121516_SWB_DIGITAL EDITION

www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com x December 15, 2016 - January 4, 2017 x 3 

HUNTINGTON 

SAT AND 

ACT TEST 

PREP 

CENTER 

FOR BETTER GRADES 

AND TEST SCORES 

GET HELP NOW! 

HUNTINGTON ACT AND SAT TEST PREP PROGRAMS 

No maer whether your student is a high school sophomore or soon-to-be-senior, it's never too 

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PROGRAMS FOR EVERY SCHEDULE 

With our Premier Program, 32-Hour Program and 14-Hour Program, we help even the busiest of 

students nd me to prepare for the ACT or SAT. And, all of our students work one- on-one with a 

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THE NEW SAT 

The new SAT has undergone signicant changes. We can determine which test is right for you. 

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• Ben increased his ACT score from a 21 

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Hear From 

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I was skepcal of Hunngton saying they 

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WHY DOES HUNTINGTON WORK? 

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THE HUNTINGTON ADVANTAGE MEANS: 

1:1 INDIVIDUALIZED TUTORING 

Each student receives personalized, 1:1 instrucon in every tutoring 

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PROVEN RESULTS 

We teach skills that last a lifeme, preparing students to succeed on 

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FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING 

Hunngton works around your life, with programs to t the busiest of 

schedules. 

CONVENIENT LOCATIONS 

Hunngton brings its world-class proven results methodology to 

hundreds of centers conveniently located throughout the country. 

SPECIALLY TRAINED TEACHERS 

Our expert teachers are highly trained in subject areas and test-taking 

strategies on the ACT and SAT. Plus, Hunngton is accredited by both 

the Middle States Associaon of Colleges and Schools and the 

Western Associaon of Schools and Colleges. 

1.800.CAN.LEARN 

©2015 Huntington Mark, LLC. Independently Owned and Operated, SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) are registered trademarks of the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. ACT 

is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. None of these entities endorses or was involved in the production of the program. *Offer valid for Academic Evaluation, new students only. Not valid with any other offer.

4 x December 15, 2016 - January 4, 2017 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

FOODIE FOR THOUGHT......................................................................5 

Fantastic Flavors From Around the Globe 

BREAKFAST WITH 

Santa 

DECEMBER 17, 18, 22 & 23 

8 - 10AM 

Meet Mr. 

& Mrs. Claus plus 

• DELICIOUS 

BREAKFAST BUFFET 

• EARLY BIRD SHOPPING 

AT WORLD OF DISNEY 

FROM 9 – 10AM 

AND T-REX DINO STORE 

MAKE YOUR 

RESERVATION TODAY 

AT TREXCAFE.COM 

DISNEY SPRINGS TM 

407.828.8739 

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE.....................................................................8 

The Woodhouse Day Spa / Relax & Rejuvenate in Luxury 

TOURISM UPDATE.............................................................................10 

Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association 

LAST-MINUTE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE....................................................14 

BUSINESS PROFILE............................................................................18 

A Boutique-Style Medispa / Spa Blue 

REDISCOVER I-DRIVE .........................................................................19 

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ..............................................................22 

25TH ANNUAL STORIES OF THE SEASON..........................................25 

STATEPOINT YEAR IN REVIEW CROSSWORD PUZZLE ..........................42 

NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS................................................................44 

COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD ........................................................47 

SOUTHWEST SERVICE DIRECTORY ....................................................48 

Dec. 15, 2016 

Vol. XXXI, No. 4 

P.O. Box 851 

Windermere, FL 34786 

407-351-1573 

www.southwestorlandobulletin.com 

The Southwest Orlando Bulletin is published semimonthly by 

Kearney Publishing Corp. No material may be reproduced without written 

permission. Subscriptions are available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico for 

$25.56 per year and in Canada for $31.80 per year. For foreign surface 

mailing, add $20 per year. 

Neither the publishers nor the advertisers are responsible or liable for 

typographical errors, misinformation, misprints, etc., unintentionally 

contained herein. All letters received become the property of Kearney 

Publishing Corp. and may be reproduced and edited without consent. 

©2016/KEARNEY PUBLISHING CORPORATION 

PRESIDENT 

Clay Kearney 

VICE PRESIDENT 

Brenda Kearney 

VICE PRESIDENT 

SALES & OPERATIONS 

Donna Wolk 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Lisa Sagers 

EDITORIAL 

ASSISTANT 

Lauren Salinero 

CIRCULATION 

Robert Barlow 

ADMINISTRATION 

Michelle Moniz 

SOCIAL 

AMBASSADOR 

Lauren Bocken 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS 

Kirsten Harrington, Karen Nimetz, 

Blair Parke 

MARKETING CONSULTANTS 

Diana Kastner 

(407) 376-6959 

diana@kearneypublishing.com 

Madeline DeVito 

(407) 351-1573, option 1 

mdevito@kearneypublishing.com 

Lindsay Richardson 

(407) 351-1573, option 2 

lindsay@kearneypublishing.com

From lucky lentils to tempting tamales, 

people from around the world 

welcome the new year with a mixture 

of tradition and superstition. Danes 

ring in the special day with boiled 

cod and lemon caper sauce, and 

some Mexican families gather for 

traditional tamales. In Greece, the 

savory-sweet vasilopita takes center 

stage, and the person who finds 

the coin or trinket hidden in the cake 

receives good luck. 

Jennifer Dunagan of Gotha 

and her family celebrate by eating 12 

grapes at the stroke of midnight — a 

popular Latin tradition that symbolizes 

good luck for each month in the new 

year. In a nod to the Pennsylvania 

Dutch, Megan Gardner of Orlando 

feasts on pork and sauerkraut. 

“For Russians, the biggest holiday of 

the year starts around 9-10 p.m. and 

lasts well into the new year,” said local 

resident Evgenia Volkonitskaya, 

originally from Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. 

“People prepare for days and then 

eat all of the food for days,” she said. 

The evening starts off with canapes 

with red caviar, pickled vegetables, 

cold cuts and salads. Main dishes 

include roast pig or duck. 

“My parents also normally make 

a large savory pie, called a pirog, 

which looks like a slab pie filled with 


FOODIE FOR THOUGHT 

Fantastic Flavors From Around the Globe 

Food Traditions that Ring in the New Year! 

by Kirsten Harrington 

Many 

Americans 

believe eating 

black-eyed 

peas on New 

Year’s Day 

brings good 

luck. 

something savory like fish and onions,” 

Evgenia said. 

Xuan Tian of Windermere recalls 

celebrating New Year’s Eve in 

her native China with firecrackers 

and a huge family dinner with meat, 

dumplings and vegetables. 

“Some families put a coin or peanut 

in the stuffing of the dumpling, and it is 

believed the people who get to eat that 

will be lucky in the new year.” 

Xuan continues the tradition now, 

gathering friends to make dumplings 

and watching the New Year’s Gala on 

Chinese television. 

Probably the best-known American 

tradition involves black-eyed peas. 

Some say they bring luck because 

they look like coins. Others believe the 

tradition dates back to the Civil War 

when all food crops were destroyed, 

except fields of black-eyed peas, 

which sustained the soldiers. 

Americans aren’t the only ones who 

embrace lucky legumes. In Brazil, 

lentils cooked with sausage are a 

popular New Year’s dish. 

“Every grain symbolizes how much 

money you will make next year,” 

explained Priscila Portugal of 

Brazil em Casa Emporio, a Brazilian 

grocery store and café in Ocoee. 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 

“The same goes for grapes,” she 

said. “And some people place grape 

seeds in their wallets to bring prosperity. 

Pork is popular, too, but don’t eat 

chicken or turkey, because they bring 

bad luck.” 

In Peru, it’s popular to ring in the 

new year with a pisco sour, according 

to Ivan Colombier, owner of 

the El Inka Grill Ceviche restaurants in 

Dr. Phillips and Hunter’s Creek. 

“It’s a traditional Peruvian brandy 

mixed with freshly squeezed lime juice 

and a touch of organic agave nectar,” 

he said. “It’s a very refreshing 

cocktail.” 

As far as food goes, comida criolla, 

or typical home cooking, reigns. 

“My mom would make a homey 

beef or chicken stew with rice and let 

it simmer for hours,” said Ivan, who 

was raised in New York by Peruvian 

parents who cherished the traditions 

of their home city of Lima, Peru. 

If you don’t have a tradition of your 

own, maybe your family can adopt a 

new one to celebrate this year. 

Black-Eyed Peas 

1 pound dried black-eyed peas 

2-3 ham hocks 

1 onion, diced 

1-2 teaspoons Morton’s 

seasoning salt 

1-2 teaspoons onion powder 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions: 

Soak dried black-eyed peas in 

water for about one hour. Drain. 

Place peas, ham hocks and onion 

in slow cooker. Cover with water. 

Start cooker on high until beans are 

very hot and begin to boil. Add 1 

teaspoon each of Morton’s seasoning 

salt, onion powder and garlic 

powder. 

Turn heat down to medium or 

low and simmer beans for 6-8 

hours. Taste and adjust seasoning 

as desired by adding more 

onion powder, garlic powder, 

salt and pepper. Yields about five 

servings. ª


PICTURE MY PET! 

Submit your purrr-fect pet photos for Southwest Orlando 

Bulletin’s 16th annual pet photo contest! Southwest 

Orlando’s picture-perfect pets will be featured in our 

Feb. 16 issue. 

All photos must be received by Jan. 25 and will be 

returned after the issue date. Mail photos to: Kearney 

Publishing Corp., P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786; 

email to Lauren@kearneypublishing.com; or upload online 

at www.southwestorlandobulletin.com. 

Please include name, pet’s name, address, neighborhood 

and phone number on entry. For more information, call 

407-351-1573, option 4. 

* Must be a Southwest resident to participate. 

Dogs • Cats • Birds • Reptiles 

Rabbits • Fish • Rodents • Horses • Etc.


THE WOODHOUSE DAY SPA 

Relax & Rejuvenate in Luxury 

If you are searching for the perfect 

gift for that special someone this holiday 

season, look no further than The 

Woodhouse Day Spa. Tucked 

away in the Dellagio Town Center 

in Dr. Phillips, The Woodhouse 

Day Spa has provided locals with 

impeccable service since it opened 

in February 2009. With more than 

6,000 square feet of amazing ambiance 

and more than 70 relaxing 

and rejuvenating treatments, The 

Woodhouse Day Spa has something 

to satisfy any need. 

Upon arrival, guests are escorted 

to the ladies or gentlemen’s locker 

room. The locker rooms each feature 

a dry heat infrared sauna, rainfall 

showers and private changing 

rooms. The spa’s comfy robes and 

sandals allow guests to quickly acclimate 

to the relaxing environment. 

The spa provides guests with a complimentary 

glass of wine, champagne 

or mimosa, as well as an extensive 

selection of teas. Before 

and after their treatments, 

guests may take 

advantage of the spa’s 

two “quiet rooms.” One 

is a large, bright, sunfilled 

room. The other 

is a smaller, darker, cocooning 

room. Owner 

Allison Murphy encourages 

guests to 

“come as early as 

they like and stay as 

long as they need to 

decompress and unwind. 

It’s the quiet 

time before and after 

service that is a signature 

of what a great 

spa experience is.” 

Prior to treatment, guests fill out a 

short form detailing any concerns 

or goals they have. The therapist 

will then escort the guest to one of 

the many luxurious treatment rooms. 

After the service, guests are provided 

with a refreshing glass of water 

to rehydrate the body. They are then 

welcome to relax in either of the 

lounges, enjoy the sauna or rinse off 

in a rainfall shower. 

“We want them to relax and enjoy 

the amenities as much as they can 

to achieve the full spa experience,” 

Allison said. 

The Woodhouse Day Spa staff 

consists of incredibly talented 

PROMOTIONAL FEATURE 

multi-licensed therapists and an 

amazing hospitality crew, who deliver 

an exceptional experience. 

