Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

December 26, 2007

Today’s Announcement

Hoping you had a wonderful Christmas filled with warmth, family, friends and God’s Special Love,

The Latest on Matt’s Mom is that she has kidney stones, please continue to pray from her recovery.

*** Important notice, the two poems presented yesterday in the contest do not have an author.  Would the author please step up so that I can enter you in the contest.***

The Christmas Contest is under way, everyday I will add stories and poems that were published so far, if your work has not yet been published it will not show on this page under it does.

Christmas is just around the corner and most of you have already started to think about Christmas gifts for this season.  Why not help out Storytime Tapestry with its ongoing commitment to provide you with free wonderful stories and poems daily by purchasing the publisher’s newest book for someone special on your holiday gift giving list this year.  Angels Watching Over Me can be published through lulu press in both hard copy and e-book.  Just click on the link:  Angels Watching Over Me

Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

Today’s Christmas Stories

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A Man Named Claus
Bill Walker
missourisage@yahoo.com

There was a man who lived in Lee Summit, Missouri who loved playing
Santa Claus. For many  years, he would walk about different places in
and about Kansas City, reach in his pocket, pull out a 100 dollar bill
and place in the hand of a total stranger. The stranger would be some
one in need. Wasn't asking for a gift, but showed the signs of someone
that was a bit in what could be called a tough row to hoe.

Mr.Larry Stewart died last January of cancer at the age of 58. He
had made his last year of being the Secret Santa of Kansas City,
Missouri. It is figured Mr.Larry Stewart, since 1979, gave away over
a million dollars playing Santa Claus. Until just last year, there
was no one who knew who this man was. He wasn't looking for a big fan
fair over what he was doing. something that gave him much joy. He was
living the Christian creed. He saw others in need, and he reached into
his pocket, and placed a few dollars in their hand.

We read, and hear of many others making a big slash of helping in times
of need. Give me the head lines, and put my name on something and I
will have a hand out with a wad of money. How many times have you
seen or heard of such? Not Mr. Santa Clause of Kansas City. It gave
him an inter glow knowing he might be helping some poor soul in time of
need.

I believe there are many lines in the Holy Bible about such actions. I
believe he was doing just what the Bible tells us to do. He did it
with out the fan fair many like  hearing  about themselves. He was
the Secret Santa to many.

 Mr.Larry Stewart is no more, his work on this earth is over. But never
fear, someone else is now walking about the streets of Kansas City doing
the same thing. He is now the new Secret Santa of Kansas City. Mr.
Claus still lives.

You see there are good people every where. You say you can't do what
Mr.Larry Steward did. Maybe not, but you can have a smile, a nice
word to say to those you meet on the street. Just think how much
better the world would be if we all just did that.
Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

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The Christmas Gift
Bill Walker
missourisage@yahoo.com

One Christmas I remember the Walker tribe descended on our house for Christmas. That would be Grandpa, Grandma, and Aunt Mildred. Aunt Mildred was an old maid school teacher. A miss know it all, what she didn't know wasn't worth knowing. Mother had a headache from time they hit the door, till the door hit their rear going out. She didn't
look forward to them coming, but sure looked forward to the car pulling out of the drive, headed back to Springfield. 

Now the Christmas gifts. These people did their Christmas shopping a long time before Christmas. You have heard of after Christmas sales haven't you? Does that give you a hint when Christmas gifts was bought?

Well, here it is Christmas Eve, the set time to pass around the gifts, and the grand opening of the packages. Now you already knew what one was going to get when it came from that bunch. It was always something you could use, and also on the cheap side. It might be a pair of socks, a tie, even something given to them a year or two before by some other shirt tail relation. And there was a mob of those that lived around Springfield to the west about 40 miles.

Don't ask the names, I only knew or heard the first names, and really didn't ever get to see them but once or twice when I was a brat. Anyway you were going to get something that was cheap, and was on special close out sale when it was bought. Also something you just needed like a pair of socks, or a tie, that was the men folk. Ladies got a pair of socks or a hankie.

Some times you might luck out and get something that went for a couple bucks, well maybe three bucks before special close out sale.

Here grandma is opening a gift from darling husband. She is holding up a pair of very classy house slippers. High heels and all, and a couple ribbons to hold them on. Now this woman was in the class of a bathroom scale of going from zero to 200 in a couple seconds. All she did was look at them, slammed them back in the box, and said,
"GEORGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!." I believe she was close to blowing a gasket.

