Whitewater holiday greetings

December 2015

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BOB MISCHKA Holiday Greetings

BOB MISCHKA Holiday Greetings

G•R•E•E•T•I•N•G•S

HEATHER RUENZ Holiday Greetings

Holiday

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2015 HOLIDAY GREETINGS

Happy Holidays!

Wishing You and Your Family a

Merry Christmas and

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Sharing their favorite things about Christmas besides getting presents are the 5-yearold Kindergarten students in Mrs. Sarah Czajkowski’s class at Eagle Elementary School, including: Brody Harrison (front row from the left), Carson Callan, Addison Sparks and John Jessen; Dylan Troka (standing), Elijah Glatczak, Sutherland Hyatt, Ava Tisch, Cecilia Mack, Isabelle Griffin, Hailey Zeka, Mason Bogie, Alexander Martinez and Sara Tucker.

HEATHER RUENZ Holiday Greetings

Our favorite part of On the cover…

Top photo: Santa and Mrs. Claus wave at onlookers while riding in last year’s Palmyra Lioness Christmas Parade.

Bottom photos, from the left: the Birge Fountain, in front of the Cultural Arts Center in Whitewater, shows signs of the season draped with snow; Bob Cutshall roasts chestnuts on Main Street in Whitewater during last year’s Happy Holly Days parade.

Christmas…

The students in Mrs. Sarah Czajkowski’s 5-year-old Kindergarten class at Eagle Elementary School were asked, “What is your favorite part of Christmas, besides getting presents?”

To avoid repetitive answers, Czajkowski asked each student individually.

Their responses are listed below:

I like playing in the snow.

My favorite part of Christmas is decorating the tree.

The best part is playing in the snow.

– Sutherland

I like when it’s snowy.

– Dylan

– Addison

The best part is the lights and the star on the Christmas tree.

– Eli

Santa Claus is my favorite part.

– Carson

– Isabelle

I like that we get to put lights on the tree.

– Alex

My favorite things are having snowball fights and making ornaments.

– Ava I like setting up the Christmas tree.

– Dillen

The most fun things are going out in the snow and putting up our Christmas tree.

– Sara My favorite part is when we get to make snowmen.

– John Christmas trees are the best part.

– Mason

My favorite part is spending time with my family.

– Cecilia What I like best is putting the ornaments on the tree.

– Hailey

Joy to All!

Holiday Wishes FOR YOU!

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2015 HOLIDAY GREETINGS

Taking a break from contemplating responses for questions related to the holidays are eighth grade students in Mrs. Sara Pratt’s Language Arts class at Whitewater Middle School. Coteacher Ms. Carly Lund (standing in the back) is on hand to help students with the special assignment.

HolidayMEMORY

TOM GANSER Holiday Greetings

FAVORITE Students in Mrs. Sara Pratt’s 8th grade Language Arts class at Whitewater Middle School answered one of four questions about the non-materialistic meaning of the holidays and Christmas. Their answers are shared in the pages that follow.

When we go to my gram’s house but now she’s gone. We still do our tradition…eat food, talk and have fun. ~ Zach Always going to my Grandma’s to make cookies and decorate them. I really liked how we had an endless amount of materials, so when I made the cookies I would just constantly put random pieces of candy onto the cookie. But we do not do this anymore since my Grandma has passed. ~ Cody Rupke When my uncle came back from the marines for Thanksgiving. He brought food from Japan and some of their clothes for everyone and he also bought pies for us so it was a really fun Thanksgiving. ~ Robert Conner On Christmas Eve when we went to my Grandma’s house and we would have dinner, watch Christmas movies, eat popcorn, drink hot chocolate and open little presents from each other. Then we would go to church and then home to sleep. When we got up we would open presents and eat cinnamon rolls and then go to my aunt’s house, ate dinner, opened presents and played with them. Then we would take our journey home and drink cocoa and watch Christmas movies. ~ Lauren Harkness When I had my first Christmas in the United States when I was 6. It was the first time I saw snow. ~ Juan Perez Would be a few years back around Christmas time at my Nana’s house. The main reason I chose that as my favorite memory would simply be because everyone is always so lively and

cheerful at Christmas time and when we all gather together for the holidays it’s a blast.