The spa carries top-notch product 

lines such as the award-winning 

SkinCeuticals and Voya. 

There are a variety 

of facial options, 

but the most 

popular by far is the 

Hydrafacial. Allison 

describes the treatment 

as “the new 

age of microdermabrasion. 

The Hydrafacial 

gives instant 

lifting, tightening and 

brightening. It is the 

most results-driven 

facial we offer.” 

Those looking for 

a more relaxing 

facial will surely 

love the signature 

Minkyti facial. This 

award-winning treatment consists of 

a seaweed mask on the face and 

décolleté. 

“We partner with Voya, an organic 

line by a family-run business in 

Ireland,” Allison said. “They harvest 

Photos by tonyrappa@capturevideo-photos.com 

seaweed from the beaches of the 

North Sea of Ireland. The seaweed 

comes in dehydrated packets that 

we rehydrate in the spa.” 

Another popular treatment is the 

Lazy Days Rest and Renewal Ritual, 

which guests have affectionately 

nicknamed “The Mermaid Bath.” 

This treatment starts with a body 

scrub followed by a 15-minute luxurious, 

detoxifying seaweed bath. 

Next, guests indulge in a relaxing 

full-body massage. 

Although a gift card for The 

Woodhouse Day Spa is always a 

well-received gift, Allison decided to 

add a more tangible option this holiday 

season with the creation of The 

Woodhouse Day Spa gift basket. 

The exquisitely unique baskets include 

spa products for at-home care 

that pair perfectly with a gift card 

for The Woodhouse Spa. To make 

gift-giving even easier, the spa also 

offers printable gift cards through its 

website. 

The Woodhouse Day Spa is located at 

8060 Via Dellagio Way, Suite 102, in the 

Dellagio Town Center. For more information 

about its services, call 407-965-3131 or visit 

Orlando.WoodhouseSpas.com on the web.

December 15th, 17th, 31st & January 7th. 

www.TheatreSouthPlayhouse.com 


WILLIAM RIZZO, 

D.M.D. 

Most 

Insurances 

Accepted 

Rizzo Dental Group 

JEFFREY RIZZO, 

D.M.D. 

Cosmetic & Family 

Dentistry 

407.521.8765 

NEW PATIENTS AND EMERGENCIES WELCOME 

Request an appointment online at www.rizzodentalgroup.com 

6150 MetroWest Blvd., Suite 207, Orlando, FL 32835 

Michael J. Tortorella, MD 

Obstetrics & Gynecology 

Board Certified 

Pregnancy 

Family Planning 

Menstrual Disorders 

Menopause 

Second Opinion for Surgery 

In-Office Ultrasounds 

In-Office Surgery 

Minimally Invasive 

Surgery 

Sterilization 

(407) 363-1003 Michaeljtortorellamd.com 

7300 Sandlake Commons Blvd. 

Suite 320, Medplex A 

next to Dr. P. Phillips Hospital 

All Major Credit 

Cards Accepted 

-CareCredit®- 

Listed in Best Doctors 

in Orlando Magazine 

We Cook. 

You Bring Home the Best. 

RESERVE ONLINE • PICK UP IN STORE 

SHOP.WFM.COM 

Holiday Meals • Entrées • Appetizers • Sides


On Dec. 10 at Loews Sapphire 

Falls Resort at Universal Studios 

Orlando, the Central Florida 

Hotel & Lodging Association 

hosted more than 1,100 members 

and community leaders at its annual 

CFHLA Hospitality Gala. The event 

is the hospitality industry’s largest 

annual holiday gathering. During the 

evening, CFHLA honored its lodging 

member of the year, allied member 

TOURISM UPDATE 

submitted by Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association 

of the year, and engineer of the year. 

Jim Burns, vice president/managing 

director of Grande Lakes Orlando, 

was presented the 2016 CFHLA Allied 

Member of the Year Award. Mac 

Cochran of ATMFLA Inc. was presented 

the 2016 CFHLA Member of 

the Year Award. Keith Luka of the 

Holiday Inn Resort Orlando Suites — 

Waterpark received the 2016 CFHLA 

Engineer of the Year Award. ª 

Keith Luka receives the 2016 Central Florida Hotel 

& Lodging Association Engineer of the Year Award. 

Jim Burns receives the 2016 Central Florida Hotel 

& Lodging Association Member of the Year Award. 

Mac Cochran receives the 2016 Central Florida 

Hotel & Lodging Association Allied Member of the 

Year Award. 

John C. Carrozzella, M.D., ABAARM, FAARFM 

More than 25 years of experience 

REIGNITE THE 

PASSION! 

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No Sex Drive? 

No Results in the Gym? 

Find out how bioidentical 

hormone therapy can change your 

life and renew your relationship. 

Call now for a complimentary 

medical consultation. 

407-505-6345 

www.hormonesandwellness.com 

7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd. • Suite #370 • Orlando, FL 32819 

Start small, think BIG 

2342 Hempel Ave., Gotha, FL 

Schedule a tour! 

(407) 877-7412 • www.crenshawschool.com


voted #1 

in america!! 

Messages will be published in the Feb. 2, 2017, issue. 

Deadline: Jan. 11, 2017 • Length: 20 words maximum 

now over 

150 vendors! 

plenty of 

parking 

New 

Parking Garage 

Next to 

Farmers Market 

Coupons may not be combined with any other 

offer. Not valid with insurance. Expires 12/31/16 

NO CASH REDEMPTION. Expires 12/31/16 





now the largest farmers 

market in Florida! 

104 South Lakeview Avenue 

Winter Garden, Florida 34787 

every Saturday 

9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

*american farmland trust-washington d.c.

12 x December 15, 2016 - January 4, 2017 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com

Central Florida’s Largest 

Selection of Office Furniture 

50,000-Sq.-Ft. Showroom 

440 West Kennedy Blvd. 

407-316-0101 

www.ofo-orlando.com 

• New • Used • Scratch ‘n Dent 


DON’T MISS OUT 

ON FUTURE ISSUES! 

Delivered 

to your 

doorstep 

or inbox. 

407-351-1573 


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indows 

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Swags • Sheers • Valances 

Shades • Blinds • Verticals 

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Wallpaper • Bedding • Upholstery 

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Village West Plaza • 6416 W. Colonial Dr., Orlando, 

FL 32818 • www.windowsandwallsbyann.com 

AA-B2B_2016-DYNASTY-9.5x7.44.indd 1 

11/17/16 2:35 PM


Give the Gift of Jewelry 

Celebrate the Holidays 

with a New Job! 

Give the gift of world-class service 

to your special someone this year. 

A Gift for Your Taste Buds 

The Woodhouse Day Spa Gift Card Makes 

the Perfect Gift! We offer more than 70 

spa services on the menu to make 

everyone's holiday wish come true. 

The Woodhouse Day Spa 

Phone: 407-965-3131 

8060 Via Dellagio Way 


Website: Orlando.WoodhouseSpas.com 

Find the perfect gift this holiday season 

at Dynasty Gallery & Gifts! From Pandora 

Jewelry to Alex and Ani to Simply 

Southern, we have just the right gift for 

any budget! 

Dynasty Gallery & Gifts 

1067 S. Clarke Rd 

407-522-4400 

Give the gift of flavor with a gift card 

from Itta Bena. Located on the second 

level of Pointe Orlando lies Itta Bena, 

Orlando’s hidden gem, specializing in 

steaks and seafood. 

Itta Bena 

9101 International Drive 

Suite 2210 


407-757-2910 

www.Ittabenadining.com 

By giving the gift of The Job Search 

Navigator, you can help make 

that happen for anyone from recent 

college graduates to seasoned corporate 

executives! Copies of this in-depth 

expert's guide to getting hired, surviving 

layoffs and building a career are 

available at Barnes & Noble and all 

major book retailers or online at 

Amazon.com. 

Navigator Executive Advisors 

The Job Search Navigator 

Author: Matt Durfee, 

a local Southwest Resident. 

www.bn.com 

www.amazon.com 

CREATE A BUZZ THIS YEAR! 

Let us host your A-list holiday party in our exible event space 

CALL TODAY 

We have delicious holiday-inspired menus aimed to please and WOW your guests! 

Whether you are looking for a holiday luncheon, dinner buffet or happy hour, 

Aloft Orlando Downtown has you covered. 

Aloft Orlando Downtown 

500 South Orange Avenue 


aloftorlandodowntown.com | 407.380.3500 

CELEBRATE 

THE HOLIDAYS 

AT DOWNTOWN 

ORLANDO’S 

MOST 

ENERGETIC 

HOTEL 

©2016 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aloft and its logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. For 

full terms and conditions, visit aloftorlandodowntown.com. 

Prestigious Preschool through Fifth Grade 

• Preschool curriculum soars beyond ABCs and 123s into science, 

foreign language, music, art, character development and more 

• Advanced K-5 curriculum promotes active critical thinking and 

creative problem solving 

• Custom learning paths and low student/teacher ratios 

• State-of-the-art technology (touchboards, laptops and iPads) 

combined with hands-on exploration 

H O L I D A Y C A M P S 

A V A I L A B L E ! 

Schedule Your Tour! 

(407) 294-6950 

www.CraniumAcademy.com 

A + P r e s c h o o l + E l e m e n t a r y + A f t e r S c h o o l + C a m p s + P a r t i e s 

4068 Winter Garden Vineland Road, Winter Garden, FL 34787 

Registered & Certified with the FL Dept of Education, Division of Private Schools. DCF License #C09OR0146.


Give the Gift 

of Comedy & Mystery! 

Give the Gift of Better Grades 

This Holiday Season! 

Give the Gift That 

Keeps on Growing! 

Give the Gift of Beauty 

Save $20 

When you purchase 

A gift certificate for two! 

Price includes dinner & dessert, 

unlimited beer/wine & 

a hilarious mystery show! 

*print order form from website. 

Only available at: Sleuths 

Mystery Dinner Shows 

407-363-1985 

www.Sleuths.Com 

Purchase a $69 Academic Evaluation 

($199 value) from Huntington Learning 

Center and get your 

student started on the road to success! 

Huntington Learning Center 

5060 Dr. Phillips Blvd 


407-290-1111 

HuntingtonHelps.com 

Royal Landscape Nursery offers the best 

in landscaping and gardening needs with 

gift certificates that fit all amounts and 

any project size. Give them something 

they can enjoy over and over, whether 

they are project planning or just enjoy 

being with the flowers. 

Royal Landscape Nursery 

2204 Hempel Ave 

Gotha, FL 34734 

407-296-3042 

Royallandscapenursery.com 

Leave your loved one feeling pampered 

and refreshed this season. Stop by and 

pick up one of our fantastic 

gift cards to the Fresh Face Skin Spa 

today! While you're at it, take 

advantage of 1/2 OFF a facial service 

using SkinMedica products, for 

yourself! (with code SWB) 

Tara Magee- LE 

Fresh Face Skin Spa 

Chain of Lakes Cosmetic & Family Dentistry 

1805 Maguire Road, Suite 159 


407-876-6708 

DavidBoers.com 

Give Someone the 

Gift of Beautiful


Give the Gift of Music! 

Give the Gift Card That Will 

Make Them Say "Ahhh." 

Give the Gift of the Arts. 

Give the Gift of Education 

This Year With a Gift Certificate 

From Edu World Tutors. 

OPMI music classes 

or private music lessons 

are the gifts that keep 

on giving! 

Enroll by January 1st 

and receive 

your first class/lesson FREE! 

Orlando Premier Music Instruction 

407-963-5529 

www.orlando-premier-music-instruction.com 

Orlando Premier Music Instruction 

From pampering massages, soothing 

facials and head-to-toe rejuvenating 

packages, The Spa at Rosen Centre has 

just the right treatment to soothe your 

loved one’s soul. To soothe your 

wallet, you’ll get $5 added to each $20 

gift card purchased now through 

Dec. 31, 2016. 

