Last-Minute
Gift Guide
Ty Kernea | Herald-Citizen
A Special Supplement to the
Herald-Citizen
Thursday, December 12, 2013
A2 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE
Still shopping for a Christmas gift? H
ere we are. A few days before Christmas and there are very few gifts under the Christmas tree. What’s the perfect last minute gift? A gift card! But maybe a plastic card isn’t the best gift. I say a gift card is a good gift when you add your time and love. So, yes, buy a gift card or make a gift certifiWhere cate and then make it personal. We Are For grandparents. Give a restaurant gift certificate with a promise to take them out to eat. Set the date and time when they open the gift. Choose a local restaurant where Susan they’ve never been Ray or their favorite. Or, if you really want to be generous, give 12 gift certificates and mark your calendars for lunch or dinner dates every third Sunday of every month. What if your grandparents live too far away for you to take them out? Do you know a friend or another family member who can join them for dinner? Ask someone to drive your grandparents to the restaurant and send that person a restaurant gift card. Then call the restaurant and order a special appetizer or dessert for everyone. Make the dinner an event — not just a meal. Grandparents also love pictures. Make a gift certificate with a promise to create a book or tumbler or iPhone case using their choice of favorite snapshots. An afternoon looking through and choosing pictures is sure to be fun. For dad. What’s his hobby? Give a gift certificate for whatever outdoor event is available and set a date for the two of you to play. Or if you don’t play, a gift certificate to his favorite venue. Woodworking? Take a class at the Appalachian Craft Center with him. Whatever he likes to do, make
in town. Or spend a day in Chattanooga or in Nashville. Enjoy a special ice cream treat or lunch together wherever the young ones choose. For a person who likes to read. A subscription to the Herald-Citizen or a magazine. Buy a newspaper or magazine and write a personal note announcing a gift subscription. Two of my new favorites are Mental Floss and Garden and Gun. And a bookstore gift card is a perfect gift for an avid reader. For a home-bound person. Stamps, pretty ones, and a box of note cards. A personal gift certificate promising transportation to the drugstore and grocery store. A Sunday afternoon drive around town and supper at a restaurant. Again, set the date and time. For coffee drinkers. A pound of special blend coffee from a local coffee shop. Or a coffee shop gift certificate that gives you another opportunity to make a date to meet and visit. As a teacher, I always liked receiving coffee shop gift certificates. One parent even bought Cappuccino on her way to school as she drove her son to school and she delivered this hot morning treat to me in my classroom on several cold winter days. For special babysitters. Movie gift Jae C. Hong | AP cards or cold, hard cash. For anyone. A box of candy. Or, if People shop at a Gap factory store in Los Angeles. you can find it, old fashion candy. A City Scape tree ornament featuring the Princess Theatre that are available at For children. For very last-minute cook, deliver a take-out meal from time to do it with him. Go to the movies. A concert. A play. The time to- Mom’s favorite restaurant or pick up a shopping, look for toys to play with as Abel Gardens, Copy, Pack and Ship, The Depot, and the CityScape office soon as the gift is opened. If a toy ready-to-cook meal. gether is the gift. makes a noise or moves or blows bub- in First Tennessee Bank on Jefferson. For a teenager. Wrap a big box in For mom. What’s her hobby? Refer bles, it’s worth a day of play. Ask chil- A loaf of bread or other baked item or bright red paper with a gift certificate to the idea for dad. your own home baked bread. A donadren what they want. They’ll tell you (or money) inside and a personal gift If she’s the meal planner, grocery tion in the name of your friend or certificate for a shopping trip. Make it — I promise. If you don’t have time shopper, and cook in her home, give family member to his or her favorite an all day event. Breakfast at the donut to get it or it’s not available, visit the her a grocery store recyclable bag local toy store. The sales people often charity. (available at most grocery store check shop. The teenager gets to choose the We shouldn’t stress about choosing can help you. out counters) filled with supplies for a place to shop as well as the gifts. Eat And make an elaborate personal gift and giving a perfect gift. Most of us lunch at his or her favorite restaurant. meal. Spaghetti noodles, grated don’t remember the gift. We rememcertificate! Use bright colored markParmesan cheese, the best jar of sauce More shopping. When you shop after ers to write the child’s name in big let- ber the smiles and hugs that were Christmas, your dollars will probably on the grocery shelf, and a loaf of given with the gift. buy more than a few days earlier. And ters and write your promise for an French bread. And you might add a adventure. An afternoon at the bottle of wine. Include a hand-written since your teenager’s favorite restaumovies, or even the Children’s Murant and stores are probably not your note. Cook her favorite meal or have Susan Ray is a Cookeville writer seum at West 2nd Avenue, or various one delivered. Set the date to make the favorites, you’ll learn where to shop and retired teacher. Read her blog other local child-friendly businesses for the next birthday presents. delivery. If you don’t have time to online at http://susanrray.com.
HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013 — A3
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE Last-minute shopping? Better get to it!
O
kay, it’s serious now. As in Christmas shopping. As in only 12 more days of Christmas shopping. So, how are you doing so far? Got ’em all wrapped and piled high under the tree yet? Or do your children seem a bit perplexed as they casually peek into closets and other typical “gift hiding places” around the house, wondering where the goods could be stashed? Because the tree is still empty. “Umm, Mom? Where are the presents?” they venture. Then, with the sneakiest, most clever expression you can conjure up, you offer, “Oh... they’re around. You’ll just have to, umm, wait. Don’t want little brother tearing into them early, right?” Amy Did they buy it? Davis Or did they realize that you still have to buy it. As in, venture into a store to maniacally scan shelves in search of something suitable. Oh, you’ve been shopping before now of course. Mentally shopping. Which means you kind of have an idea of what to get. But all that seems to go out the window the second you step foot inside a store — that dangerous place only the bravest of the brave enter this time of year. Then it’s like, take what you can. Grab it before someone else does. Act first, think later. And then you get out. Fast. Before you get trampled. How much does it all cost? Hmmm... worry about that later. Well, you did wait until the last minute. What did you expect? Amy Davis is a reporter and special sections coordinator for the Herald-Citizen.
Ellie Lynch, Algood Elementary
Ty O’Dell, Algood Elementary
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A4 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE
Algood Santa letters The first graders at Algood Elementary School have been nice little boys and girls. Here are their Christmas wishes to Santa Claus:
Dear Santa, I want a new puppy. Love, Larissa Lovell
Dear Santa, I want a rock and roll guitar for Christmas and a Lego train. Trace Anderson
Dear Santa, I want a Qbs. Love, Cooper Boswell
Dear Santa, Thank you for our Elf on the Shelf. I love it because it has a reindeer and it fixed me breakfast. I will tell you what he fixed me for breakfast: donuts (chocolate and glazed), colorful marshmallows, Pop Tarts and hot chocolate. And he brought us pencils with Santa, reindeer, snowmen and elves. And he put lights on the table. Macy Hudson
Dear Santa, I want horses. Payton
Dear Santa, I want a pink camera for Christmas. I hope you have a safe travel. Love, Zoe Click Dear Santa, I want an Elf on the Shelf. I want a giant doll. I want a guinea pig. Love, Jolee Whitson Dear Santa, What I want from you is an XBox 360 and an electric scooter and Skylander. Love, Landon Krauss Dear Santa, I hope that Santa brings me a Skylander new game for Christmas. Coleman Brown Dear Santa, I want a PS-4 because it has good graphics and good games. I will have cookies and milk for you. Love, Isaac Wheeler Dear Santa, I have been good. I want a remote control airplane. Love, Isaiah Hart Dear Santa, I hope you bring me toys! I want a remote control helicopter. Mohammed Al-Najrani Dear Santa, I want Beats and Bade blades and video games. After Christmas, tell my elf hello. Have a good Christmas. Love, Wes Hudson
Dear Santa, I want a toy car. Love, Demarious Dowell Dear Santa, I want Super Mario Brothers 3D Land. Love, Ben Casey Dear Santa, I want video games. Love, Qasim Alshawi Dear Santa, I want a goldfish. Love, Cy Ivey Dear Santa, I want a flying RC Iron Man. Love, Ethan Poston Dear Santa, I want a bike. Love, Bradyn Stephens Dear Santa, I want a green machine. Love, Camden Denny Dear Santa, I want a My Little Pony and an iPod. Love, Kevonna Spears Dear Santa, I want a pup. Love, Lyla Kelley Dear Santa, I want dalhas. Love, Herizin West Dear Santay, I want Hello Kitty. Love, Chloe Proctor
