Entries by Jeff Westover

Questions from a First Grade Class

Dear Elf Ernest, I teach first grade in Cheyenne, Wyoming and I am going to have my students come up with questions for Santa. I was wondering if you would answer the questions for us. Thank you, Misty Hall Goins Elementary Dear Mrs. Hall, Of course! That’s my job. Your questions and answers are provided […]

Tracks of Santa

By Anonymous I saw Santa just last year. At my house. And I had not even gone to bed yet, so I know I wasn’t sleepy and dreaming. I know I’m not crazy either. I am 37 years old and have been around long enough to know better. I was up late after getting my […]

Mistletoe

By Jeff Westover Two words: parasite and dung. One today can hardly believe the association of these two words with something so romantically quaint as mistletoe is now in our Christmas traditions. So let the reader beware. What follows may cause you to reconsider a symbol of the season so lovingly cherished by many. Mistletoe, […]

Christmas Twice

By Dena Simmons Another long cold December night lay ahead of us. It would be much longer than we knew at the time. With the last minute shopping behind us, we thought we would be able to rest. It was the 23rd of December and we had been at the mall all day. My husband, […]

A Christmas Past Comes Home

By Allison Dubois Christmas was my mother’s favorite holiday. She brought an enthusiasm and happiness to that special day that I have missed since she passed away over twenty years ago. It’s hard to concede how much time has passed since we last shared such a merry occasion but the calendar reminds me dutifully. When […]

My Santa Claus

By Arlene Graham Daddy was sick. That was the only way I could explain it to my 24-year old sister, Sheena, who has Down syndrome. But I knew in my heart it was much worse than that. He looked terrible lying there. His face was a sickly shade of gray, his skin clammy. As the […]

He was There!

By Lynda Finn Sooner or later your child will ask you, ‘Is Santa Claus really true?’ Your answer will depend on whether you believe in truth or dreams. When this happened to me I looked my son square in the eye and said, ‘Sure, I’ve seen him’. I wasn’t referring to the jolly citizens dressed […]

The Christmas Dress

By LeAnn R. Ralph From the time I was a very little girl, I had always loved to watch my big sister, Loretta, when she was sewing. So, one Sunday afternoon while she worked on the red velveteen jumper that was going to be my Christmas outfit, I didn’t want to miss a single thing. […]

Learning the True Meaning of Christmas

By Karen Heinz Thinking back of all the Christmas’s in my life I search deep to find one that would qualify to be my most memorable. Growing up we never had the Christmas mornings every child dreams of. Things were tough and there were some years there was only one or two gifts under the […]