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z___Christmas story

Girl finds puppy love at shelter

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part eight of a continuing, fictional holiday tale that is running daily through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read along with their children. By MEGAN SMITH and HOLLY NITTOLI Correspondents Olivia and Gia were having a great time with the animals. They had already spent an hour feeding and cleaning the enclosures where the sweet furry friends resided. The shelter had a few permanent residents that roamed freely throughout the facility, and one of them was Chewbacca, an adorable shaggy mixed breed with big soulful eyes. Chewbacca was an older dog, ...

Olivia and Gia pair up for new task

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part seven of a continuing, fictional holiday tale that is running daily through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read along with their children. Olivia woke up the next morning in a great mood. She didn’t consider herself a morning person and had always been that kid that grumbled and fought when it was time to wake up for school. And since her dad had been gone, she’d gotten even worse at it. She hated waking up and not smelling her dad’s coffee in the morning or hearing him laugh with her mom in the kitchen. And the holidays were the hardest for ...

Campers swap stories about first-day tasks

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part six of a continuing, fictional holiday tale that is running daily through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read along with their children. “Hey!” Miles called out, taking charge. “All you little elves. Listen up! You need to get in line; we can’t work this way .... no wonder everything is getting messed up.” Quickly, he directed the elves into two lines so he and Olivia could serve them. “From now on, you guys need to get in line first,” Miles said. Olivia thought that should have been common sense but just nodded in agreement. The ...

Chaos ensues at elf-run shop

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part five of a continuing, fictional holiday tale that is running daily through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read along with their children. Olivia and Miles had been assigned to the Candy Shoppe together, and they followed an elf named Piper, who was just as chipper as Lucy. Olivia scoffed at herself for so easily accepting that Piper and Lucy were elves, but with their pointed ears, rosy cheeks and little bits of magic they effortlessly displayed, she had no idea what else they could be. Piper led them down a few winding roads, following a network ...

Santa sprinkles some magic

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part four of a continuing, fictional holiday tale that is running daily through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read along with their children. Breakfast that day was probably the best food Olivia ever had tasted in her entire life. They all sat at a long table with platters of eggs, bacon, pancakes, muffins, and dozens of pastries and breads spread out before them. Kris let them eat their fill before standing and clearing his throat. “The reason why you all are here is simple. Somewhere along the way, you’ve lost something inside of yourself, ...

Santa campers meet each other ahead of orientation

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part three of a continuing, fictional holiday tale that is running daily through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read along with their children. Olivia would love to say she woke up the next morning to a crazy Christmas dream brought on by too much peppermint hot cocoa, but it was real. She’d left her house in a sleigh, and it flew, with reindeer, just like the stories. Well, not exactly like the stories — there were only two reindeer, but still. They flew! The camp was real. Flying reindeer were real. Did that mean everything she thought was a lie ...