Dear Santa, I want a pair of PJs and American Girl for Christmas this year. Olivia Robinson
Dear Santa, I want a puppy. Love, Milca Reyes
Dear Santa, I want an iPhone for Christmas. I will have cookies and milk. I hope I am not on the naughty list. Love, Meela Walker
Dear Santa, I would like a little kitten. Love, Ellie Daniels
Dear Santa, I would like a big Nerf gun for Christmas and a remote controller. I would make some milk and cookies for you and my snowman. Hunter Brock Dear Santa, I want a submarine and for my friend to get a helicopter. Paul Nance Dear Santa, Where do elves sleep? I want a tap light and a candle and throws and tissue boxes that have the money in them and an iPod like Mama’s and a Santa bed set and Santa decorations and all of the My Life things and a My Life doll. Terra Lynn Pile Dear Santa, I wana more John Deere tractors and I want a Matchbox truck and trailer that is golden. Trent Alley Dear Santa, This is my Christmas list: mini dirt bike and snow board and money and a baby brother and a pet and pistol and a gun and a coloring book and a computer. Pleeeeaaase do not put me on the naughty list. Love, Drew Roberts Dear Santa, I want a Flutterbye Fairy and an American Girl doll. Ava Farris Dear Santa, I want a lot of horses, but my cousin Merubelu wants an iPad. Please, can you get those things for us? Love, Kyla Scharmer Dear Santa, I want an iPod 3. Love, Keylee Bartlett Dear Santa, I want Pepe. Love, Kaden Campbell Dear Santa, I want a new bicycle. I hope you give me this present. Bryson Evans
Dear Santa, I want a tummy stuff. Love, Casey Hammonds Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want an Xbox One and Skylanders Swap Force. Love, Cameron Jones Dear Santa, I want new shoes and I want clothes. Love, Natalie Long Dear Santa, I want a BB gun, bullets and more clothes and an XBox One and Minecraft. Love, Gavin Hale Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want a baby doll and washer and dryer for my mom and some mittens and three pairs of Impre and a cupor. Love, Jazmin Villanueva Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want Bob’s Gestor and Legos video games and Lego Batman, trying to beat the bad guys and an Elf on the Shelf. Love, Taylor Zent Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want a toy gun and a toy taser and a bean bag and a football and a soaker and a toy bow and arrow. Love, Aden Lintz Dear Santa, I would like a butterfly and a Teen Beach Movie and some shoes and an XBox for Daddy and a family picture. M. Brunett
Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want a Mario Brothers game and Skylanders giant games and more Playstation games and trains. I like trains. I also want an XBox and all of the Star Wars movies. I want a computer, too. That’s all. Love, Suel Dukes
is funny! Love, Cade Smith Dear Mom and Dad, I would not want anything for Christmas. I love you! Love, Samuel Canfield
Dear Santa Claus, I really want an iPod please so I can have my own apps. Love, Johnny Hill Dear Santa Claus, I want a Pynpex-Epic and an Xbox
Dear Santa, I want a dirt bike and Skylanders and art and a zoomer and a radio. Love, Garrett Peek Dear Santa, I want a set of toys and a new bike. Love, William Welch Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want a warm jacket and jewelry. Seejune Kim Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want a gymnastics bar and a Barbie. Love, Bethany Phillips Dear Santa, I want a Zoom Puppy and a TV with a DVD player and a Boom Boom. Love, Shyloh Dear Santa, This is Brady. I want that puppy named Zoomer Dog. I would like games on my iPod. Love, Brady Dean Swallows Dear Santa, For Christmas I would like gold and silver and a General Grievous mask and a gecko. Landon Alan Brown
Dear Santa, I have wanted a Furby Boom and a tummy stuffer and a seatpet please.
