INSIDE
COMMUNITY
EVENTS B2~

KATHY FLORITTO

The little
Christmas tree

HIS JS an old tak, written by that
well known and much loved
writer ‘Author Unknown.’ ] hope
you and your families enjoy it...

Long ago, in a smalf kingdom far, far away,
evergreens were perfect. Their branches
_ Sloped uniformly from top to symmetrical bot-
fom.

Traditionally, on the first Saturday of Ad-
vent, the Queen searched the royal forcst for
the most perfect tree. With shimmering silver
balls, golden angels and the light of thousands
of candles, the great castle hall would sparkle
as her family and the villagers danced and
sang around the beautifully decorated tree in
celebration of Christmas.

In the forest, every evergreen strived to
prow perfect branches and needles,

One cold night, as the moon glittered on
crusty, diamond-bright snow, a small rabbit
limped into the forest, its sides heaving in
panic. A pack of village dogs was close be-
hind, The frightened rabbit frantically
searched for cover, but found only dark trunks
extending upward into branches artfully lifted
from the snow,

Faster and fastér the corns celed wih te on

Yelping animals. drew nearer, .

“The trees were’ horrified af this interruption
‘of their evening (when growing was at its
* desl).

Seidenly, a small pine shuddered, Of all the
young trees, it held the promise of being the
finest. Its deep sea-green color and the curl of
its branches was perfect. Now, its lower bran-
ches began to dip, offering safety to the ter-
rified rabbit. In the morning the bunny found
its burrow, But the little pine could not quite
lift its branches. Perhaps a little irregutarity in
a tree so beautiful would not be noticed,

Then, a powerful blizzard lashed the land.
Villagers slammed shutters closed; birds and
animals huddled in nests and dens. But one
small wren, blown astray, desperately sought
sanctuary in the evergreens. Each elegant tree
clenched its branches tight like a fist. Ex-
. hausted, she fell into the litle pine. ©

The pine’s heart and branches opened and
the wren slept within them, warm and secure.
The young tree’s branches would forever have
a Bap.

Winter deepened, bringing a gale such as
never before experienced in the mountains. A
small fawn who had wandered from its mother
inched into the forest, seeking a windbreak
from the blinding snow, But the trees held
their branches open so the wind whistled
through without breaking them.

The branches of the litile pine, however,
tightened, forming an impenetrable refuge for
the little deer, Alas, when the wind ceased, the
small pine was permanently damaged. It could
never hope to be chosen - an honour it had
longed for since a seedling.

Lost in despair, the little pine didn’t see the

good Queen enter the forest to choose the

finest tree. As her royal sleigh slowly passed,
she scanned the preening evergreens. When
she saw ihe litile pine, she became very angry.

Why was this miserable spccimen of bark
and needles in her forest? Vowing to have it
destroyed, she turned away, but then stopped,

A second look at the damaged litle pine
revealed the tracks of small animals at iis
base, a downy feather in its branches, the
gaping hole in its side and its wind-whipped
trink, Understanding filled her heart.

‘This one,’ she said, and the little pine was
bome to the great hall,

Everyone said it was the finest Christmas
tree ever, In its bent and wom branches many
saw the protecting arm of their father, others
the comforting bosom of a mother, and some,
like the Queen, saw the love of Christ ex.
" pressed on carth,

Today. .walking among the evergreens, you
will find, along wlth rabbits, birds. and other
_ living © things, drooped branches providing
covet, gaps offering nesting places, forms
bent from wresiling winter winds.

From the little pine, the trees learned, just as
we have learned from the Child whose birth
we celebrate at Christmas, that ‘tric. beauty
- shines from a loving heart and generous ot

Happy Christmas to yout and: yours, Cheers!

" everyone’s

- By CRIS LEYKAUF
IT’S THE TIME of year when
wondering about
Santa, and what the jolly elf will
be bringing in his sleigh this year,

To find out what kids were

hoping for this year, and what

their impressions of Santa were, I
visited the Little Orchard Pre-

Schoo! on Lazelle to chat with
some of Santa’s biggest fans.
~ Dark-haired, large eyed Mikey

_-was delighted to talk about Santa,

He's asking Santa for a pirate
ship this year — a big one from
the looks of the way he spread his

‘-arms'as he described it.