I still wonder who got the things the next Christmas?

 They stayed a couple days after Christmas, the turkey was down to the bones, when they pulled out. Mother opened the doors wide, open the windows, got rid of the two for seven cent cigar smoke. Her headache was gone for another year.
Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

Christmas Poetry Corner

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  Poem for the Children

 Sandra Lewis Pringle

Once upon a Christmas Eve cold,

children, around the fireplace, gathered.

Hoping to catch a glimpse of

Santa of Olde;

Seemingly, nothing else mattered.

Snuggled by the fire,

its embers casting off warmth,

they expectantly wait,

sitting close, by the hearth.

They listen closely,

hoping to hear. . .

the jingle of bells. . . .

Santa's orders,

the rustling of festive reindeer.

Papa is sitting in his favorite chair;

reading the story of Our Savior's birth;

Blessings of peace fall upon the house,

as on the midnight clear upon the earth.

The snow begins to silently fall,

a blanket of white lies outside;

Buffy, the puppy, curls up to sleep,

as Mama sings her lullaby.

Small heads begin to nod.....

their little bodies, begin to sway.

It's time for the little ones to go to bed,

to rise early, on Christmas Day.

The house grows still and quiet,

as down the chimney,

Santa Claus slides;

He walks across the floor,

to observe the Christmas tree,

and busies himself, once more.

With a hefty sack full of toys,

and a sleigh packed full and tight,

He disperses toys for girls and boys,

all throughout the night.

His eyes rest upon a late night snack,

and he stops to take a little rest;

Cookies have never tasted so good!

In fact, they're the best!

He climbs back up the chimney,

and checks off another list.

Up into the air he goes,

through the snowy mist.

The sleigh climbs high,

up over the moon,

as he merrily guides the sleigh;

"Up, Up and Away We Go!"

And the reindeer jump to obey.

"Good Night . . . Merry Christmas !!"

"See you next year!"

he shouts.

As he makes his way on high.

He chuckles as he looks down,

and vanishes into the sky!

© 2007  Sandra Lewis Pringle

slPENT1@aol.com 

Merry Christmas to all,

the little boys and girls,

and the big,

from

Sandra Lewis Pringle

Morning Glorythoughts Devotionals

2007

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Readers Feedback

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Here are the Published Christmas entries to Date.  If you want to review the stories or poems before voting which will come only at the end of this contest, just go to the archives:  http://archives.zinester.com/98907

Stories

Name                    Story                                                 Date

Williams, Cheryl           Christmas: Look forward to it ….         December 20

Haley, Ellie Braun         A Christmas Story                                December 20

Bryant, Sharon I Walked The Halls                               December 21

Bryant, Sharon Believing                                               December 21

Lock, Joyce                 Abbreviated Christmas             December 21

Smith, Michael  Memory Tree                                       December 22

Walker, Bill                  Mary Did You Know?              December 22

Levine, Arthur              The Troubled Geese At Christmas        December 23

Walker, Bill                  Christmas Lights                                   December 23

Mazzella, Joe                Christmas Gifts                         December 23

Wilson, Mary               Through the Eyes of Mary                     December 24

Walker, Bill                  Jesus and Santa                                    December 24

Colasanti, James           An Angel In Between                            December 25

Walker, Joe                  The Two Sides of Christmas                 December 25

Dowd, Helen                Tintagel The Forest Angel                     December 26

Walker, Bill                 

Poems

Name                    Poem                                                 Date

Cardinal, Conrad          Make a Wish Come True                                 December 20

Cardinal, Conrad          Why?                                                               December 20

                                    A Gift Of Love                                     December 21

                                    God’s Decorating                                             December 21

Meeks, Carol               Joseph’s Example                                             December 22

Meeks, Carol               Stable Born King                                              December 22

Meeks, Carol               Come Into Our Christmas Parlor                       December 23

Costner, Joan Clifton    Can’t Take Christmas                                       December 24

Costner, Joan Clifton    Our Boys Are Coming Home                            December 24

Costner, Joan Clifton    There’s More                                                   December 25

Pringle, Sandra Lewis Poem For Children                                             December 26

Walker, Bill                  The Christmas Gift                                            December 26

Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Maria Keller