See Algood, Page 6
743 S. Jefferson Ave. Cookeville, TN
526-SMITH
Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want a doctor kit and a Sofyu the first doll and I’m sorry that I talk out of turn. I apologize. Love, Erin Branstetter Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want lots of Barbies and I want a little bike. Love, Elnsia Cartwright
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Dear Santa, For Christmas, I want Skylanders giants and a German Shepherd, a pet snake and Minecraft. Love, Ethan Bletzinger Dear Santa, I hope I am being good! And I think you are the best person. Love Emmaline, my elf. Love, Emma Braun Dear Santa Claus, James doesn’t believe in you, but I do! I want an X-box. Jingles, my elf,
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013 — A5
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE
Not what I pictured Though I’ve been looking forward to my son’s first Christmas, I’ve found that I need to adjust my expectations a bit. I’ve been envisioning wide-eyed wonder, laughter, excitement — and maybe a bit of adoration for bringing the magic of the season to him for the very first time. Well, my son is just a little older than eight months old now, and is making it quite clear to me that he’s not at all interested in what I imagined his first Christmas would be. I spent several hours scrounging around in the attic and pulling Megan down a 6Trotter foot Christmas tree and several boxes of ornaments and assorted decorations. I got new lights for the tree. I used a strand of extra lights to decorate a fake potted plant. I put a wreath on the door and “Merry Christmas” banner across the living room wall. I bought a custom-made $20 baby’s first Christmas ornament. What do I get for a response? A little boy who only spared the decorations a brief glance before going back to playing with one of his stuffed animals. The next day I held him up and let him examine the tree closer. He poked at it a little, but then was more interested in our cat. The third time I let him look at the tree, I was excited to see that he actually seemed interested. But then I naively referred to a bulb ornament as a “ball,” and my son tried to do what I’ve taught him to do with balls — pick it up and throw it. Then there are the Christmas presents. I’ve also picked up a lot of new books, since my son adores being read to, but unfortu-
nately only has about four books that he really likes. Mama is getting tired of reading the same books 20 times a day. One day earlier this month, I decided to go ahead and pull one of his new books out of my stash to give to him early. I had plenty left over for Christmas. So, I sat down and happily presented the new book to him. After the second page, he’s turning away from the book, looking for something else to do. “No, look,” I said, showing him the colorful page. “It’s a new book with that puppy in it that you like so much in your old books. Look, it’s Spot. Look!” He shoved the book away and crawled over to his toy box. He pulled out one of his old books. If anyone’s wondering, I have “Llama Llama Nighty Night” and “Where’s My Nose” memorized word-for-word. But at least I’m starting to learn from my mistakes. One of my plans was to take him to one of the Christmas parades in Putnam County; however I started to re-think that after seeing that most started around his bedtime of 7 p.m. And bedtime is pretty much 7 p.m. exactly. Any time before or too long after that magical time is just asking for an hour of screaming before he finally settles down and goes to sleep. I decided that it was probably a bad idea to stick him out in the
cold with a lot of noise, lights and people, when he’s used to quiet and four people in a room at the most. Not to mention we probably wouldn’t get home until 9 p.m. or later. I made the executive decision to stay home, sing some Christmas carols to him, and let him look at our own lights (while keeping well out of “ball”throwing range) before tucking him in on time. It was a pleasant evening. So, my little boy isn’t quite old enough to enjoy the holiday season the way I had planned, but I’m learning to take things at his pace. We’ve started inspecting the Christmas tree a little longer each day. He’s learning that gently touching the tree and decorations is okay while yanking or throwing is off-limits. He’s smiling quietly while I use his stuffed animals to act out mini versions of my favorite Christmas movies. He’s gotten his own little plastic Nativity scene (though I’m still trying to teach him it’s not good to throw baby Jesus across the room). And a few nights ago, he let me get all the way through that new book — and even wanted me to read it to him again. I think we’ll have a merry Christmas after all. Even if it’s not quite the one I envisioned.