The Spa at Rosen Centre 

9840 International Drive 


407-996-1248 

SpaAtRosenCentre.com 

A gift certificate to Theatre South 

Playhouse can spark the creativity in 

any one of your friends and family. 

Good toward classes, private lessons, 

show fees, show tickets and more. 

Support local theater and inspire 

greatness at the same time. Gift 

Certificates are available in $50, $100, 

$150, $200 and $250. 

Theatre South Playhouse 

11184 S. Apopka Vineland Rd 


407-489-4458 

TheatreSouthPlayhouse.com 

Edu World Tutors is a convenient 

online, in-home or by phone tutoring 

service. Whether it is for your student or 

a busy family that would benefit from 

convenient tutoring, Edu World Tutors 

offers great hourly rates and gift 

certificates for tutoring services. 

Edu World Tutors 

407-413-3961 

EDUWORLDTUTORS.COM 

EDU WORLD TUTORS 

Affordable Tutoring


Quality Fitness Equipment 

Bike at Home 

for the Holidays! 

Keiser M3i Bike 

delivers a road-bike experience & a 

quiet, smooth ride with Keiser 

magnetic-resistance technology. 

Bluetooth enabled; download ride data 

to apps on your smartphone or tablet. 

Sale Price 

$1,895 

Exercise Systems, Inc. 

6881 Kingspointe Parkway 

Suite 10 

Orlando FL 32819 

407-996-8890 

www.exercisesystems.com 

Give the Gift of Wellness 

This Season! 

Spend $100 in gift cards and get a free 

promo card for $25, spend $150 and get 

a promo card for $50! 

Massage Envy Dr. Phillips 

407-354-3689 

8081 Turkey Lake Rd., Ste 100 


www.massageenvy.com 

Treadmills Ellipticals 

Upright, Recumbent & Spinning® Bikes 

Multi-Gyms Circuit Machines Accessories 

1450 

If you have limited floor space, the 

Vectra 1450 may be the home gym for 

you. Even a simple Olympic bar & 

bench require more room than this 

innovative machine. The 1450 takes up 

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Spa Blue, Orlando’s newest 

medispa, is located in the Conroy- 

Windermere area. Upon entering 

its blue-and-white-adorned facility 

complete with chandeliers, water fountains 

and friendly greetings from the 

lady behind the desk, guests feel more 

like they are participating in a private 

spa session at an elegant, boutiquestyle 

medispa. However, what they 

will leave with is a renewed sense 

of life and healing from several issues 

with their face, body and even 

sexual health through the latest in 

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procedures. 

Owner Janet Beres has 16 years 

of experience in dermatology and cosmetic 

surgery in the Central Florida 

area and is licensed through the Florida 

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aesthetic injector, patients are rest 

assured they are in skilled hands when 

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She believes the services provided 

at Spa Blue are the way of the future 

for medical treatments. 

“I believe medicine is going to be 

changing in the future with all the 

BUSINESS 

medical advancements they are doing, 

like PRP [platelet-rich plasma] and 

stem cells,” Beres said. “We can help 

rejuvenate the whole body, for God 

PROFILE 

A Boutique-Style Medispa 

Spa Blue Orlando Enhances Clients’ Bodies and Health 

(L. to r.) 

Johanna 

Gomez; Janet 

Beres, PA-C; 

and Adele 

Hernández of 

Spa Blue treat 

a wide variety 

of medical and 

cosmetic concerns. 

gave us powerful bodies, so we can 

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Natural & 

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Spa Blue clients are amazed at 

the plethora of services available to 

them, procedures that can take care 

of everything from acne to wrinkle 

care to urinary incontinence. 

Beres wanted to create a medispa 

that did not resemble a hospital atmosphere 

with locked doors and clients 

getting facials next to those needing 

skin cancer treatments. 

“We spend quality one-on-one time 

with our clients for skin assessments 

and consultations; [explaining] what 

we can do to improve their skin and 

look more youthful, with quality over 

quantity,” Beres said. “Our 15-minute 

consults usually turn into a treatment 

the very same day.” 

Laser rejuvenation for the skin 

and Juvéshape to melt away fat and 

tighten the skin are some choice treatments, 

as are the various dermal fillers 

Spa Blue offers. As a master injector, 

Beres is also known for her exceptional 

techniques in dissolving fillers that 

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happen with Spa Blue’s customized 

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their pimples and keep their skin 

on a well-balanced track. 

One new medical procedure that 

Beres is excited to offer clients is the 

PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, that is 

used to rejuvenate the hair, skin and 

body with a person’s own plasma. 

Named the “Vampire facial,” Spa 

Blue utilizes the procedure with a microneedle 

to where there is no pain 

and only a pink glow on the skin 

with no downtime. What has also 

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the medispa offers as the Cleopatra 

Procedure. 

“Every person has [had] great results 

and given great testimonies,” 

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woman and a 60-year-old woman 

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done. Both wrote their testimonies on 

the same day, and both wrote, ‘I am 

a new woman.’” 

In a 15-minute office procedure 

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can be very effective in improving 

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and improvement in strengthening 

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that it has shown to be effective in the 

scalp when used for male and female 

patterned baldness and thinning. 

At Spa Blue, clients are more than 

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for people who desire to look and feel 

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face to its more youthful and rested 

appearance. 

“It’s a nice, elegant experience 

where you will leave feeling refreshed 

and looking youthful but still natural,” 

Beres said. 

Spa Blue is located in Suite 423 at 6735 Conroy- 

Windermere Road in Orlando. For more information 

or to make an appointment, call 407-772-2583. ª

14 x October 20 - November 2, 2016 x www.SouthwestOrlandoBulletin.com 


I-Drive 

Beckons 

Southwest 

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Dear Central Florida Residents, 

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n Ocoee 

The Ocoee Fire Department is hosting 

its 16th annual Operation Santa 

event this month. For six days, Santa 

Claus and his helpers will visit Ocoee 

neighborhoods, tossing candy and 

spreading holiday cheer to hundreds 

of children and families. The jolly crew 

has already visited some communities 

aboard a special holiday float on four 

different days and is scheduled to visit 

more Dec. 15 and Dec. 20. New, unwrapped 

toys given to the Santa on 

the float are donated to Ocoee Police 

Department’s Holiday Toys for Kids in 

Need drive. For a complete list of subdivisions 

to be visited, visit www.ocoee. 

org on the web or call the Ocoee Fire 

Department at 407-905-3140. 

Ameena McKenzie of Ocoee 

has been busy with Brenau University, 

Gainesville Theatre Alliance and 

WonderQuest. She is majoring in musical 

theater at Brenau University and 

will graduate with the Class of 2018. 

Ameena worked as a carpenter on 

the productions of The Flick, Mermaid 

Song, and Beauty and the Beast. She 

also performed as Fannie in Flyin’ 

West at the Ed Cabell Theatre at the 

University of North Georgia. 

n Windermere 

IN YOURNEIGHBORHOOD 

Rosie Moore of Windermere announced 

the nationwide release of 

her new children’s book, A Day in a 

Puppy’s Life. The story follows Tom, an 

adorable husky who always seems to 

get himself into trouble, and his exciting 

adventures when his owner is not 

at home. Published by Tate Publishing 

and Enterprises, the book is available 

through bookstores nationwide, as well 

as online. Rosie is a mother of three 

children — Christopher, Kayla and 

Kaleb. She also is the founder of The 

Gift of Live, a charitable organization 

that helps premature babies. Her 

compiled by Lauren Salinero 

hobbies include reading, writing, dancing 

and spending time with her family. 

In what attendees dubbed the “best 

Light Up Windermere ever,” 3,000 

people took part in the town’s fourth 

annual welcome to the holiday season. 

As promised, there was snow 

in Windermere, as First Baptist 

Church Windermere donated 10 

tons. It became a gathering place for 

people of all ages to make snowballs, 

slip and slide, or simply enjoy the white 

fluff. Leading up to the lighting, three 

different choirs from FBCW provided 

songs of the season. Hundreds of children 

joined Mayor Gary Bruhn as 

During Light Up Windermere, one of three choirs from First Baptist Church of 

Windermere serenades the crowd with songs of the season.

the entire town was lit by more than 

100,000 lights and more than onehalf 

a mile of wiring. The community 

extends its thanks to the church for 

its support, as well as Windermere’s 

Downtown Business Committee and the 

Windermere Wine and Dine, whose 

contributions paid entirely for this year’s 

lighting. 

Windermere resident Paul F. 

Shuler, M.D., announced the opening 

of his new Ocoee practice, 

Provident Orthopedic and Sports 

Medicine. Prior to pursuing medicine, 

Dr. Shuler graduated summa cum 

laude from Michigan Technological 

University with a degree in electrical 

engineering. He returned to Michigan 

State University College of Human 

Medicine to earn a medical degree. 

He is board-certified in orthopedic 

surgery and orthopedic sports medicine. 

When he is not with his family or 

enjoying his favorite activities of waterskiing, 

swimming, biking and camping, 

Dr. Shuler is often “tinkering.” 

n Winter Garden 


William Derdock Jr. of Winter 

Garden was initiated into the Honor 

Society of Phi Kappa Phi at Eastern 

Kentucky University. The society is the 

nation’s oldest, most selective collegiate 

honor society for all academic disciplines. 

William is among approximately 

30,000 students, faculty members, 

professional staff and alumni to be initiated 

into Phi Kappa Phi each year. 

Membership is by invitation and requires 

nomination and approval by a chapter. 

n Et Al 

Southwest 

resident Etline 

St. Jean 

joins the team 

at Weichert, 

Realtors Hallmark 

Properties as a 

Realtor. 

Officials at Weichert, Realtors 

Hallmark Properties announced that 

Realtor Etline St. Jean of Southwest 

Orlando joined their Kissimmee office. 

Etline assists homebuyers and sellers in 

Kissimmee, Orlando and the surrounding 

areas with all of their real estate 

needs. 

Virginia Trudeau & Deedee Sherman 

Vladimir Bykov (back) of MetroWest and Camila 

Varley perform in Central Florida Ballet’s The Nutcracker. 

Central Florida Ballet representatives 

named this year’s lineup for the 16th 

anniversary of The Nutcracker production. 

Artistic Director Vladimir Bykov 

of MetroWest will play the title role 

of Drosselmeyer. Elizabeth Cotter 

of Windermere will play the lead 

roles of Jig, Chinese Lead and Spanish 

Demi-Solo. She will be joined by her 

mother as the Main 

Party Mom, her father 

as the Party Dad, and 

her brother as a Party 

Dad. Ellexis Hatch of 

Dr. Phillips will be featured 

as a soloist, performing 

as Shepherdess 

and Butterfly in Waltz 

of the Flowers. Gina 

Hatch of Dr. Phillips will 

be featured as the Maid 

and Mother Ginger. 

Sara Komatsu and 

Madison Spack of 

MetroWest will alternate 

in lead roles of Chinese 

Lead and Jig. 


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Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips 

awarded three of its members Paul 

Harris Fellow awards. Paul Harris 

Fellowship contributions support 

Rotary International programs, providing 

educational opportunities, 

food, potable water, health care, 

immunizations and shelter for millions 

of people around the world. 

Rotarians Harry and Liz Mancia 

Rotary Club of Dr. Phillips Foundation Chairman 

Dave Lehman (left) presents a Paul Harris Fellow Award 

to Scott Wellington. 

and Scott Wellington received 

the awards because of their special 

donations toward Rotary Foundation 

and the ways in which their lives 

exemplify the humanitarian and 

educational objectives of the Rotary 

Foundation. 

Rotary Club 

of Dr. Phillips 

Foundation 

Chairman Dave 

Lehman (left) 

presents Paul 

Harris Fellow 

awards to secondtime 

recipient 

Harry Mancia 

(center) and 

Harry’s wife, firsttime 

recipient Liz 

Mancia. 

consults with small business owners 

and assesses their companies’ credit 

and cash management needs, 

allowing her to provide solutions 

tailored to their specific business. 