When asked what Santa might
want for a Christmas present,

‘Mikey replied, ‘'a pirate ship,”

with an emphatic nod.

Obviously what’s good enough
for Mikey is good enough for
Santa.”

Rebecca Onstein, owner of the
daycare, described an unusual re-
quest for Santa made the’ other
day by a little boy named Julian,

“He said he wanted a box of.
tissue by his bed so be didn’t
have to walk to the kitchen to
blow his nose,’’ said Onstein.

All the children at the daycare

had different opinions on Santa’s

favourite type of cookies.

‘Round, snowflake cookies,’’
was definitely his favourite, said
Moira.

But Corbin disagreed,

*“Batman cookies!’* said Cor-

bin as he spread his arms, about

to swoop off the Door.

None of the children seemed
worried about leaving any treats
for the reindeer,

“Reindeer eat grass,” Corbin
said, as he waved away the ques-
tion of what to leave for Santa's

-, hardworking partners, He seemed
to-fecl they could fend for: them-"

selves: -
- The mystery of how Sania gets

down the chimney also met with

differing ideas. .
‘He dimbs down and bounces
cut the chimney,” said Mikey.
**Nooo,”’ said Josh, ‘He makes

magic words and he flies up the.

. J

SOMETIMES JUST wrapping and unwrapping cardboard boxes Is enough excitement for chil- oe

ll | want for Christmas...

‘dren already looking forward to Christmas. At least that’s what Corbin Legros at the Little Orchard.

Pre-School thought as he unaraphed this box with all the efight, of someone © expecting his -

i. heart's desire, 7

chimney. ”.

But Moira had a different at siory”

all together. ©
.She’s spending. Christmas at her

Auntie Jean’s house which has a -

huge chimney, so she doesn’t
have any concerns this year. But

: oo her family was. going to. stay
‘home,.:: ‘she was worried Santa’.

wouldn’t be able to squeeze down:

_ their skinny chimney.

“His butt wouldn’t fit, ‘cause -
his butt's too fat,’’ she explained,
But Moira won't be staying up

drawn in mittens and buttons.

" 1 Crafty Christmas

THESE YOUNGSTERS took part In the library's Christmas storytime for preschoolers ast
“Week, After a holiday story the kids each made thelr own snowinan, with

"TERRACE NEEDS a. int Ng

parents helping to]

late ‘this Christmas | Eve ‘to ‘watch : Ba
“Santa‘‘come ‘down the: chimney.
» SO”
she'll _ spend _; the: :aight tucked
securely between. -Mom and-Dad,:
with visions of snowflake cookies

‘She's’ a bit scared of San

dancing i int ther head.

4-H clubs.
get money’.

THE CANADIAN 4H Counéil
will get $300,000 a year for four
years from the federal agricultural. “

department,

The money will.be used to help
leadership, for:
citizenship ‘ skills’ and: to: ‘false. we
awareness for key 4-H issues.
such. as farm’ safely ‘for: rural

develop

youth.

olher © pressing issnes

No Terrace.

community New  Yéar's: Eve |
event, Says a newcomer to town,
Bob -Haspeck : siys: the: ‘event
would :: give -Terace.*'a:’'non:
alcoholic celebration, that Kindles ::
onmuny oe ‘for: the” new

“sands of people. ‘In: dowiitown 7
‘: Vancouver on: New. Year’ 8: Eve...
az - Haspeck gays the
‘plisnomenon had: eveti inide. it to
nomen tah

Founded in "1933, the Canidian *.
4H Council was created to |.
organize and co-ordinate | nailonal .
and international conferences, ex-
changes and. scholarships | which ~

focus on citizenship, leadership

development, careers in agricul- ©
ture, technology. tansfer and -

‘facing -
today 's mural communities. et nay

ee Bess es

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