a year. If you haven't used your fireplace since last season don't light it until the inspection has been done. Aside from the danger of fire starting in the chimney. any fuel -burning system that is not operating properly can become a source of deadly carbon monoxide. This "silent killer" as it is known, because it is colourless and odourless, can cause headaches, nausea. dizziness and in severe cases. even death. 's Don't b>St4t'anythhtg`brit newspaper, kindling and dry, seasoned wood or quality commercial fire logs. Christmas wrapping may well give off toxic fumes when burned and create a lot of creosote. which can quickly result in a chimney fire. even if the system's been cleaned recently. Keep a spark screen in front of the fireplace and a smoke detector and a Class A fire extinguisher nearby. If you're planning to "hang the stockings with care" by the fireplace. make sure it hasn't been used for at least 12 hours. • If you prefer a natural tree, plan to keep it in the house for a maximum of two weeks. Regardless of how fresh it was when purchased your Wel Will be dried IA '1vitHiri that time. Remember that a tree can drink more than a litre of water per day. Topup the tree -stand reservoir regularly and if you need a new stand plan to buy one that boasts an over -sized water container. Whether it is natural or artificial, place your tree well away from heating vents. candles and fireplaces and out of the room's foot -traffic path. • When buying new Christmas lights, check to ensure they carry the Canadian - Standards Association (CSA) seal of approval. Check the wires, sockets and bulbs of your old lights and replace worn strands. Never leave tree lights on when everyone is asleep or out of the house. I'd rather fight over a Furby than celebrate this year The joyous season is upon us and instead of being excited, I've turned into one of those people who pushes his way through crowds. I even yelled at a store clerk who barely even provoked me. 1 need help. I hope what is happening isn't a sign of getting older because 1 can think of several people older than myself who become the biggest kids around at Christmas time. I used to always be excited about decorating the Christmas tree --even a year ago. It's just something I've always liked to do. This year, it took me an entire week to find the time to decorate my tree. I found one of those burnt out bulbs and stuck a blinking one in its place until I could get a now one the next day. I got the replacement bulb but I don't have the time anymore to go looking for the one that makes the rest of the strand blink. Now, 1 have one strand of lights that blinks in the middle of the tree. As a kid, my mom made shortbread cookies every year. My parents divorced, and when I was spending Christmas with my dad, I taught myself how to make them. I became quite the Betty Crocker at Christmas time and would make batch after batch of the cookies while watching Christmas cartoons like Charlie Brown or Rudolph. Sure, they're a little boring now but they became tradition and the holidays just don't seem right without seeing Rudolph battle that abominable snow thing with his dentist/elf friend. I'm really not sure if Santa's going to make it through the fog and snow this Christmas because I didn't get to see Rudolph light the way. And I still haven't got my cookies made. While I've never been real fond of Christmas shopping, I always tried hard to find the right things for people and would brave the crowds in as many stores as I had to in order to get the job done right. This year, I'm not finished and since I'm not going to my mother's until New Year's, I've even toyed with the idea of picking her gift up on the way there. (I can imagine a hundred mothers now shuddering in horror at the thought of a child who would dare be so thoughtless). It gets worse. Normally, it takes an awful lot before I get angry and rarely, even if the service in a store is terrible, would 1 dare say anything. Rather, I'll get home and vent my frustrations on whoever is handy. Not this year. Like all my other normal tendencies, gone too is my patience. 1 was in a store looking at some Christmas music, minding my own business. when a clerk came up to me (from behind. I might add) and asked if he could help me.. How dare he? '1 turned around quickly. scowled at. him and said, "No," with a threatening tone of voice that even caught me by surprise. In all honesty though. there was something in his voice that sounded really snotty and 1 know that's what 1 was responding to. The clerk, all of about 16 years old, backed away with his head down and went back into his department. While I'm starting to feel a little guilty about• it now, I actually felt irindicated at the time for lashing out momentarily on behalf of all the other times I've felt mistreated. (Mistreatment to me is failing to say "thank you" or even make eye contact at a till or cash register). The only link 1 can find between my unusual, unfestive behaviour is that fact that 1 haven't watched any of those Christmas specials. Maybe it takes seeing Charlie Brown abused by all his -friends to make me feel better about the holidays. With only a few days left, I either need to find a Christmas special or two to grab some of that spirit. Otherwise, if anyone needs me to go a round or two with a Furby snob, let me know.