When we’d drive down to Illinois, I remember seeing all the bright lights and people walking down the street with smiles on their faces. As we arrived, I remember smelling all the different foods being prepared and hearing the peaceful chatter coming from the living room. However, I’d have to say the most grand sight would have to be the Christmas tree, standing tall, about 13 feet in the air and covered from trunk to the tip in colorful ornaments and lights. It was definitely the highlight of the entire year. ~ Kali Mikuski

Is watching “A Christmas Story” with my brothers and trying to find out what I was getting for Christmas before we exchanged gifts. I remember waking up at the crack of dawn and despite being sleepy from the late night of Christmas Eve, excitedly running down the stairs as quietly as possible. My older brother, Zach and I, would rummage through our stockings and turn on the T.V. We would be all smiles and giggles whispering to each other about what we got. My parents always got us each a jumbo stocking for Santa to fill and we laid them around the Christmas tree. This being said, we always knock a few branches, which made the ornaments jingle and our parents always woke up. It was okay though, because we opened our stocking again when they came downstairs. I also remember making sugar cookies with my mom for all of our neighbors. I love this memory not only because of the family time, but because it was always so fun to decorate them and give them to people. The best part was seeing the smiles on other people’s faces. ~ Hailey M. My favorite holiday memory is when my sister, brother and I woke up Christmas morning to the best present ever – we got a dog! We were so excited! We ran downstairs and saw the puppy in her cage. It was the best Christmas ever. ~ Jacee Johnson Is last year my parents told me and my brother we were going to the dentist but we stopped in a parking garage and opened the trunk. They took

out a couple of suitcases and said we were going to Grandpa’s house. He lives in Arizona so we had to sit on a long flight and a 4-hour drive and got there in the middle of the night. We were there a few days before Christmas so we were able to hang out with our grandpa. We swam at the pool there, played pickleball and went to Mexico. My grandpa and grandma were wearing sweatshirts and it was like 70 degrees, while me and my brother were wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts. We went to the sand dunes and ran around it was like warm snow. When it finally go to Christmas I got a bow and arrows and my brother got a .22 rifle. So we went out and shot them and I also got to shoot my grandpas revolver. ~ Christian

Is one Christmas when I was sleeping and I heard a noise and I got up and ran to the living room and saw my parents sitting down at the table in the middle of the floor. I was so excited to open the presents that I don’t remember exactly what happened. ~ Nicole Mitchell When I was finally old enough to help my family make raviolis. We make them every year and eat them for Christmas with our grandpa leading the process. This will be the first year ever in this tradition that he isn’t leading. Every year two of my cousins end up throwing flour at each other and it makes a huge mess but it’s also really fun. Since my grandma is the Italian chef she always makes the filling and the dough and my uncle and cousin take the dough and crank it through until it’s smooth. I usually help crank.

Then the dough goes to another station where we use a metal tracer to shape the bottom. The filling is put in the bottom ravioli and is then covered by a top layer where it is cut out with another tracer.

We use forks to sear them closed. All the extra dough goes back and goes through the same process. It’s a tradition I look forward to every year. It’s a time where we get to see family we sometimes don’t see because we are so busy.

This is a tradition I hope we never lose. ~ Jack M.