Shalonda has worked in the banking 

field for 13 years, serving as a 

banking center manager and business 

banking relationship manager. 

She holds a doctorate in business 

- 

(L. to r.) Don Snyder of MetroWest, Diana (Chastain) Kastner of Winderlakes, 

Terryl White of Lake Marsha, and Juliana Daurio of Providence attend Rotary Club of 

Dr. Phillips’ 10th annual A Taste of Dr. Phillips. 

Bank of America officials appointed 

Southwest resident Shalonda 

Warren small business banker for 

south Orange and Osceola counties. 

She provides personalized 

attention to small business owners 

by connecting with them, typically 

at their places of business, and 

by implementing solutions to help 

them operate successfully. She also 

administration with a specialization 

in marketing, as well as two master 

degrees, one in business and one in 

management. 

Although we try to ensure that all information presented 

above is the most current, correct and dependable 

available, we do rely on others for the source of our 

news. Therefore, the Southwest Orlando Bulletin and 

Kearney Publishing Corp. cannot be held responsible 

for the validity of the information presented here, 

nor does mentioning it constitute an endorsement. 

In Your Neighborhood news is welcome and may 

be mailed to P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 34786; 

or emailed to Lauren@kearneypublishing.com. ª


The entries submitted for Southwest Orlando Bulletin’s 25th annual 

Stories of the Season contest told tales of special visits from Santa, mystical 

holiday creatures and the joy of spending time with family and friends. 

Whether they recreate holiday memories or take readers to imaginary 

places filled with elves, reindeer and their ilk, they are sure to add holiday 

spirit to all this year. 

Congratulations to first-place winner Victoria Hernandez of Sand 

Lake Hills, runner-up Tabitha Eastham of Ocoee, and child winner 

Porter MacCabe of Saddlebrooke, all of whom received cash 

prizes. Also included are submissions selected as honorable mentions. 

The staff of the Southwest Orlando Bulletin extends thank-yous to everyone 

who entered the contest and wishes a happy holiday season to all. 

Winner 

My Favorite Time of Year 

by Victoria Hernandez 

Sand Lake Hills 

Christmas has always been my favorite 

time of year. My reasons have changed, 

however. 

As a little girl, I loved it for the same 

reasons as any other kid: Santa Claus 

and presents. Staying up late with my little 

brother, hoping to see the jolly old man 

in the red suit, and tracking him down on 

websites were always exciting. Of course, 

we would end up falling asleep before he 

arrived, but in the morning, the best part of 

all came — opening the gifts he’d brought 

for us! I now look back and wish our childhood 

had never ended, for it now seems 

10 times more magical. 

I still love Christmas, but now I love the 

lights ... though it is a pain to set them up. 

I now love the weather ... when I’m not 

standing outside in the dark, frozen in 

place at a bus stop. I now love the decorations 

... even though every magazine in 

the store makes me jealous of the perfectly 

imperfect decorated homes. I now love the 

drinks, because it is the only time of the 

year my grandmother makes homemade 

hot punch. I now love the food, because it 

is the second time in the year that we eat 

like kings. And I now love the time spent 

with family and friends, because it is one of 

the few times everyone is together. 

Christmastime is always hectic, crazy 

and busy, but full of laughter, memories 

and nostalgia. Whenever my family comes 

together, it is loud but cozy. I treasure these 

moments very much. 

Toward the end of the past couple of 

years, I have found myself reflecting about 

life and the previous 12 months. This year, 

I’ll be able to think about 16 years worth 

of memories and the awesome 2016 I 

have had. As beautiful as Christmas is, it 

always comes with a bittersweet sense of 

closure. Perhaps that is why it is so beautiful. 

The feeling of closure makes me stop, 

think, remember and enjoy the present. 

That’s what Christmas is all about in the 

end. It is about remembrance and being 

thankful — thankful for small things like 

Santa Claus, presents, annoying lights, 

cold and sunny weather, perfectly imperfect 

decorations, grandma’s homemade 

punch, savory meals and loud-but-cozy 

family time. 

Runner-Up 

A Fresh Start 

by Tabitha Eastham 

Ocoee 

She stepped off the train — a little disheveled 

from the long ride. She never 

imagined that she would take so long to 

get from the big city to this sleepy little 

town. She had, however, shared great 

conversation with her seatmate — a sweet, 

good-looking, younger gentleman traveling 

home from a long business trip. Sadly, 

she would never see him again. 

As soon as her face touched the air, she 

noticed a swift change in the temperature. 

She was met with bitter coldness, the kind 

of cold that feels like tiny daggers pricking 

the flesh. It had been an especially bad 

year. With the death of her grandmother 

and then a broken wedding engagement, it 

was time for a fresh start. What better way 

to start anew than to move to a new place 

and start a new job, and that was exactly 

what she had chosen to do. 

She took a seat on the bench outside of 

the train station in an attempt to wait for 

the carriage that was to come fetch her. 

An older gentleman was already sitting on 

the bench reading the town gazette. The 

moment she took her seat, he looked up 

from his paper and flashed her a brief, yet 

quite congenial, smile. She reciprocated his 

politeness by smiling back. 

Hour after hour passed, but the carriage 

never came. She was beginning to worry 

that she would never make it to her destination, 

which was the town’s local hotel. 

In that time, the friendly elderly gentleman 

rode his carriage down to the feed 

store to purchase items and passed back 

by the train station. 

“You’ve been sittin’ there a long time, 

young lady,” he said. “Do you need a ride 

somewhere?” 

STLUKE ’ S 

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 

“I was waiting on the local carriage company 

to come and get me, but it seems that 

the driver isn’t making a stop here today,” 

she said. 

“You missed the last ride. It was at one 

o’clock in the afternoon, and seeing that it 

is now 5 p.m., you are going to be stuck 

here tonight,” the man said matter-of-factly. 

“Oh, my!” she exclaimed. 

She had no clue what she was going to 

do, as the weather was starting to take a 

turn for the worse. The snow was beginning 


4851 S. Apopka-Vineland Road 

Orlando, Florida 32819 

407.876.4991 

www.st.lukes.org



to pour from the sky, and she was freezing 

from the inside out. 

“Tell you what,” he said with a smile. 

“You can come stay at our house tonight. 

My wife, Ella, would love to have a visitor 

stay with us!” 

“I couldn’t impose upon you like that,” 

she said. 

“Nonsense!” he exclaimed, as he pried 

the bag from her little hand and placed it 

in the carriage. 

They drove for about 15 minutes, until 

they reached a quaint little cottage on 

the north side of town. Snow covered the 

gabled rooftop like melted marshmallows. 

When she walked in the front door, she 

saw a fabulous spruce tree decorated with 

popcorn, candy canes and pine cones. 

She was astounded by how breathtaking 

it was. 

That night, after an extraordinary meal 

and amazing conversation with these two 

kindhearted souls, she fell fast alseep in the 

cozy bed they had arranged for her. 

In the morning, she awoke to the smell of 

freshly brewed coffee. She got dressed and 

made her way down the tiny stairs. While 

descending the stairs, she heard familiar 

laughter. When she entered the kitchen, 

she was greeted by the elderly couple. 

“Good morning, Rosalyn,” they said. 

“We’d like you to meet our son.” 

The young man turned around. It was 

him, the kind stranger from the train ... 

Child Winner 

Scarecrow’s Christmas 

by Porter MacCabe 

Saddlebrooke 

Once upon a time there was a scarecrow. 

A farmer had put up the scarecrow 

for harvest, but he forgot about it. The 

scarecrow had a sack head, sweater and 

jacket. He also had a pair of jeans with 

patched knees. One night there was a 

strong windstorm. During the storm, the 

metal arrow from the farmer’s weather 

vane flew off the house and shot into the 

scarecrow’s neck. The next night, a bolt of 

lightning hit the metal rod and brought the 

scarecrow to life. Then, with a straw-stuffed 

body, the scarecrow set out to live in the 

wild. 

The scarecrow was bored in the wild. He 

was just sitting alone in a cave with only a 

rock to call his friend. After a few weeks, he 

heard a bang! He hurried outside where he 

found a turkey that was being shot at. He 

ran and grabbed the turkey, and then ran 

away. He soon had run at least a mile, so 

he put down the turkey and asked, “Why 

do they hunt you down like that?” 

“Because,” the turkey said, “it’s 

Thanksgiving, and they think eating turkey 

is better than beef jerky. You have shown 

me an act of great bravery and kindness. 

I thank you!” 

With that, the turkey ran back to the forest, 

and the scarecrow ran back to his cave. 

Almost one month later, the bored scarecrow 

heard a noise, so he went to check it 

out. He found a man who had just chopped 

down a tree. He was marching away with 

the tree, happily singing songs. 

The scarecrow saw this and said to himself, 

“This is outrageous! How dare he chop 

down a tree and sing so merrily! I shall follow 

him, or as scarecrows say, stalk him 

like we stalk crows, for I shall find the purpose 

for killing that tree.” 

A few minutes later, the scarecrow found 

the man inside a house. He looked through 

a window and saw the man and his family 

joyously decorating the tree. Then the 

youngest child put a star atop the tree and 

smiled. 

“What’s this?” the scarecrow asked. 

“They are hanging mistletoe, and putting 

strings of lights and a star on the tree. What 

is this? 

He turned to leave and hit a pole. 

“Ouch!” he exclaimed, while reading 

a banner on the pole. “Merry Christmas? 

Christmas? Then I shall celebrate it, too!” 

The next day, he gathered lights, mistletoe, 

an ax and a star. Then he chopped 

down a tree, and put the lights and star on 

it. He then put up more lights and plugged 

the lights into a solar panel to make the 

lights and star shine. Afterward, he put up 

the mistletoe and rested. 

He awoke Christmas morning. There 

were a box and card underneath the tree. 

The card read, Dear Scarecrow, Christmas 

is about joy and happiness with friends and 

family. Cherish it. From Santa Claus. 

He opened the box. Inside it was a book 

called Christmas Carols. He opened the 

book and sang a song. 

Hearing the song, the turkey, a bear, 

two squirrels, two hawks, a blue bird and 

a partridge in a pear tree soon came. 

“Come and sing with me, friends,” 

Scarecrow said. 

And so the animals sang and helped to 

make a feast. I should know, because I am

the scarecrow who celebrates Christmas. I 

live in a cave. Bigfoot is my friend and so 

are all the animals of the forest. Life has 

never been happier! 

Honorable Mention 

A Magical Combination 

by Savanna Schenk 

Keene’s Pointe 

Christmas isn’t just another day in 

December. Christmas is a season that is 

celebrated continuously throughout the 

entire month. To me, Christmas is one of 

the most important holidays. It brings together 

friends and family. The elements 

of Christmas cheer can be seen in stores, 

heard in songs and seen on the faces of 

happy children. The beautiful energy is felt 

in our hearts as we carry out family traditions, 

give gifts and celebrate the birth of 

Jesus Christ. 

Generally speaking, most families 

have traditions they uphold each year 

during the holidays. Families of different 

backgrounds enjoy foods that are unique 

to their culture. People enjoy decorating 

their homes and yards to express their 

Christmas spirit. Other traditions may 

include activities like caroling, making 


Christmas cookies or building gingerbread 

houses. Still, others enjoy traveling 

to see friends and family in other parts of 

the country or world. 

Nobody denies that receiving a gift is a 

wonderful feeling. However, giving a gift 

can be even more rewarding. Taking time 

to think of others will definitely improve 

their day, as well as yours. Making or buying 

gifts for those we love makes them feel 

special. In addition to giving gifts to people 

we know, Christmas is also about sharing 

with those who are less fortunate. We 

should always remember how blessed we 

are and how important it is to share those 

blessings with others. 

Most importantly to me, Jesus is the reason 

for the season. The spirit of Christmas 

underlying all other traditions comes from 

the gift of Jesus’ love. His love allows me 

to generously spread cheer, hope, purpose 

and good will to all. 