3
Megan Trotter is a reporter for the Herald-Citizen.
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A6 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE ALGOOD: Letters to Santa From Page 4 Love, Carolyn McCann Dear Santa, I want Pac Man 3 and a massage chair and a robot and Crazy 8s. Love, Maddux Hammock Dear Santa, Merry Christmas! Who is on your naughty list and nice list? Has my brother been nice? Love, Your elf, Eli Dear Santa, For Christmas, could you please bring me this American Girl Doll and a pillow pet and a dream light? Love, Addie Dear Santa, You are my biggest HERO! I would like for Christmas a new bike, Cuddles the Monkey, an Easy Bake and an elf that is plush that can be a boy or girl. Love, Addison Bray P.S. I love Oscar and my elf Olivia! Dear Santa, Can you give me an iPhone and an iPad and some clothes for my American Girl doll and a new backpack. Love, Your cute elf, Kaelyn Dear Santa, I would like a Kindle please. Love, Sarah Rich Dear Santa, You are nice so I will be good to you. If you think I am bad to you, sorry! I want an iPad. Love, Layah Rich Dear Santa, I would like these things: A Lego Star Wars jacket, an iPad, a sock monkey, Lego Star Wars 3D glasses and Lego Star Wars gloves. Love, Stewart Shirley
Dear Santa, I want an iPod please, a Puppy Lovey, a kitten, an American Girl doll and clothes for her to love. Love, Ella Jane Foutch Dear Santa, I want an American Girl doll. I want a Barbie. I want a doll! Love, Kendyll Franz Dear Santa, Please bring me spy gear and hideout stuff and other 7-year-old stuff, please. Love, Jude Forrest Dear Santa, I think you are the best man ever! If you weren’t alive, I would be so sad. You are the nicest man ever. Love, Megan Kincaid Dear Santa, I love toys! Can you give me a puppy? I love puppies. Love, Scarlett Dear Santa, Merry Christmas! Would you bring me a Kindle on Christmas eve? Love, Abigale Baughman Dear Santa, I want a pet puppy dog and I want two Barbie houses. Love, Machaela Dear Santa, I want you to bring me a crocodile puppet and books and a pet sale and a Ninja Turtles home play set. Love, Maddox McCutchen Dear Santa, I love you. I want a fast race car that I can drive in dirt. Love, Jon Riley Monday Dear Santa, Please forgive me and I want Harry Potter Wii game and Monopoly cars and Diary of a Wimpy Kid book one and a big kite and a clown wig.
Love, Poston Bost Dear Santa, I want a stuffed reindeer to sleep with, a Barbie set and a stuffed worm to sleep with. Love, Haley Eschelbacher Dear Santa, I want a phone and an iPod and sage please! Love, Maliree Elizabeth Whitson Dear Santa, I want a track pack and my own cash and my own Xbox 360 and a Wii. Love, Ty Bartlett Dear Santa, I want six baby cows. Love, Alicia Harp Dear Santa, I want to see my sister for Christmas. Tristan Leggett Dear Santa, I want to have a violin. I want to have a fake dog and a cat. Love, Sarah Key Dear Santa, I want a shotgun. Ethan Watkins Dear Santa, I want a Pokemon pack. Love, MJ Perhay Dear Santa, I want a puppy for Christmas. Love, Ty Dear Santa, I want a robot. I want a jet pack. M. Swallows Dear Santa, I want for Christmas a cat. Montana Vangorden Dear Santa, I want a cat. Fed Hughston Roberts
Park View Santa Letters The good boys and girls in the second grade at Park View Elementary School in Cookeville have been good this year and have plenty of requests from Santa:
you get my brother another helicopter? Can you get my father a new blanket? Your friend, Isabel Garcia
Dear Santa, Can I have an elf for me and my big sister? Thank you for one of your elves. She is cute. The class named her Ellie. She likes her name. The class learned how to take care of her and what her job is. Your friend, Elizabeth Sparks
Dear Santa, Please bring me a Halo Reach game and a Halo 4 game too. Please bring me a PS-3 controller and another. Santa, I love you and Mrs. Santa too. But Santa, tell your elves to make a ring for Mrs. Santa. Your friend, Kadean England
Dear Santa, I would like you to bring my sister a new doll house. Could you bring me a new dog? Could you bring me an iPod Touch? Could you please bring me a Wii U? And tell the elves to be good. Your friend, Casen Hale
