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Vol. 55, No. 26
Milford (574) 658-4111 • Warsaw (574) 269-2932 • Syracuse (574) 457-3666
114 W. Market, Warsaw, Indiana 46580
Early deadlines
READY TO GO — After weeks of traveling around the world, listening to children’s Christmas wishes, Santa is ready to load up his sleigh to deliver toys and other gifts to children tonight. Photo provided by Gerald Cox.
a t n a S h t i w A chat
By LAUREN ZEUGNER Staff Writer
As Santa prepares for his annual trip around the globe tonight, ‘the PAPER’ caught up with him for an exclusive interview. We conducted this interview while he was prepping his sleigh so the elves could start loading all the toys and goodies for the world’s children. Are you a native of the North Pole? If now, how did you decide to settle there and set up your workshop? “I am a native of the world! Different cultures see me differently. And if you need a lot of production space, privacy and seclusion, there’s no place better than the North Pole! (Real Estate was a steal back then as well.) “I can tell you , we looked at some property in Atlantis, but that was a scam! The whole place sunk into the sea! Glad I passed that up!” How do the elves keep up to date with the recent toy trends? Is there a season for toy making or are the elves busy all year long making toys? “Although computers have revolutionized bookkeeping and data access, there’s still nothing like good old fashioned craftsmanship. And there’s no elf happier than a busy elf! “Any season is a season for toy making, as long as they keep making kids! And Mrs. Claus monitors all the best sites to see what the children are going to want most. “We always get asked for Legos, dolls (both baby and Barbie, Mrs. Claus always asks to be sure) and hoverboards. Looks like this year it could be Furbys and hamster balls!”
How many “helpers” do you have collecting children’s wish lists and double checking the naughty and nice list? “Again, computers have definitely made this much easier, but there are still a lot of helpers involved.” Do the reindeer know how to fly at birth or do their mothers teach them? “As with any youngster, ‘it takes a village’ and reindeer have to ‘earn their wings‘, so to speak, just like you learned to crawl, and then walk and then fly, if that’s your nature!” How do you plan your route on Christmas Eve? Do you go clockwise, counterclockwise around the Earth? And how to you still deliver gifts in war zones like the Ukraine which is using drones? How about areas that don’t have snow, like the desert? “Elf Stealth technology has come a long way since the early days. I’ve had a lot of years to work out the most efficient route, but of course, that’s classified. And the sleigh is definitely “all terrain.” Do many kids “catch” you making your deliveries on Christmas Eve? What do you do when that happens? “Not many, Santa has wicked ninja skills you know. A bit of hypnosis and a few sips of hot chocolate ( my special recipe) will usually knock them out and make them forget.” Do you have a favorite cookie kids leave out for you? How about a least favorite? “That’s kind of like asking a parent who their favorite /least favorite child is. They’re all good! (Although I never met a chocolate chip I didn’t like.)(wink)” What kind of treats do the reindeer
The Kosciusko edition of ‘the PAPER’ will observe an early deadline for the issue of Jan. 1. All news copy, display advertising and classified advertising must be in the Warsaw, Syracuse or Milford office by 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 26. All offices of The Papers will close at noon Wednesday, Dec. 31, and be closed all day Thursday, Jan. 1, in observance of News Years Day. The Warsaw and Milford office will reopen Friday, Jan. 2.
SANTA AND HIS ELVES — Shown is Santa with his favorite elf taking a break from preparations for Christmas Eve. Santa has a lot of help from the elves when it comes to toy making and plotting the course of his sleigh on Christmas Eve. Photo provided by Gerald Cox. ALL CHILDREN KNOW HIM — Doesn’t matter how young or old, children of all ages know Santa. Here baby Reina reaches up for a little assistance so she can sit on Santa’s lap. Photo provided by Gerald Cox. like since some children leave carrots out for them. Do they have a favorite snack or treat? “Carrots, apples, lettuce - Comet’s a little weird - He likes turnips.” Is there a place on Earth that a is hard for the reindeer to navigate? Why? “Washington, DC - it’s so full of
naughty- listers, it’s kind of hard to find the nice - listers.” And finally, … What is your favorite part of the season? “The looks on the kids’ faces kids faces when they come to visit me! The love in their eyes is what carries me through the year. And of course, coming home to Mrs Claus!”