Above all, Christmas is the magical 

combination of family traditions, delicious 

food, joyful music, gift-giving and charitable 

sharing, all wrapped up in the gift of 

Jesus’ love. Even though the world consists 

of many different people, we are connected 

spiritually. Christmas is so much more 

than Dec. 25. It is a time, season, holiday 

and spectacular series of events. It is the 

ultimate promise of hope, a reason for joy, 

and the love that unites us all. 


The Carriage Ride 

by Emily McCarron 

Belmere 

It was a frigid day in winter. The 

streets of England were cold and windy. 

Cassandra Wentworth was grateful that 

she was in her warm, comfortable carriage 

instead of outside. She was riding 

home after having tea with her friend, 

Abigail Thompson. 

As the carriage was nearing 

Cassandra’s house, she saw a woman 

and children out on the street. They looked 

hungry and cold. Cassandra remembered 

something her mother had told her. When 

Cassandra was little she had asked why 

some people didn’t have homes and food. 

Her mother told her that some people 

were less fortunate than Cassandra, and 

everyone couldn’t always afford those 

things. Cassandra’s mother told her that 

she should always help the less fortunate. 

She told Cassandra that if she made a few 

people happier, she could make the world 

happier. 

Cassandra told the driver to stop. 

The driver stopped the carriage, and 

Cassandra stepped outside. 

Gathering up her courage, she walked 

over to the woman and said, “Hello, would 

you like to go on a carriage ride?” 

The woman was hesitant and confused 

at first, but when one of her children said, 

“Mama, can we go?” she agreed. 

Once comfortably seated in the carriage, 

Cassandra told the driver to take the 

carriage around the streets for a short time. 

During that time, Cassandra and the lady, 

whose name was Charlotte, made cheerful 

conversation. 

Charlotte repeatedly said how happy 

she was that Cassandra had offered to 

give her and her children — Thomas, Mary 

and Rose — a carriage ride. Charlotte said 

that it was enough kindness to last them a 

lifetime. 

Cassandra thought about what she 

had done and how happy she had made 

Charlotte and her family. Cassandra wanted 

to do more for them. 

CONTINUED ON PAGE 28



She turned to Charlotte and said, 

“Would you like to come stay in my house? 

We have plenty of room.” 

Charlotte and her children were overjoyed 

after hearing the offer, and after seeing 

the happiness in her children’s faces, 

Charlotte accepted. That day, Charlotte, 

Thomas, Mary and Rose went to live with 

Cassandra. 

A few weeks later, it was Christmas. 

The chefs were very busy preparing a 

large Christmas dinner for the many people 

living in Cassandra’s house. Inviting 

Charlotte and her children to live with 

her made Cassandra feel happy, so she 

continued searching for poor families in 

town, offering them rides in her carriage 

and a nice place to live at her house. 

By Christmas, the house was full of men, 

women and children who were grateful 

for Cassandra’s kindness. All of the people 

Cassandra had helped were in warm 

spirits. 

Adults were sitting by the fire, talking; 

children were merrily playing; and everyone 

was greatly anticipating the meal that 

was yet to come. The happiest person in 

the room was Cassandra. She was filled 

with joy at the sight of the people’s happy 

faces. 

Cassandra worked for the rest of her life 

to seek out people who needed help and 

give them places to stay and food to eat. 

Her home became known as The Carriage 

House, and people were always welcome 

to come in and stay for as long as they 

needed. 


What Christmas Means to Me 

by Emily Meena 

Westover Club 

Ding! Oh, the delicious gingerbread 

cookies I’d been awaiting all season were 

ready to come out of the oven! I opened 

the oven and grinned as the mouthwatering 

scents of cinnamon and spices wafted 

into my nose. I pulled the long tray out of 

the oven and set it on the granite counter. I 

grazed my hands over the warm cookies, 

picked the perfect one, and popped the 

chewy goodness into my watering mouth. 

Christmas means many things to me. I love 

the holiday festivities and celebrations. 

Christmas means spending time with family, 

dong classic Christmas traditions — like 

decorating the tree, of course! — and 

giving to others. 

Spending time with family is a great 

way to create everlasting memories. I enjoy 

chattering about the true meaning of 

Christmas, a baby born to save the world, 

instead of worrying about if I’m going to 

receive the item I’ve been waiting for all 

year long. 

My family eats a feast Christmas night 

with refreshing sparkling cider, tender turkey, 

buttery rolls and freshly mashed potatoes. 

I like reading Christmas stories with 

them and excitedly waiting all season to 

have fun Christmas Day. We have a blast 

searching all over town to find the perfect 

tree, not too skinny or tall, with just the right 

number of branches to hang all our meaningful 

ornaments. 

Celebrating classic holiday traditions, 

like baking Christmas cookies and hanging 

sparkling lights outside to make our 

house glow, really help enhance the swollen 

excitement of the holiday season. 

Decorating our Christmas tree is one of 

my favorite things, carefully hanging delicate 

ornaments and stringing lights on 

the tall branches while listening to cheery 

Christmas music. It’s just a great way to 

bond with family. I love wrapping presents 

for others, using decorative wrapping 

paper, and placing the presents under 

the tree. Baking gingerbread and buttery 

shortbread cookies is definitely one of the 

best things to do during the busy holiday 

season. I like to decorate them with small, 

colorful sprinkles and use cookie cutters to 

mold them into festive shapes like angels, 

reindeer, bells, etc. 

After that, giving to others is a joyful 

thing. It produces a happy bond between 

you and the receiver. We give to 

celebrate how God sent His son so we 

could be saved and have eternal life with 

Him in heaven. I love seeing people open 

gifts I gave them and wearing a smile on 

their faces as they tear it open. When you 

give to others, it creates warm feelings all 

around. Plus, ripping open a delicately 

wrapped present and getting what you’ve 

always wanted is sure to bring a smile to 

your face. 

To sum it all up, Christmas has many 

heartfelt meanings. The music, exchanging 

of gifts, gobbling down a well-prepared 

feast — it’s all great, but it’s the holiday’s 

real meaning, Jesus, that is the joy of the 

Christmas season. 

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Hanukkahistmas 

by Kadance Jablon 

Wintermere Harbor 

Meet Hunter. Hunter is an outgoing 

Christian boy. He loves to pray with his 

family and go to church. It was the week 

before Christmas, and Hunter was excited. 

He loved seeing relatives, opening presents 

and praising his Lord and savior. 

Hunter noticed there were no Christmas 

decorations in school. He asked Ms. 

Hansford, his teacher, “Where are all the 

Christmas decorations?” 

“Not everyone celebrates Christmas, 

Hunter,” a boy named Joseph interrupted. 

“So, what do you celebrate?” asked 

Hunter, suddenly feeling threatened. 

“Hanukkah,” Joseph replied. 

“Oh, that holiday they copied off of 

Christianity?” Hunter asked. 

“Actually, Judaism was first, so the 

Christians copied us,” Joseph said confidently, 

while giving Hunter a death glare. 

Joseph was the shy Jewish boy in Hunter’s 

class. He was just as excited for Hanukkah 

as Hunter was about Christmas, except 

Joseph always felt left out. He was the only 

kid in class who celebrated Hanukkah. 


Ms. Hansford pulled the boys away from 

each other. 

“Boys! This won’t be tolerated at our 

school. Go to detention, and think about 

what you have done.” 

The boys sat in detention without saying 

a word. All of a sudden, a blast of wind 

brushed Joseph’s face, and a golden door 

appeared out of nowhere. A man came 

through the door. He was wearing an old 

cloak and had a brown goatee. 

The mysterious man said nothing, but 

guided his hand toward the door, wanting 

the boys to go through. Without thinking, 

they went. 

“Have fun in Israel,” the man said, closing 

the door behind the boys. 

Then the boys fell and landed in sand. 

“Hunter, do you know where we are?” 

Joseph questioned happily. 

Not waiting for Hunter to answer, Joseph 

pointed at a temple and told the story of 

how Hanukkah began. 

“There was a Jewish group called the 

Maccabees. They were on a journey to 

take back the temple from Antiochus IV 

Epiphanes, the Syrian Greek leader. Sadly, 

after they got to the temple, there was only 

enough oil to light the building for one day. 

Then there was a miracle. The oil lit the entire 

temple for eight days. The Maccabees 

gained confidence and defeated Antiochus 

IV Epiphanes.” 

“Wow, that is a miracle!” Hunter exclaimed 

in awe. 

Then, all of a sudden, the golden door 

popped up again, and the mysterious wind 

pushed them into the door, which led them 

to Bethlehem. 

In the city of Bethlehem, it was a warm 

and silent night. The boys saw a wooden 

stable, and Hunter knew exactly what it 

was. 

“This is where Jesus was born!” he exclaimed 

excitedly. 

“If this is where Jesus was born, then 

why is it so warm?” Joseph asked. “Isn’t 

Christmas in December?” 

“Jesus was born in June, but we celebrate 

in December,” Hunter said. “It’s 

like Christians are celebrating Jesus’ halfbirthday. 

December is six months after 

June.” 

“Wow, I never knew that,” Joseph said. 

The boys watched the Virgin Mary show 

baby Jesus to the town. 

The golden door appeared, and the 

man in the old cloak showed up. 

“Did you boys learn your lesson?” he 

asked. 

The boys explained to the man how it 

was not nice to judge someone based on 

his or her religion or background. They 

learned that other religions may not be that 

bad. 

“Boys, boys!” It was Ms. Hansford, 

trying to wake them up. “You better have 

learned your lesson. I heard you’ve been 

asleep most of the time. 

The boys became friends after their 

journey. They even shared winter break 

together. They also celebrated with 

their families. You may be wondering 

what holiday they decided to celebrate. 

Well, they celebrated their own holiday, 

Hanukkahistmas. 


What Christmas Means to Me 

by Caden Collins 

Lake Butler Sound 

Yay! Christmas is here! On Christmas, 

my family opens their presents first thing 

in the morning while listening to Christmas 

music. We stay at home on Christmas. 


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Something I really like about Christmas 

is to see what I get for presents. Sometimes 

I shake the box and try to guess what’s 

inside. My sister and I take turns opening 

gifts. It is hard to wait for my sister. She 

takes a long time opening each one. I like 

to open the big presents first, because the 

better presents are usually in the bigger 

boxes! I like to see the look on my sister’s 

face when she opens the gift from me. I try 

to get her something that will make her really 

happy. She always gives me the biggest 

hug after opening my gift, and, of course, 

my parents take pictures. 

We have family and friends come over 

on Christmas. I like to play games with 

them when they arrive. We play board 

games, or baseball or football outside. 

After we come in, we play games on the 

PS4 while my family puts together the gifts 

that we opened. One of my favorite games 

to play is Call of Duty, which took my parents 

forever to finally get for me. 

I start to smell the food, and this makes 

me hungry. After playing on my game for 

a while, I go downstairs to eat with my family. 

Some of my favorite things to eat are 

my mom’s famous macaroni and cheese, 

mashed potatoes and stuffing. 

“This is so good!” everyone says. “I want 

more!” 

We go around the table and say what 

we are thankful for. I always say, “family.” 

My mom always cries, because she 

is so happy, and every year, I tell her not 

to. After we are done eating, we go into 

the pool and hot tub until it is time for dessert. 

My sister makes the best cookies and 

brownies. 

Those are the reasons I like Christmas — 

for family, friends, presents and food. The 

next time Christmas comes, it will be even 

better! 


Unbeliever 

by Gabrielle Urton 

Winter Garden 

Snow fell as softly as a feather from the 

heavens above. The air was filled with the 

sweet smells of gingerbread and peppermint. 

The sleepy town was painted with colors 

of delight. But of this delight, Charlotte 

had none. 

No one blamed her for this. After all, her 

season was probably anything but pleasant. 

Four hours was all the sleep she got. 

Eleven hours for school, and then it was off 

to work for the remaining nine. An extra 

hour or two of sleep was a luxury for her as 

she spent her days working and studying. 