Dear Santa, Please bring my grandma a car. She doesn’t have one. I want to make her happy. I want a nice cat. Your friend, Emilio Alyea
Dear Santa, Please bring me and my sister a toy or an electronic thing. I want a Transformer, Legos, Hot Wheels and a Ninja Turtle. Bring my sister an iPod, Barbie and Play-Doh. Your friend, Daniel Santos Dear Santa, I want a shark versus whale toy and PS-4 too. Thank you. Jager wants a Transformer toy. Peyton wants a real machine gun. Thank you, Santa. You are awesome. Your friend, Cade Castle Dear Santa, What is it like at the North Pole? How is my Elf, Elliot, doing? I can’t wait for you to come. And get a pretty ring for my mom. And get a new pair of sunglasses for my dad. Your friend, Jague Hunt Dear Santa, I wish I had an electronic device. I wish I had a gumball machine. I wish I had a Doctor De Soto book. I wish I had a computer. I wish I had a Game Boy. I wish I could go to the North Pole. Your friend, Paola Garzag Dear Santa, Please can you this year get a necklace and bracelet for my mom? She has been a good parent this year. Can
Dear Santa, Please bring my sister a One Direction poster. Please bring my mom a computer. Please bring my dog boy clothes. Please bring my Dad new shoes. Please bring my mom hiking shoes. Please bring me a phone. Your friend, Kaylee Smith Dear Santa, Please give my sister a new phone. Please give my mom a necklace. Please give my brother a phone. Please give my dad a tire. Please give me a computer. Your friend, Kember Aguilar Dear Santa, Can I have a phone? Can you buy me a bike? Can you buy me a computer? And a toy elf? Please get my sister a bike and a computer. Thank you. Your friend, Hannah Sutton Dear Santa, Please bring me a DS. Please bring me an iPod. Please bring a PS-3 for Blake. Please get me a Game Boy. Please get my brother a DS. Please get me a Tablet. Please get Caden a toy shark. Your friend, Peyton Myers Dear Santa, I want an Elf on the Shelf for next year. I want it to be a girl. I want a Crayola Crayon Maker. I want some fake money. I want game boards. I want a computer. Get a boy elf for my
brother. Your friend, Jayci Hunt Dear Santa, I want a Tablet. I want an elf. I want an XBox 360. I want a Wii U. Will you get my brother a Game Boy? I want a new dog and cat. I want an Elf on the Shelf book. I want a phone for Christmas. Your friend, Breanna Bryant Dear Santa, Please, can you get me a computer? Please, can you get a music box? Please, can you get me a red dress? Please, can you get me Crayola? Please, can you get me a Tablet? Your friend, Berenice Arroyo Dear Santa, How are you? First, I want a computer. Next, a Barbie doll. Third, I want all the poor people to have a shirt. Last, I want Elvis to come back. Love, Marlen Dear Santa, I’ve always wondered what it’s like in the North Pole. Why did they name you Santa? Why do elves have big ears? I always wondered why they made Christmas. Love, Mason Taylor Dear Santa, How is Elvis the Elf feeling? I’m writing this so you could probably give me this for Christmas. First, I want a very tall nutcracker, an XBox 360 and a lot of snow in Cookeville. (This is my list to others.) No more wars in the United States and one good miracle to happen in Nicaragua. Yours truly, Valeria Alvarez Dear Santa, I want a Tablet for Christmas. I also want some colored pencils. I also want some Legos. I also want a Play Station remote. Love, Zach Netherton Dear Santa, How are you doing? I know what I want for Christmas. I think I want a money card for an iPad. Do you think
See PARK VIEW, Page 7
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013 — A7
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE
Celeourbrate