Is when I went to my grandma’s house for Christmas and had a big dinner and we opened presents at like 1 a.m., then my family liked to pick on me for some reason so they did this… they opened presents in a circle, older to youngest and I was the youngest. ~ Calvin Brady

When I was in second grade and did not want to take a Christmas photo with my little sister. So I started crying and saying that she smells. So then I made her cry and then I started laughing and my grandma finally took the photo. I was smiling/ laughing and my little sister was crying in the photo. ~ Lenna Prah

Was when me and my dad would go outside and build snowmen and once we built a snow fort and I was able to crawl in it. We would also go hunting which was fun. ~ Grace R. When my family hosted a Kwanzaa party for our family and friends and everyone brought food and then gathered around the dining room table for the lighting of the candles. There were 12 candles, one for every day of the Kwanzaa and the kids would say the name of the candle and what it stood for. The adults had to help us light the candles but now we’re old enough to do it ourselves. It was a really fun night. ~ Brianna Tillett When I was little, coming home after Christmas Eve we stopped at a light show in Madison. The show was like a drive-thru and we all laughed and smiled. ~ Cassidy Laue

Going Black Friday shopping with my Mom, Aunt, and Grandma. We all wake up very early and head out to the shops and spend the whole day shopping. ~ Andrea Gentry

When we all make tamales and on Christmas morning we eat them with coffee, then we open presents. ~ Araseli Angel

Favorite holiday 2015 HOLIDAY GREETINGS

If I could give, receive a gift that costs no money…

It would be to spend time with my family. When I was younger and my parents were together we used to move a lot. We usually missed all of the holidays. ~ Jillian Gibbs It would be to see my family from Mexico because it has been years since I have seen them. I have also not met some of my family members yet. ~ Sergio It would be to see my family. I choose this because family is very important to me. I have moved several hours away from my family and don’t get to see them often. If I got to spend the holidays with them, I wouldn’t want anything else because in my opinion without family you have nothing. “OHANA means family.

Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.” – from the movie, Lilo and Stich ~ Kelci Hansen I would ask for the gift of gratitude. My parents are by far the biggest supporters that I have, yet I have a hard time appreciating all they do for me and end up taking their kindness for granted. I realize that they do so much for me, but am sometimes unappreciative. ~ Kaitlyn Paiton It would be a hug. I would want a hug because it is the most warming and most amazing thing. I would want a hug from my best friend that I haven’t seen in four years. It would be super special to her and I. A hug from her or anyone would be amazing. ~ Cintya It would be to be an adult. I want to be an adult so I can join the army. I want to join the army to protect the people I care about. I want to protect my country. I want to grow stronger. I don’t care about money or respect. All I want is to keep this place safe. If I was able to grow into an adult fast that’s what I would do. That would be a Christmas wish come true. ~ Victor Hernandez It would be family. Because all you need for the holidays is to be with your families. Family is everything you need to get through, they are the ones that keep you moving forward and last of all, to love you and to care for you. Family is the one and only thing you need to get through the roller coaster called life.

Some people take family for granted but you should not, you only have limited people and extraordinary people with extraordinary talents. You only get one family. ~ Dominic S.

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T•R•A•D•I•T•I•O•N

Is when every year after Thanksgiving we go get out our Christmas tree. We always go out to the same place and we have been going for as long as I can remember.

Every time they take our picture so next year we can get it. After we get the tree we go back home and leave the tree outside so we can get our decorations out. Then we start to play and start to decorate the Christmas tree. We usually end the evening by listening to music and admiring the tree. ~ Aidan C. Making tamales early in the morning with my family. We have to wake up early like at 5 or 6 a.m.

We make more than 200 tamales and later we have some friends and family members who come and take some tamales because they are so good. We always have leftovers so we eat some the next day. And if you are wondering what tamales are they are a Mexican type of food made with aina, pork/chicken, and red and green chile. They are really good. ~ Carina Casillas Is having numbers or fake names on our gifts. Most kids see their names and try to shake their gifts to guess what is inside, but my mom makes this extremely difficult. She would either write a number that only she knew who it meant or she

would write names from our favorite television shows. ~ Kitana

When we go to my Grandma’s house and eat food my Grandpa makes. On Christmas we open presents and eat. ~ Ridley Is when me and my mom, dad and sister go to my aunt’s house and have dinner, listen to music and play games. For dinner we have chicken tacos, for dessert we have flan, which is like Jell-O and also get cookies. When we finish we go home and open presents. I love our family tradition. ~ Stephanie Ordaz When we all wake up in the morning, make delicious hot chocolate and wait for the rest of our family to arrive. Usually I am the first one to wake up so I just lay in my bed until my parents wake up.