This left her no time for the holidays, not 

that it would matter. Charlotte hadn’t celebrated 

Christmas since she was 15. Not 

only did she not believe in Christmas, she 

didn’t believe in the spirit of Christmas or 

the magic it produced. She hated being 

with her family and friends. She thought it 

was a waste of valuable time. But, all that 

changed one Friday night. 

It was a busy day, and Charlotte got home 

later than usual. As soon as she walked into 

her apartment, she was shocked. It was 

decorated with candy canes, cotton snow, 

a beautiful garland swirling around the railing, 

a giant wool stocking was hung neatly 

above the hearth, and in the center of the 

room stood a 5-foot-tall pine tree. The tree 

was exquisitely covered with ribbons, popcorn 

strings and gorgeous ornaments bursting 

with color. Charlotte determined not to 

investigate the mysterious decorations. She 

had more homework than usual and would 

have to get up extra early. 

The next day, she awoke only to find 

that breakfast was already prepared, but 

not the way she did it. Her breakfast was 

usually a simple cup of coffee. Today, 

there were freshly cooked omelets filled 

with cheese, tomatoes and onions. There 

was hot bacon sizzling in the frying pan. 

There were pumpkin-flavored pancakes 

dipped in maple syrup. And to top it off, 

there was hot cocoa covered in whipped 

cream and sprinkled with peppermint 

candies. 

Things were getting out of hand. 

Neighbors came over with plates of cookies. 

As for school, her teacher called and 

said she had the day off. She decided to 

go shopping and found herself looking for 

Christmas presents for her family. 

I don’t have the money to buy presents, 

Charlotte thought quietly to herself. Just 

then her boss called and gave her a promotion. 

It included a raise and Christmas 

bonus. These miracles continued for the remainder 

of the day. 

She came home, still trying to figure out 

everything, and that’s when she saw an elegantly 

decorated Christmas card on the 

mantle. She opened it and read. 

Dearest Charlotte, 

I know you are confused right now. 

Anyone would be, but you are someone 

who needs this the most. You are caught up

in all this chaos, and you don’t even notice. 

So all day I’ve been trying to make your life 

easier. Just remember, sometimes it’s OK to 

spend time with your family and friends. 

Sincerely, 

St. Nicholas 

In shock, Charlotte started thinking 

about the past few months. She never 

called her family, tried to make friends, 

or talked to anybody other than her boss. 

Now she wanted to change that. Quickly 

she wrapped the presents she had bought. 

A few short hours later she was on her 

family’s doorstep, carrying the presents 

and a huge plate of Christmas goodies. 

She nervously rang the doorbell. Her family 

came to the door, and a huge smile 

spread across her face as she whispered, 

“Merry Christmas!” and it was. 


A Grand Resolution 

by Adam Griffiths 

Westfield 

It’s Dec. 30. Most people are snuggling 

up by a warm fire. Not me. I live in Florida, 

and it’s always hot here. So instead, I’m 

getting a start on my spring cleaning. I 

see boxes covered with dirt. Half-opened, 


untouched, they remind me of old times. I 

see old crates, old papers, pictures, shoes, 

jars — actually, I feel like I’ve seen this jar. 

Then it hits me like a truck. I remember that 

it’s filled with old New Year’s resolutions. 

“Too late for that,” I whisper to myself. 

Then my parents’ voices surge through 

my head. 

“When was the last time you went 

through with a plan?” 

I open the jar and take out a crumpled 

Post-it note. 

“2012. See Grand Canyon. Wow, was I 

optimistic that year.” 

I stand up, feeling OK with myself. Then 

I take a good look at my house. Unpainted 

walls, half-unpacked boxes, overgrown 

weeds. I inhale a pale, dusty breath of air 

and decide what I’m going to do. I’m going 

to see the Grand Canyon. 

I’ve always loved driving — big cities, 

large mountains, and, since I’m in Texas, 

long deserts. 

“Nothin’ for 150 miles,” I say to myself. 

Then I start speeding up, 50 mph, 70 

mph, 90, 75 ... 

“Huh?” 

50, 30, 20. 

“Oh, no.” 

My car comes to a complete stop, and I 

get a really bad feeling. I check my watch, 

and it reads 6:30. I turn to the road and put 

my thumb up. 

After some waiting, a car drives up. It’s 

a black street racer with gold rims and a 

bumper sticker that reads “Bad to the Bone.” 

It’s not ideal, but I don’t really have a choice. 

Then from the backseat of the car steps 

this guy. He has to be twice my size, tattooed 

from head to toe, and wearing the 

scariest leather jacket I’ve ever seen. 

“Hey,” he says. “I’m Jose. Where you 

headed?” 

“Grand Canyon,” I reply. 

“Niceee,” he says, making a hissing 

sound from his cracked, golden teeth. 

He stuffs me inside the small backseat, 

saying not to mind Pablo, another creepy 

guy sitting on the other side of me, and 

we’re off. 

After a very long time of uncomfortably 

driving, we arrive at a visitors center. 

“Money?” Jose asks. 

“What money?” I ask back. 

“We drove you here. You give us 

money,” Pablo explains. 

“Well, I don’t have any money on me 

so ...” 

I’m quickly thrown out of the car, and it 

hurts a lot. 

I brush myself off and check my watch. It 

reads 10:57, and I walk inside. I see people 

leaving, and a worker shouts, “Closing 

time 11 p.m.” 

I freak out and jump into a storage closet. 

I can hear security guards roaming the 

halls. 

After a while of waiting, I check my 

watch again. It reads 11:58 p.m. I’ve come 

all this way, so I sneak out. I go out into 

the hallway, trying to avoid the flashlights. 

I stand by one last corner, by a crackedopen 

door. 

Then I hear the guards counting down. 

This is my opportunity. They are looking at 

their watches, so I run through the hall to 

the door. 

I burst out the door, and half of my body 

flies off the railing. I’m thinking millions of 

things, but all I can hear is the guards yelling, 

“Happy New Year!” All I can see is a 

huge firework fly over the canyon and burst 

into a thousand tiny sparkles that float over 

a beautiful river, and I think to myself, It was 

all worth it. 


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An Elf & Two Kids 

by Alex Wells 

Wesmere 

One day, the Smith family received a 

gift. The gift was The Elf on the Shelf, and 

his name was Charlie. Every night while 

the Smith family was asleep, Charlie traveled 

to the North Pole to tell Santa how the 

family’s children, Katy and John, were behaving. 

Katy and John Smith were siblings. 

Katy was John’s little sister. Katy was high 

on the Christmas spirit, but John thought 

Christmas was silly and Santa was a big 

phony. One early morning, as the sun’s 

rays were just starting to peek over the horizon, 

Charlie returned from the North Pole. 

Unknown to him, Katy was in the kitchen 

getting a cool glass of water. 

With a sudden shriek, Katy spotted 

Charlie. 

“Shh. Shh!” Charlie begged in a hushed 

tone. “Please, I’ll be caught!” 

“Who are you, and what are you doing 

in my house?” Katy asked alarmingly. 

“I’m Charlie, you’re elf.” 

“But why are you talking and moving 

around? Are you magical?” Katy whispered 

excitedly. 

“Yes, and I need you and your brother’s 

help,” Charlie said. “You see, every night 

I travel to the North Pole to report on how 

you and John are behaving. But this time 

when I arrived, I saw something horrible. 

The worker elves, who are responsible for 

making all the gifts, are refusing to work, 

because they claim that hardly any kids still 

believe like you do.” 

“So what do you need from me?” Katy 

asked. 

“I need you and your brother to come 

with me to the North Pole and convince the 

elves in the workshop to continue making 

gifts for all the children around the world,” 

Charlie said. 

“OK, but John doesn’t believe in 

Christmas,” Katy said in a depressed voice. 

“He thinks it’s stupid.” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Charlie said. 

“Once he sees me, he’ll know Christmas is 

real.” 

Katy and Charlie tiptoed to John’s room 

to wake him up. 

“John, John, wake up,” Katy whispered. 

“No, it’s too early,” John mumbled. 

“Come on, John,” Charlie said. “We 

need your help to save Christmas.” 

Suddenly, John shot straight up like a 

rocket. 

“Who are you!” he screamed. 

“Keep it down,” Charlie said. “You’ll 

wake your parents. I’m Charlie, your Elf on 

the Shelf. I need you to come with us to 

save Christmas.” 

“I must be hallucinating,” John said. 

“You’re not,” Katy said. 

Charlie explained the crisis they faced 

at the North Pole, and soon enough, John 

agreed to go. 

“Grab your coats, kids,” Charlie said. 

“It’s cold in the North Pole.” 

“How are we going to get to the North 

Pole anyway?” John asked. 

“Through magic,” Charlie said. 

“Awesome!” Katy said. 

“I don’t know about this,” John said. 

“Don’t worry,” Charlie said reassuredly. 

“Santa’s sled is safe.” 

And suddenly, using his magic, Charlie 

made Santa’s beautiful red sled appear. 

“Wow, that’s amazing,” Katy exclaimed, 

as she instantly started petting the reindeer. 

“Come on, kids,” Charlie said. “Get in. 

We don’t have much time.” 

Katy jumped right in while John, looking 

a bit sickly, got in slowly. 

“Here we go,” Charlie said, as they 

blasted off from the Smith’s front yard in the 

cool, early-morning air. 

A few hours later, they arrived at the 

North Pole. 

“Alright, we’re here,” Charlie said, as 

they landed in a snowy courtyard. 

“Now, remember what I told you. Once 

we get to the workshop, you two need to 

convince the elves to continue working.” 

The group met Santa in the workshop 

and gathered the elves. Katy and John 

gave an emotional and moving speech, 

and convinced the worker elves to continue 

making gifts for all the children who 

still believed in the magic of Christmas. 

Afterward, they returned home, and Katy 

and John had the best Christmas ever! 


The Magic of Christmas 

by Katharine Nguyen 

Windsor Landing 

There was a girl named Emily who was 

very rich. She was spoiled, selfish and 

rude, and her mind was full of hatred. She 

never thought of other people. 

One day, her grandma demanded 

that Emily go outside. After five minutes, 

she found herself deep in the woods. She

wandered farther and heard something. 

It sounded like a drum. She followed the 

sound and saw a boy hitting a log. She 

thought the boy was poor and ugly-looking. 

She went up behind him and said, “Ugly 

face, get out of my forest!” 

She kicked the log away from him and 

stomped on it. The child cried and ran 

away. She seemed to enjoy that very much 

and laughed so hard her face turned red. 

Suddenly, a young boy about her age 

appeared and said, “Don’t treat people 

like that. They might help you someday.” 

Then he vanished. Emily was so upset 

that she ran and ran. She did not see a big 

hole and fell into it. She broke her leg and 

yelped in pain. It was starting to get dark, 

and she was scared. 

“Help! Help!” she screamed. 

Luckily, someone nearby heard her and 

rescued her. It turned out to be the little 

boy she had yelled at. He was surprisingly 

strong and carried her out of the forest. 

The young boy returned and said, “I 

bet you are glad that boy helped you. You 

should be nice to people.” 

She looked down and thought about 

what had happened. She wanted to apologize 

to both the child and the young boy, 

but they were nowhere to be found. 

When her family came back, they noticed 

that Emily’s behavior had changed. 

She was nicer to people. One Sunday, they 

convinced her to go to church. She didn’t 

know anyone and wandered around until 

she saw a girl about her own age. Emily 

was nervous, because she had never made 

a friend before. 

She approached the girl and said, “Hey, 

my name is Emily. What is your name?” 

“Are you talking to me?” the girl asked. 

“Yes,” Emily said. 

“Oh, my name is Avery,” the girl said. 

“That is a beautiful name,” Emily said. 

They played board games, tag and puzzles 

all afternoon. When the day was over, 

Emily had found a best friend! 

The next year, one week before 

Christmas, Avery’s mom grew very ill. 

