Kids have a unique outlook on Christmas
THORNTON NEWS
by Cathie Miller

Recently, I had the chance to discuss Christmas with the young daughter of a friend. She told me that she really only wanted two gifts from Santa this year, a Baby Alive and a Nintendo DS. She told me some Santa facts such as Santa won't come if you're awake and then she started singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

When she got to the part where it goes "he knows if you've been naughty or nice" I asked which she had been.

She explained that there were actually three categories, naughty, nice and perfect, and with the insight of an eight-year-old she explained that no one was perfect but you could have perfect moments.

She told me that she had been good but sometimes she wasn't because she had broke a couple things after getting just so frustrated. She was sure that she made it on the good list though. By now, other kids had joined us and they joined in with their wishes. One only wanted a good hair brush; another wanted a set of Harry Potter books. Then they moved on to the traditions at their homes and these are the things that make Christmas special for each family.

Most of the traditions were just simple things, like opening one gift at bedtime Christmas Eve or sprinkling magic reindeer food on the front lawn for Rudolph and his friends.

One of the kids was from a divorced family and she said they always spent Christmas morning at their mom's and then went to dad's in the afternoon. She said that Santa always left the gifts at her dad's house, delivered in a special sack, because Santa could only make one stop per child. One of the kids liked the fact that Christmas morning they were allowed to have a Coke for breakfast, others liked the special breakfasts their dads would make, like pancakes piled high with strawberries and whipped cream.

For some, their tradition was to go to midnight mass and then open gifts that arrived when they were out. For every child in the room with me that evening, there was a different tradition that made them smile and their eyes sparkled when remembering it.

This year, hug your family close and be aware that even the tiniest thing you do may turn into your family's newest tradition and enjoy the fact that next year you'll be doing exactly the same thing again as you did this Christmas morning. From my family to yours, may your holidays be filled with happy traditions and magical memories.

At Trinity United Church they will be holding a special Christmas Sunday service starting at their usual 9:30 a.m. Dec. 23. I know that the choir has been practicing and a special bell choir will be ringing in the season. The Christmas Eve service will start at 8 p.m. and it's always a beautiful one. It is one of the traditions at my house, that my daughter and I attend the Christmas Eve service together at Trinity.

In Ivy at the Ivy Presbyterian Church, they will be holding their special Christmas Sunday service on Dec. 23 at 10:00 a.m., while their Christmas Eve service starts at 7:30 p.m.

The Christmas break begins this Friday for all the school kids and some lucky parents. Essa Parks and Recreation has arranged for day camps for children ages five to 12 on Jan. 2, 3 and 4 at both Angus and Thornton.

The cost is $15 per child per day and $20 for the days when there is a bus trip. If you're interested in signing your children up you'll have to hurry as the township office closes Friday and won't open again until Jan. 2. There will be telephone service only at the administration offices.

There will be several free skates for the public at the Thornton Arena over the holidays. It's a good way to work off some of that extra pie you ate for Christmas dinner. The first free skate is on Wednesday December 26 from noon until 3:50 p.m. This free skate was granted by the mayor and council. There will be three more free skates sponsored by Tim Hortons over the holidays, starting on Dec. 28 from noon until 1:20 p.m., then on Dec. 30 from 2:30 to 3:50 p.m. and again on Jan. 2 from 11:30 a.m. until 12:50 p.m.

The library will have limited operating hours over the holiday. They will be open on Dec. 24 from 9 a.m. until noon then closed until Dec. 29 opening at 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and then on Dec.31 they will only be open in the morning from 9 a.m. until noon. On Jan. 2, the regular hours will resume. So if you need some holiday reading, you'd better stop in this week.

If you have any news, announcements, or coming events, you can e-mail me at thorntonnews@rogers.com, call 458-0869 or drop it off at 25 Robert Street. Bye for now.