Once we all get dressed and go downstairs, we make breakfast and sit around the fire relaxing. After my family opens presents we shower and get ready and then go over to my grandparent’s house for the rest of the day. Overall, I love Christmas. ~ Morgan Gransee Is eating Thanksgiving dinner with my aunts and uncles at my Uncle Bruce’s house. We go hunting for

Below: A Christmas scene – complete with a reindeer, decorations and a tuckered out Santa – fills the front window of Quiet Hut Sports in Whitewater during last year’s holiday season. Top: a streetlight in Palmyra spreads season’s greetings.

BOB MISCHKA Holiday Greetings

a little bit then come in, clean up and help my aunt with lupper (between lunch and supper). We usually end up getting kicked out because there’s too many people in there at once. We say grace and dig in once the food is ready. ~ Allison The peppermint pig is my favorite tradition because we do it every Christmas and we have our whole family over to swap presents. The peppermint pig is a small pig-shaped peppermint inside a cloth sack. We take a small metal hammer and take turns whacking it twice. After everyone has hit it we open it up and eat a piece. This is a fun tradition and I look forward to doing it in years to come. ~ Lexi Hackney During Christmas time is a time about cheer and happiness, but honestly in my family most of the Christmas celebration • SEE

tradition ON PAGE 7

2015 HOLIDAY GREETINGS

There’s no place like home for the Holidays!

Greetings!

May the spirit of Christmas be always at your door, just as you are always welcome at ours.

Wishing you and your family every happiness this holiday season.

Happy holidays, everyone.

We look forward to serving you again in the year to come.

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Gifts I would give that can’t be bought…

This holiday season I would give baked goods to people who really need it. I would give this because some people don’t have much. By doing this, I’m sure it would make their holiday season much more cheerful.

~ Jacee Johnson

I would give my family a little card saying grateful things about how wonderful and fun it is to be with them. My reason why I would give them a little card is because I love my family.

I would even give a little thank you card to my whole family that comes over like my cousins, grandparents, aunts, and last, my uncles.

~ Angelica Valadez

I would give toys and clothes to families.

I would do this because there are a lot of families around the world with no money or stuff and because I want children to be happy for having toys and families. People should have a happy life and maybe a happy Christmas even though some of them don’t celebrate it. Although, even if they don’t celebrate Christmas I would still give to them because kids need fun in their lives.

~ Arturo A.

I would give toys to friends, family and neighbors because it’s nice to give to families that are poor and that can’t afford it.

~ Juan Jose

I would give kindness, respect, and my hours to my family, friends, and people who need it the most. I would give this because people deserve respect on holidays. Adults work long hours on holidays and want the rest of their night to be peaceful. Hard-working people and people who don’t have any money would most likely appreciate a small act of kindness, respect, or giving time out of your day to help them have a good holiday.

Maybe you’ll just receive an act of kindness or respect given to you.

are going to be the best family and happiest family in the world.

I would give my neighbors some help with work outside because they are mostly older people, some things might be hard to do outside. Another reason I would do this is because I like being outside. It’s a win-win for both me and my neighbors.

I would give back to the city and help people with simple things. Some of the people in Whitewater need help with certain things like carrying groceries or even getting food from the food pantry. If I can, I would donate most of my old clothing I don’t wear and some of my old toys.

~ Brianna Zimdars

~ Jake Katzman

I would give a smile because it feels nice to smile and they smile back, it shows you are the reason why they are smiling. It is probably one of the best feelings in the world and grins never hurt anybody.

~ Raquel Ortiz

I would give colorful extra ordinary homemade ornaments to my grandmother because she has a disease called Alzheimer’s. It means she has short-term memory loss or at least in her case it does.

I would put our faces and names on them and hang them up in her room at the nursing home. It’s a special home for people with certain diseases. That would hopefully help her remember who we are. Happy Holidays!