Avery was crying, and she said that her 

mom might die. Her family was too poor to 

afford a doctor to cure her mom’s disease. 

Emily couldn’t forget what her friend had 

said. It bothered her so much that she decided 

to break her piggy bank and get the 

money to pay for a doctor to cure Avery’s 

mom. Luckily, the doctor was able to cure the 

fever. Avery was so happy. She gave Emily 

a beautiful guitar to return her kindness. 


On Sunday, Emily went to church as usual. 

The priest told a legend of two brothers 

who often appear around Christmastime. 

They sounded exactly like the two boys 

Emily had met last year. When the story 

was over, Emily asked the priest if the boys 

in the story could be Christmas ghosts. 

“Yes, they could be,” the priest replied. 

“Why do you ask?” 

“I met two boys similar to the ones in 

your story,” Emily said. 

“Maybe they are,” the priest said. 

Emily wandered around the church. 

Something on a stained-glass window 

caught her attention. She saw the two boys 

that she had met in the forest last Christmas. 

They were smiling and waving at her. She 

blinked her eyes and looked closer. This 

time, she did not see them, only a picture of 

two young boys. But in her mind, she knew 

they were the spirit boys who had helped 

her to be a nicer, better person. 


Santa’s Daughter 

Reaches a Milestone 

by Madeline Heald 

Windermere Chase 

Carol sighed as she hauled a bucket of 

blue paint to the elves’ workshop. It wasn’t 

easy being Santa the 31st’s daughter. 

(Yes, there is more than one Santa. If there 

was only one, he would be hundreds of 

years old.) 

Why couldn’t she have a better job? She 

was responsible, smart, quick-witted and 

caring. Couldn’t she manage something like 

taking the reindeer and sleigh out for a practice 

run? But, alas, here she was being the 

bossy elves’ paint-fetching servant. How fun. 

As soon as she arrived, the elves said as 

one, “Santa wants to see you. Set down the 

paint and go now.” 

Carol set the paint down and trudged 

through the snow in her black boots, her red 

dress dragging along. She squealed as she 

slipped on the snow and slid down a slope, 

her brown braids whipping behind her. 

“Well,” she said aloud. “That’s certainly 

a way to get down here quickly.” 

She dusted off her dress and stepped inside 

the house. Immediately, Evelyn Claus, 

her mother, rushed over and made sure she 

was OK. Then she started talking. 

“Yourfathersaysyou’rereadybutIdon’tt 

hinkso.You’reonly12yearsofagesoyoung 

and ...“ 


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“Stop, Mother,” Carol said. “Talk slowly. 

What is it?” 

“Your father is going ... well, we want 

you to ...“ 

Her mother stopped and burst into tears. 

Carol figured she would have to ask her 

father what was going on if she wanted to 

know. So, she slid from her mother’s grasp 

and went to find her father. 

“It’s Christmas Eve, C, the night of ...” her 

father started to say. 

Carol could tell her father was at a loss 

for words, so she quickly helped him. 

“Amazingness?” she asked. 

“Yes,” her father said, beaming at her. 

“Now remember, don’t skip any houses 

and have fun!” 

Carol’s mother hugged her tightly and 

then burst into a lecture about safety and 

rules. 

“It’s going to be all right, Mother,” Carol 

said. “I can take care of myself.” 

The big surprise was that Carol was going 

to get to drop off all of the presents this year. 

The reindeer landed the sleigh on a 

roof, and Carol hopped out, holding three 

presents. She walked over to the chimney, 

took a deep breath, and jumped in. She 

slid down a few inches and then stopped. 

Carol was stuck. 

How can my father do this? she wondered. 

I should have been practicing back 

at home. 

Carol wormed her way down the chimney 

and set the presents by the tree. Then 

she went out the door and whistled for the 

reindeer to come and get her. The rest of 

the night went flawlessly, and Carol worked 

until morning. 

When she got back home, her mother 

rushed over and hugged her while her father 

asked, “How did it go, C?” 

“Amazing,” Carol replied. “Can I do it 

again next year?” 

Her father looked at her mother, who 

said, “I don’t see why not.” 

“I can’t wait!” Carol exclaimed. 


A Christmas Miracle 

by Gabriella Bull 

Carriage Point 

It was Christmas Eve night. No one was 

awake, except me, Gabby. I was going to 

the bathroom when I looked out the window. 

I saw a glistening light in the sky! 

Was it Santa and his reindeer? “Nah,” 

I whispered. I continued walking to the 

bathroom. 

When I came out, I heard a creeaakkk, 

and the front door opened. I quickly ran 

into a dark corner so no one could see me. 

Then, right before my eyes, I saw him 

— Santa gobbling up the milk and cookies 

I had left for him before I went to bed. 

He also put presents underneath the tree. 

Man, he’s fat, I thought. When he left about 

10 minutes later, I went back to my warm, 

cozy bed. 

In the morning, beautifully wrapped 

presents were under the tree, and my reindeer 

stocking was filled with candy canes. 

Then, my sister, Alex, and Mom came out 

of their bedrooms. 

“I saw Santa. I really did!” I said to my 

mom. 

“That’s a nice dream you had, sweetie,” 

Mom responded. 

“No. I really truly saw him. It wasn’t a 

dream,” I said. 

“Prove it,” Alex said. 

“I ... but, whatever,” I stammered. “Let’s 

just open presents.” 

I ended up getting a bunch of cool toys. 

But what I didn’t notice until we were done 

opening gifts, was our elf, Sparkie, holding 

a letter. It read: Dear Gabby, Even if your 

mom or sister Alex don’t believe you, I do. I 

saw you last night. Santa. P.S. Show this to 

your family to prove them wrong. 

So that’s what I did, and you should’ve 

seen Alex’s face. (Shh ... don’t tell her I said 

that.) 


The Winter Holiday 

by Bryce Ownby 

Oaks of Windermere 

John hated winter. It was always cold, 

and he couldn’t play outside. His brothers, 

Tim and Jensen, loved playing outside and 

had snowball fights every day, but John 

hated it. On the first day of winter break, 

all John did was wake up, eat, watch ESPN 

SportsCenter, and sleep. He did the same 

thing the entire first week of winter break. 

He had grown tired of watching golf highlights 

from Dubai and soccer Plays of the 

Day from a tournament in Sao Paulo. 

Then, on the first day of the second week 

of winter break, John got sick of moping 

around. He looked out the window and 

saw, as usual, Tim and Jensen playing 

outside. But he also saw that there was a 

12/31/16

moving truck in front of the deserted house 

down the street. John decided to investigate, 

so he put on his pants, jacket and 

boots, and went outside. After dodging his 

brothers’ snow grenades, he made a beeline 

toward the moving truck. When he got 

there, he saw a boy, who seemed to be 

about his age, sitting on the snowy lawn of 

the formerly empty house. 

All of a sudden, the boy jumped up and 

said, “Hi!” So John said hi back and asked 

the boy if he liked spaghetti. The boy replied, 

“Of course,” and they continued their 

conversation. Before John knew it, the sun 

had gone down. So John said, “Goodbye,” 

and promised to come back the next day. 

The boy told John that he thought that was 

a great idea, and that when John had 

shown up earlier that day, he had been sitting 

on the front lawn, lonely, and missing 

his friends back in Cleveland. 

“Wow!” exclaimed John. “Are you 

friends with Lebron James or Kevin Love?” 

The boy, whose named turned out to 

be Phillip, quickly replied, “No, but my 

dad took me to a game at the Quicken 

Loans Arena to watch the Cavaliers play 

the 76ers just before we moved to our new 

house.” 

At that moment, John realized that winter 

wasn’t so bad if you enjoy it with friends. 

The next morning, John went back to 

Phillip’s house, where they played tag until 

lunchtime, at which point John asked if 

Phillip and his family wanted to come over 

for Christmas Eve dinner that night. Phillip’s 

parents said, “Yes,” and they all went to 

John’s at 6:30 p.m. They enjoyed dinner, 

and while the parents shared stories of 

their fondest childhood Christmas memories, 

Phillip and John played Monopoly 

with Tim and Jensen until 9:15 p.m. They 

only stopped because Phillip’s parents were 

tired from five days of moving and unpacking. 

The evening ended with agreements 

from the children to finish their Monopoly 

duel the morning after Christmas. Later that 

week, Phillip’s parents invited John and his 

family to their housewarming party, where 

they joined in the family’s celebration of 

Kwanza. John, as well as everyone else 

there that night, knew this was the beginning 

of a lifelong friendship. 

Even after winter break ended, John 

and Phillip continued to play after school 

every day. Gone were the days of soggy 

Cheerios mixed with boring golf highlights 

from places where it was still warm in the 

middle of winter. Winter soon passed into 


spring, and the boys filled their days with 

basketball and puzzles. Even when the 

seasons circled back around, John never 

looked toward winter with the same dread 

as he had before. 


Eid for Everyone 

by Mohammed Muzakkir 

Emerald Woods Forest 

Will Eid, a Muslim holiday, be a happy 

celebration for all or a despair for some? 

Stargaze and his family visited the 

mosque the night before Eid. This was a 

usual practice in their community. The 

whole community was in a festive mood in 

celebration of Eid. Stargaze and his friends 

were playing beside the mosque, and he 

heard a little boy talking to his mom. 

“Can we buy some new clothes for Eid?” 

the little boy asked. 

“We can’t, because we don’t have any 

money,” the little boy’s mom said. 

Stargaze really wanted to help them and 

had a fabulous idea — to collect money for 

the poor. He went inside the mosque and 

made an announcement. 

“Who wants to have shiny cars for Eid?” 

he asked. “We are offering an excellent 

deal. A $5 car wash right here and right 

now while you all relish your night before 

Eid. Please raise your hand if you agree to 

this plan.” 

Everyone in the mosque raised their 

hands for the car wash, and the little boy’s 

mom thought that it was a great idea to 

earn money. 

“OK, then, we will begin the car wash in 

15 minutes sharp,” Stargaze said. 

He raced to his friends to make all of the 

arrangements. 

“Friends, I need your help with washing 

all the cars in this parking lot, and we 

have to be ready in 15 minutes,” he said. 

“Starlight, can you go to the nearby store 

to get supplies?” 

“I’m going right now,” Starlight said. 

“Sunny, you are responsible for collecting 

money,” Stargaze said. 

“Got it,” Sunny affirmed. 

“Great, we’ve got towels, car-washing 

liquid, window-washing liquid, car polish, 

and special cloth for window and tire 

cleaning,” Super said. 

“Looks like we are ready, friends,” 

Telescope added. 

Stargaze and his friends started car 

washing as planned. They were halfway 

done with the cars until ... 

“Stargaze, Princess Pixel heard about 

our plan, and she is on her way to ruin it,” 

Night warned. 

“Oh, no!” Bright exclaimed. 

Stargaze thought of a brilliant plan very, 

very quickly. 

“I think this should be easy,” he said hesitantly. 

“We are seven, so let’s divide and 

rule. Sunny, you continue to collect money 

and make sure you keep it safe. The boys 

will continue to wash the cars, and the girls 

will get ready to fight Princess Pixel.” 

“I can fight and defeat her,” Night 

claimed. 

“So can I,” Starlight said. 

“And I’ll continue to wash cars,” 

Telescope said. 

“Let’s do this!” Bright exclaimed. 

“Now,” Super said. 

Princess Pixel came flying in with her 

Dirt-Ray. The girls were ready to secure the 

cars from the dirt with their rackets. 

Every time Princess Pixel tried to mess up 

the cars, the girls would defend with their 

rackets and push the dirt back at the princess. 

The princess challenged Stargaze to 

fight, and he agreed. 

While Pixel and Stargaze were fighting 

continuously, the cars were already 

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sparkling clean. Stargaze skillfully distracted 

the princess from messing up the cars 

and courageously won the battle. 

“I’m going to be back soon,” Pixel said. 

Princess Pixel felt embarrassed and left. 

“Now let us celebrate Eid,” Stargaze 

said. 

