STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

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Special Treat - Christmas Contest Submission ??“ ? Dianna Doles Petry

Dec 25, 2005

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? All special treats will be Christmas Contest entries from now on.?  This way I can maximize on the number of stories I can get out to you.?  Please do not influence your vote because you see a writer has a special treat.?  I will pick a story at random for this selection.?  The soul purpose of using the special treat section is to get out my Christmas stories to you.?  You will still vote for your favourite writer at the end of the contest whether or not they were slotted for a special treat or remained published in the main newsletter.

Carol Roach

? And now for today??™s selection:

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It??™s Almost Christmas

Dianna Doles Petry

? It's almost Christmas.? I can see brightly colored lights and decorated lawns in every direction. Every radio station is playing Christmas music ranging from Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" to Willie Nelson's version of "Silent Night." The malls are lined with shoppers and the food markets are finding some shelves completely bare as people prepare for holiday feasts and parties for friends and family.

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It's almost Christmas and children are trying their best to do everything their? mother's request in the hopes that Santa will bring them plenty of gifts on Christmas Eve. Parents are struggling to find the money for video games, name brand clothes, toys and jewelry to put smiles on the faces of the ones they love. Grandparents are preparing for visits from grandchildren they might not have seen for many months and this year, there is a debate going on about whether it is appropriate to say "Merry Christmas" at all. Some think it should be "Happy Holidays" instead.

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It's almost Christmas and we have men and women serving our country in far off lands that close their eyes at night and think about all of the Christmas' they were at home with their families enjoying good food, laughter and innocence they will never know again.

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It's almost Christmas and a family that has been living, or existing, in a trailer has lost every meager possession they owned. They were roused from their beds in the middle of the night with flames and smoke surrounding them. A mother grabbed the sleeping infant sharing her bed and frantically went room to room screaming for her other three children and ushering them out through a window in the last bedroom, the main area of the trailer already engulfed in flames. They fled into single digit temperatures with bare feet and desperation.

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This family could not afford the utility bills and they were keeping the antique trailer as warm as they could with two Kerosene heaters, one place on each end of the trailer. The mother had filled the heaters just before she went to bed to ensure that her children would be warm. She had taken one last look at the Christmas tree in their living room as she turned off the lights. She had felt content knowing that the few gifts the Salvation Army and the local churches had provided would make her children smile on Christmas morning.

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It's almost Christmas and I got a call that this family could not send the children to school today. They had no clothes, no home and no thoughts of the future or Christmas. Today, their only thoughts were about getting through today. I got dressed and took them a check from our local PTA to help with their immediate needs and then I got busy trying to find help for their long term needs and to make sure that those children have a Christmas, that they know what the day is really about, the gift of love for everyone in our loves.

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It's almost Christmas and merchants have not seen the sales they hoped to see this season. The newspapers tell us that the economy is improving, more states are needing less federal funding and yet, all around us local employers are shutting their doors. I went door to door this morning rounding up donated items for this family with such a great need. The smallest of the local businesses, the ones struggling the most, gave generously. Some gave food, some gave vouchers for the family to come in and pick up what they need, some gave cash, but they all gave. The larger stores, chains that make more money in one day than the average family does in three years, gave very little. One lady in fact, commented to me "when it's all said and done they'll probably be better off than your own kids for Christmas. Why they'll collect from everyone around here." I was so stunned that someone could make that remark that I chose not to even reply except with, "If you think that, maybe you should keep your ten dollars, I'll add my own ten dollars."

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It's almost Christmas and the smallest church in the area donated the use of the church for the family to live for as long as they need to. The pastor said, "It has a fully equipped kitchen and bathrooms even though there is no bathtub or showers. I think we even have enough in the funds to send someone to the market and stock the refrigerator a little bit." The larger churches offered a food basket or to make an announcement in church to see if anyone has clothes or supplies they might like to donate. This bothers me so much that I cannot put it into words. If you are turned away from any church because you are not a member of that church what is that teaching the youth. Isn't the purpose of any religion to lead others down the right path? Isn't this the time of the year when most people have a more giving nature, a kindness in their heart, a need to be thoughtful and considerate of others? Isn't it almost Christmas?

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It's almost Christmas and I am playing Christmas music and wrapping gifts for the children in my life. I have cookies baking and I have Christmas cards hanging on my dining room wall. I have the lights on my Christmas tree on and I have a good feeling in my heart. I have found a family shelter and I know that they are warm, they will be well fed and they are going to have a wonderful Christmas.

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It's almost Christmas and I have found the Christmas spirit I have been lacking. Merry Christmas!

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Love,

Dianna

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Dianna59@charter.net

http://diannapetry.tripod.com

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