~ Haden

I would give letters to my family because they mean a lot to me. We do get in arguments and not talk until the end of the day. We say sorry because there is a lot of love towards each other. I fight with my brother the most because he makes fun of me and calls me names. But I know that he loves me and I know that he wants the best for me and he wants to protect me from others. I wrote this to tell them that they don’t need expensive presents or a lot of presents they just need the love that we have for each other and that we

~ Melanie Reyes

~ Maddie Arnett

I would give/donate a kidney to someone in need because when I look back on how luck I am to be healthy, it makes me sad around the holiday knowing while I am having fun, others are spending their time in a hospital.

So if I did donate a kidney at least I would be happy knowing someone out there is going to be healthy. Another thing I would love to do is around the holiday season is spend time with elders at Fairhaven and bring them joy and happiness because in the end I know they won’t only be happy as I’ll also share the joy.

~ Odessa Sonn

I would give my appreciation to my friends and family. I would give this because I know that everyone wants to be told they are appreciated. No body says you have to buy a $50 gift for somebody. All you have to do is say two simple words: thank you. I’m thankful for many things in my life… my amazing friends and wonderful family, the roof over my head, meals on my plate and the clothes on my body. I’m thankful for so many things in my life. This holiday season I’m going to give appreciation by saying thank you.

~ Tessa Papcke

I would give my time, because I don’t have a lot of it. I’m busy with school and friends. I

think it would be cool to just sit at home eat and watch a movie with my dad. Nobody lives forever and I guess we don’t thing about it but we should probably slow down and talk. It’s easier said than done, but that’s everything I would give that day to do whatever with my dad. He’s my only concern on Christmas. We should just take the time to cook together and have fun. That’s our thing. I hope the next Christmas I get to be with him I get to listen to music and cook with him. Every year I can no matter how old I am I want to hang with my dad.

~ Sophia

I would give kindness. You can give it to people by doing the simplest things like opening the door, or saving the last Christmas cookie you know they want. You can also do bigger things like complimenting someone or just by doing them a favor. These things shouldn’t be New Years resolutions but things that you do to be kind. Karma isn’t a real thing but people giving back is. Kindness is just something that should naturally flow like a river or writing. Not all gifts can be bought, but sometimes it’s the free ones that are the sweetest.

~ Nakoa Page

• tradition FROM PAGE 5

actually happens after the holidays. That is because we usually just sit around preparing for Christmas Eve night when we make lasagna, turkey, and then put out a bunch of snacks and soda. Then we sit down in front of the television and watch Home Alone. After Christmas for the rest of break we scramble around trying to schedule parties with our relatives. ~ Chris P. Is a model that my family makes each Christmas – a model of the birth of Jesus. We also put up a Christmas tree. ~ James Servin

Every year right before Thanksgiving my family will at least start decorating for Christmas. The past four years I have put extra Christmas lights up in my room. This year so far I have one strand of lights up and across my window and around my wall a little. After Thanksgiving we will completely decorate and I will finish my room. ~ Gehrig Monday

TOM GANSER Holiday Greetings

Writing about their view of the non-materialistic meanings of Christmas and the holiday season are 8th grade students in Mrs. Sara Pratt’s (standing) Language Arts class at Whitewater Middle School. The questions the students chose from included favorite holiday memory or tradition, along with gifts they would give or receive that cannot be bought, given the opportunity.

Is spending Christmas and Thanksgiving together. I like spending time together because if we are having fun I feel happy. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because we stuff ourselves with food and we talk to each other and then me and my cousins play Uno or Monopoly. I hear people say that they like Christmas because of the presents but I don’t like it because of that, I like it because we spend time together. Christmas is my second favorite because partly because of the presents but mostly because we hear Christmas songs and Christmas songs and that makes me happy. What makes me more happy is spending it with the family. I hear people laughing and food makes me happy too because I make the dessert with my mom and baking with my mom makes me happy. ~ Elizabeth Gomez

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2015 HOLIDAY GREETINGS

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