PARK VIEW: Santa Letters From Page 6 I will get it? Next, I want a piano. I know, I know, it is big, but it’s what I want. I hope I get what I want. From, Evan Rivera Dear Santa, I want colored pencils. And I want an awesome book. And I am a girl. I also want a head band. I want Miss DiGesare to see her family. I want Elvis the Elf to feel better. I want snow too. I want Legos. Love, Mia Dear Santa, I want a 3DS, laptop, TV and a Tablet. I also want a trampoline, computer and a piano. I also want colored pencils. Love, Hailey Anne Johnson Dear Santa, How are you? I want you to take my cousin to my house and see me. I want Hello Kitty, please. Love, Savannah Dear Santa, I want a bike for Christmas and a Play Station 4 for Christmas. Love, Kolby Roberts Dear Santa, I would like Lego Marvel Super Heros for Christmas. Please ask Elvis the Elf if he is feeling a little better. I also want a laptop please. I would also want the game Lego City and also a Wii U. Love, Alex White Dear Santa, How are you? May I have a jump rope for Christmas? For the children in Nicaragua, I want them to have floors. I would like a laptop. I would like my family to come to Tennessee. Love, Gianna DiBenedetto Dear Santa, What I want for Christmas is an 8 notebook. I also want a kook. I want a creator. I want a coloring book. I want fake money. Joshua Flores-Rayon Dear Santa, I want a laptop for Christmas. I want a Kindle Fire. I want roller-
skates for Christmas. I want for Grandma to feel better. I want a trumpet for Christmas. I want Elvis the Elf to feel better. You are very nice, Santa and Mrs. Claus. Andrew Nagy Dear Santa, Can you bring Hello Kitty and a karaoke machine for Christmas? Some more... I also want colored pencils. I wish my Nana’s knee would get better. Thank you, Santa, for working hard. Love, Samantha Kerr Dear Santa, I want our elf to come back. I also want the Lego Star Wars game too. I also want the new Lego game. Also, I want a trampoline. Also, I want some new games also. Also, I want an Elf on the Shelf. I also want the people in Nicaragua to have 100 wells. Jack Hyder Dear Santa, Mrs. Claus and the elves, I’m writing this note so you know what I want. I want my mom to move to Cookeville. I hope the people who live in Nicaragua have a great Christmas. Thank you, elves, for making our presents. Abby Oberdiere Dear Santa, I want a Wii U for Christmas. Also, I want a Tablet with games on it. And I want a Whoopee Cushion for Christmas. Also, I hope we have a lot of snow in Cookeville! List for others: I want everyone to feel better. Also, I hope Elvis feels better. Also, I hope he gets his magic back. Jaden Peek
Please bring Mrs. White a dog for her kids and me, a girlfriend for my dad and an iPod 1. Your friend, Jared McWhirter Dear Santa, Please bring Mrs. White a new pencil sharpener. For me, bring an iPod, a new outfit with leggings, a doctor set and a teacher set. Please bring sewing thread for my grandma. For my moms, bring new outfits. For my brother, please bring Legos, and for my dad please bring new shoes. For my sister Ashten, please bring a phone case. For my other sister Kenzie, please bring Lego friends, and bring new shoes for me. Your friend, Ally Anderson
Dear Santa, Please get me a Halo 4 costume. Please get my dog clothes and my brother a Lego set. Love, Ira Mesler Dear Santa, Please give my mom some shoes and please give my brother a TV and my sisters new beds to sleep on and please give me a book. Your friend, Laysha Garcia Dear Santa, Please bring my dad some hunting stuff. Please bring my mom a purse and shoes. Please bring my sisters an iPhone, clothes and a purse. Please bring me some hunting stuff. Your friend, Noah Gunter
Dear Santa, My mom wants some money. My sister wants a new phone. My dad wants more money. I want a game phone. And Ms. White wants a pencil sharpener. Your friend, Nathan Archibald
Dear Santa, Please bring my mom a purse. Please bring my dad a new phone. Please bring my brothers some clothes and shoes. Please bring me an iPod. Please bring my dog clothes. Your friend, Alyssa Winfield
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Dear Santa, I want an iPod, jewelry collection, soda maker, bead art, doctor set, teacher set, new outfit with leggings, American Doll, tea set, make-up set, nail set, hair set, pink North Face jacket, baby doll clothes and a new bike. Your friend, Kelsie Lane
