Chris, Santa's grandson, whom you have all come to know from all our stories from other years, and Tuffy the resident site boss around here, both wanted to take time to wish you all a very happy time this Christmas season. Santa is having  a more difficult time just like your Mommies and Daddies are this year  with  money stuff being a big worry for most families so you may not get as many big presents this year as you have in other years but you will all be remembered with the very best presents they can manage.

It's important to realize that even though fancy presents are great fun  there are much more important gifts  to be grateful for having. The very best one is of course being loved and protected and having a warm home to call your own. There are so many children nowadays less fortunate than all of you are. Why, some of them don't even have a home now. Can you imagine ? Some families are sleeping in cars or homeless shelters because their Mommy or Daddy doesn't have a job this year and they couldn't even pay to keep their houses any more.  Of course home is where your family is but we all need a warm place  for the family to live. Their Mommies and Daddies are even having trouble finding a way to keep them warm and not hungry so presents wrapped in shiny paper are the last thing they can afford.

This year is really a year to count our blessings and do everything we can to help those who are not as lucky as we are. So that's what Tuffy and Chris are doing this year. They are spending their time looking for ways to help all those who need help to at least have some kind of Christmas even if it is not at all like the ones from other years. Every child deserves a Christmas.. don't you agree ?

 Tuffy would really be very proud of each of you if  you would stop and think  of a child you could bring a little happiness to this year. Some child who maybe doesn't seem to have a lunch at school  and seems hungry? Or one who looks sad all the time and doesn't play with the rest of you at recess? Or maybe even ask your parents to take you to a food bank or homeless shelter so you can see for yourself just how many people are having a really tough time of it this year. Even a very little effort on your part could make a really big difference to so many of them. Why maybe you could even take a few food items and  volunteer to help out at a food bank in packing food for some needy families so they will be able to have a Christmas Dinner ? 

You have no idea how really good that will make you feel and it sure will make your own Christmas dinner taste even better knowing you helped to make it possible for some of those less fortunate than you are to actually have a good meal as well.

 There are also toy drives going on  to try and make sure that no child goes without a present this year. Maybe you could raid your piggy bank or  use your allowance to buy a toy or two to contribute to one of those Toy drives? There are several all over our towns and cities at this time of year and they need all the donations they can get. It doesn't have to be a big gift, just some little thing so a child gets a present

 Come on guys .. let's make sure everyone has a Happy Christmas ! That's Tuffy's big project this year, won't you pitch in and help him ? He needs ALL the help he can get.

 You will discover a really amazing thing if you  do ...  afterwards you will feel as if  you have just had the very best Christmas ever. Making  things better and happier for others always makes YOU feel absolutely fantastic, just you wait and see.

 Now Tuffy has to get to work. He has a HUGE job ahead of him and he's counting on you.