Christmas Stories
Christmastime holds many meanings for people, especially children.
Whether it's about decorating the tree, receiving gifts, spending time with family or celebrating Jesus, children seem to light up as soon as they begin talking about the holiday.
“Christmas is everything,” said Todd Powell, a 7-year-old second grader at South Butler Primary School. “It's joy and care about life. It's all that we do. Christmas is in our blood.”
His peer, 7-year-old Lara Ejzak, used her hands to emphasize the importance of Christmas. She said she enjoys making cutout cookies with her family and watching Christmas movies. But she's not quite sure what she wants for Christmas this year.
“Sometimes I just forget want I want, but he just brings gifts anyway,” Lara said.
“He” being Santa Claus, of course.
Lara said when she sends her Christmas list to Santa, he responds with a letter. Todd said Santa sends him video responses through his mom's computer. Lara said she hopes to visit the North Pole someday, too, so she can visit Santa's workshop.
Santa and gifts are definitely an important aspect of Christmas for children.
Last year, 6-year-old Alissa Schoeffel got a vanity playset.
“It's purple and it can talk like Rapunzel's voice,” she said.
She attends Sunday school at Westminster United Presbyterian Church in Evans City.This year, Alissa said, “I'm getting two beds for Christmas for my dolls, and a puppy dog bed.”Eight-year-old Amber Brock, who attends Sunday school with Alissa, hopes to get another baby doll this year. Last year, Amber said she got a dollhouse she shares with her two sisters.“We have a hard time getting all the dolls in there,” she said.Amber's 11-year-old sister, Megan Brock, said playing Christmas songs on her saxophone in front of her church has become an annual tradition for her. She's played solos during church and outside has played songs like “Deck the Halls” in years past.Setting up and decorating the tree is another activity children seem to enjoy.“It's fun putting up the tree,” said 8-year-old Kamden Cherevka, a South Butler Primary School third grader.His favorite family ornament is of Santa.“It's shaped like Santa and looks just like him,” he said.His classmate, 8-year-old Hannah Kelley, said her favorite ornaments are little dolls that look just like her and her brother. She also enjoys hanging “the sparkly rope all around the Christmas tree.”“Presents and candy” are the first things 8-year-old Rider Poston said he thinks of when he thinks of Christmas. The South Butler Primary School third grader said his mom makes the best peanut butter cookies. Other children listed sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies as their favorites.Rider said he eats breakfast with Santa every year, so he has a chance to tell him everything he wants for Christmas.Rider and Kamden are both hoping to get a PlayStation 4 and a Nintendo 3DS for Christmas. Hannah wants a robot dog named Zoomer.In the end, 7-year-old Todd probably summed things up best.“It's Jesus' birthday, and he gives us joy and toys,” he said.