Dear Santa, I want an American Doll, beu dart, clothes and One Direction stuff. Please get Miss White a pencil sharpener. Also, a bike, baby doll clothes and a cat. Your friend, Emma Allen
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A8 — HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013
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HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Thursday, December 12, 2013 — A9
LAST-MINUTE GIFT GUIDE Creative hiding places for gifts
A
s my children got older, years ago, I found it harder and harder to think of hiding places for Christmas gifts. When they were small, I would hid them in the attic, which was very large and had a lot of nooks and crannies and things were hard to locate. Plus they still believed in Santa, so they didn’t look for things. But as my son got older, he figured out Michele the attic Haller thing. He would find the toys and play with them and put them back where I hid them and he thought I would not know. But I realized what he was doing because as I would add to the pile, I noticed that things were not quite the way I had them. Then I had to find other places.
So, one year, when he was about 12 or 13, I was sitting in the living room wondering what I would do that year. We had a fireplace in the living room and on each side of it were two large openings in the wall, which could be used as places to store wood for the fireplace. We used it to place my husband’s two large speakers that he had for his stereo system. They both filled both sides of that opening and you couldn’t see behind it. There was quite a lot of room behind the speakers. I figured it would be the perfect hiding place because it was almost out in the open and I figured that it was too obvious for him to figure out. My son told me years later, when he and his sister were in their 20s or 30s, that the year I hid the gifts there, he was going crazy looking all over the house, which was quite large, trying to figure out where I hid the gifts that particular year. He said he tore the house apart, including the attic in the house section and the attic over the garage section, the basement, closets, the barn,
everyplace. He said that he got frustrated and was sitting in the living room trying to figure what I could have possibly done that year and he was just looking at the fireplace and the two speakers on either side of it. He decided to give it one last try and, darn, if he didn’t find most of the gifts there. He told me that he would unwrap the gifts, play with them if it was a toy or game, and rewrap them before I got home. Even after him telling me after all those years, I felt bad that the kids found the gifts and that they were not really surprised on Christmas morning. It turned out to not be too creative of a hiding place after all. So, never under estimate the spying ability of your children at Christmas time. Just go out and rent a small storage facility and hide the gifts there. And only you will have the key. Michele Haller is the Herald-Citizen newsroom secretary.
PARK VIEW: Santa Letters From Page 7 Dear Santa, Please give my mom a TV and please give my sister Play-Doh. Give my dad a new car. Give me PlayDoh. Your friend, Daniela Lius Dear Santa, Please bring my mom a safe kit. Bring my dad a conter. Bring my brother a toy. Bring my sisters toys. Bring me a Fraggle doll for Christmas. Your friend, Acelynn
Dear Santa, I want an iPod 4, Nerf gun and action figures. Your friend, Seth Davis Dear Santa, Can you get Mrs. White a pencil sharpener? Can you get me an XBox 1? Can you get me a flat screen TV. Please, can you get me an XBox 360. I love you Santa. I will put cookies out for you. Hunter Neil Andrews Dear Santa, Can you please bring me a Wii? Can you please bring me an XBox 4:44? Can you please bring me a boxer? Your friend, Achilles-Martinez Fernandez
Dear Santa, My Nana wants a vacation from me. My dad wants an iPhone Touch 5. My granny needs a nurse. Your friend, Carley Dear Santa, I want boy Legos and a memory card. Caleb Ward
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