Everyone had fun and collected money 

for the indigent family. The little boy 

and his family got new clothes for Eid. 

Stargaze’s friends and family learned that 

you should always believe in the spirit of 

Eid. 

“Happy Eid, everyone!” they shouted in 

unison. 

Moral: Work together to make others 

happy and believe in the spirit of goodness. 


Night of the Living Puppies 

by Eli Thoman 

Winter Garden 

“Oh, no. A robotic puppy! Fire your 

space lasers!” I yell to Bob. 

“Okie dokey, Timmy,” he responds. “I’ve 

got this!” 

“Fire in the hole,” Bob hollers. 

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Then Mom yells, “Get off your video 

games, you two. It’s Christmas Eve!” 

“It’s Christmas?” I ask, feeling dazed by 

the last hour spent staring at the screen. 

“No, it’s Christmas Eve,” Mom says. 

“Oh,” I reply. 

“Also, make your Christmas list,” Mom 

shouts from the bottom of the stairs. 

“After this level, please?” I plead, hoping 

to buy just a few more minutes of time. 

One level later: 

I get off the chair, get a piece of paper, 

and write my Christmas list. This is 

what I write from worst to best: iPad, Wii, 

Nintendo 3DS and Xbox. 

My mom reviews the list and replies, 

“You can’t have anything on this list! You 

don’t need any more technology in your 

life.” 

The next morning I wake up but don’t feel 

very excited, because I already know there 

won’t be any technology presents. Those 

are the only things that I could possibly 

want. Then I hear something. It’s a squeaking 

sound. It sounds just like the Night of 

the Living Puppies video game. What could 

be making that sound when we aren’t allowed 

on video games today? 

It’s my present! A real, live Bichon puppy! 

He runs up and licks my face. I laugh, 

pick him up and hug him. 

“I’ll name him Mogul,” I say. 

This is the best Christmas gift ever! I 

guess my mom knew what she was talking 

about when she said that there is more to 

life than technology. 

Bob, Mom and I rush outside to play in 

the soft, cold snow with Mogul. It is so much 

fun! We chuck huge snowballs at each other 

and laugh for an hour. We almost lose 

Mogul once since he’s the same color as 

the snow. After that, we go inside and eat 

mint chocolate-chip cookies. Mogul has a 

dog biscuit. I guess there is more to life than 

video games! 


The Snowflake 

by Grant Williams 

Stoneybrook West 

Once there was a boy named Max, who 

loved snowflakes. He loved to make snowballs 

and have snowball fights. He loved 

the taste of snowflakes on his tongue. Max 

had an entire collection of snowflakes. 

When he was little, he dreamed of having 

a world of snowflakes. 

One night, he saw a giant snowflake in 

a field. Max had to add it to his collection! 

He began to chase the snowflake. He ran 

after it in a forest for five hours. Then Max 

was hit by a snowstorm! 

The storm was really bad, and he 

couldn’t escape. Max got lost. When the 

snowstorm finally stopped, Max saw a tree 

that had a smiley face carved into it. Next 

to the tree was a chest. Max grabbed the 

chest and took it home with him. When he 

got home, he opened it. Inside was a huge 

snowflake. 

Later that day, he went to search for 

snowflakes online. He found a legend 

about a snowflake king and queen, who 

lived in an ancient forest deep in the 

woods. To find the forest, you had to find 

a tree that had a smiley face carved into it. 

Max was shocked! Was that the same tree 

he’d seen? How did he get the chest? 

Every day, Max searched and searched 

for the smiley face tree, but he never saw 

it again. 


My Favorite Parts of Christmas 

by Jack Slattery 

Lake Butler Sound 

The most wonderful time of the year is 

upon us! The Christmas season is the most 

holy and joyous time of year. Christians believe 

Dec. 25 is the day we celebrate the 

birth of our savior, Jesus Christ. Our families 

gather together to worship, eat and 

show how much we love and appreciate 

each other. Christmas carols, decorations 

and gifts make us feel happy and joyful. 

Christmas in our family is considered 

very special. My family travels to each 

other’s homes, but usually my family 

comes to my home in Windermere. My 

cousins from Seattle love to visit us in the 

warm weather to celebrate Christmas. 

This time of year is one of the only times 

we get to see each other, so Christmas 

has an important and special place in my 

heart for my two little cousins, Alison and 

Olivia. We love to play outside, bake 

cookies, go to special holiday events, 

and eat delicious food. My Uncle Paul 

loves the hot tub. 

Christmas is special because we have 

time off from school to spend special time 

with family and friends. It’s fun when we 

don’t have to worry about schoolwork or 

baseball, and we can really sit down and 

talk with each other. We like to play board 

and card games, especially Old Maid

and Scrabble. My family loves to go to 

Disney during the break to see the beautiful 

Christmas lights and decorations. When 

my grandma and grandpa come from 

New York, we sing Christmas carols and 

watch holiday movies. Our favorite movie 

is Elf. We also love to give each other gifts. 

I love to shop for my siblings and look for a 

gift they will really like. 

Christmas is also special, because we 

attend Christmas Eve Mass as a family. 

I play travel baseball along with my two 

brothers, so sometimes it’s hard to get to 

Mass. Christmas is a time where we all go 

and worship. We get dressed up and wear 

our Sunday best. I like this Mass, because 

we sing Christmas carols, and the church 

has pretty decorations. I also enjoy the live 

Nativity play the children of the church act 

in. I love to sit with my siblings and listen to 

the music. 

Christmas is truly my favorite season, 

and I look forward to the holiday every 

year! 


A Magical Christmas 

by Maiya Davis 

Ocoee 

Christmas Eve was beautiful. There were 

bright lights and snow falling everywhere. 

Everyone was happy. In one of the peaceful 

houses was a girl named Rebecca. She 

was very excited for Christmas. Rebecca 

wanted to stay up all night, but her mom 

told her to get some sleep. She went upstairs 

happy, because she knew tomorrow 

would be magical. 

Rebecca was about to go to bed when 

she saw a glowing light. 

“I wonder if it’s a crystal,” she said. 

She was so curious about it that she went 

outside. Then she noticed that the light got 

bigger and bigger. Soon, the magical light 

swept her away. She saw that it was a portal 

taking her away. 

When the glowing ride stopped, she saw 

the most beautiful lights and colors! It was 

a small village. She saw nice people. She 

walked around, enjoying the people smiling 

and saying hi to her. She was sure everyone 

would get presents. While she was walking, 

she accidentally bumped into someone. 

“Sorry,” Rebecca said. 

That’s when one villager pulled her arm 

and said, “Don’t talk to her. She’s very rude.” 

Rebecca said, “OK,” but she wanted to 

help the woman. She started talking to her 

about being nice. She wanted to help her 


make friends. Soon, villagers started talking 

to the woman. Everyone was happy 

that Rebecca had come. 

That’s when Rebecca saw the shining 

light that was her house. She knew that it 

was the magic portal! She said goodbye 

to the villagers, went to the portal, and 

was soon back home. She knew without a 

doubt that everyone was happy now. 

This shows that everyone should be nice. 

It’s always important to help others. 


Santa’s Claws 

by Story Korkis 

Wesmere 

You would think on Christmas break 

Hamm and Jamm, the mean twin teenagers 

— aka Double Trouble — would let up 

on classmate Sam. But, no. They buried 

Sam upside down in the snow and made 

fun of him. 

“Frosty, please don’t melt,” they shouted 

while laughing. 

Other kids had to laugh or get picked on 

themselves. 

This kind of activity had been going on 

for the past three years. Hamm and Jamm’s 

parents seemed to be gone a lot, and they 

lived in a small cabin not more than 50 

yards from Sam’s house. Luckily for everyone 

else, Hamm and Jamm had to stay inside 

lately because of the bitter cold. 

Hamm and Jamm were freezing when 

a knock came at their door. Again and 

again, there was another knock. A snarling 

wolf was trying to get in! They closed the 

door quickly, but the next thing they knew, 

the wolf got in through the back window 

and was staring them down with bloodthirsty 

eyes. 

They grabbed a broom and blanket, and 

threw the blanket on the canine while they 

pushed the wolf, who was trying to hold 

firm with razorlike claws, into the den and 

closed the door. 

After the panic stopped, they thought of 

a cruel idea, and they went to get Sam. 

“Sam! Sam! Santa came early, come 

see!” they said. 

Sam forgot his coat, he was so excited, 

and ran to their cabin. 

“Where?” Sam asked. 

“In that room,” the twins said, pointing 

toward a door. “He has a present for you. 

Go on in.” 

Loud growling could be heard from behind 

the door. The twins pushed Sam in 

and pulled the door closed. 

No sound. Still no sound. Had they killed 

Sam? 

In another few moments, Sam came out 

holding a tiny puppy in his arms. He had 

put the huge blanket around it. 

“Hi, little guy,” Sam said. “Santa left me 

this puppy. Thank you. I thought you both 

hated me.” 

Then he left with a smile and the 

dog. 

Where was the wolf? Gone. 

When Sam got home and fed the dog, 

a miracle happened. The dog barked three 

times and turned into an angel. 

“Sam, you are so kind and accepting of 

everyone. As a reward, I will give you any 

wish you want.” 

The angel also told him what had happened. 

Sam thought about Jamm and 

Hamm, and considered putting them in excruciating 

pain forever. 

However, he thought some more and 

said, “Jamm and Hamm don’t have a 

family to show them love. Please open 

their hearts and help them find kindness, 

too.” 

The sun came out that day, but no one 

cared about missing snow during the holidays, 

because it was warm. 

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Ho! Ho! Ho! 

by Hutton Milchin 

Windermere 

Christmas is an important holiday to my 

family. For us, the holiday season starts the 

day after Thanksgiving and goes until New 

Year’s Day. Christmas in our family centers 

around family, friends and religion. 

My favorite part of Christmas is spending 

time with family. During the Christmas 

break, we spend time doing fun family 

activities. My brother comes home from 

college, and we train for sports together. 

He takes me out to eat at our favorite restaurant. 

My grandmothers also come to 

visit. One comes from Vero Beach, and the 

other one comes from Richmond, Virginia. 

Sometimes my uncle comes, too, and he 

plays video games with me. Sometimes 

we take family trips at Christmastime. One 

year we went skiing in Colorado. Last year, 

we went to the Bahamas. Making memories 

with my family is my favorite part of 

Christmas. 

The second reason Christmas is important 

to me is because we get to spend time 


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with friends. Sometimes I can play with my 

friends all day, because there is no school, 

and our parents let us have sleepovers. We 

also have a tradition of making gingerbread 

houses with our family’s best friends. 

We end the holiday season with a big 

New Year’s Eve party with all our friends. 

The third and most important reason that 

Christmas is important to my family is religion. 

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus. 

Jesus is the Son of God and my savior. On 

Christmas Eve, my family goes to church to 

celebrate his birth. We light candles, sing 

Christmas songs, take Holy Communion and 

worship with other families. After all, Jesus is 

the reason for the season! 

Christmas is my favorite time of year. And 

while I love to get presents for Christmas, it 

means much more than that. I look forward 

to Christmas all year long. 


A Home for Frosty 

by Brandon Salcedo 


Once upon a time there was a little girl 

named Ginger. One day she went outside 

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in the snow, made a snowman and called 

it Frosty. A few days later, a magician 

walked past her house and left his hat on 

the snowman. 

The next day, Ginger went outside to see 

Frosty, but he was not there. She searched 

everywhere, but she could not find him. A 

few hours later, she went to look for Frosty 

again. She raced to her backyard and saw 

footprints leading to the shed. She slowly 

opened the old, creaky shed door and saw 

Frosty looking for a way out. The snowman 

turned around, jumped and ran into the 

house and upstairs to her room. 

He was running all around and started 

to melt. Ginger had to think fast so she 

brought supplies to keep her room very 

cold. She gathered snow from her backyard 

and found two old air conditioners in 

the garage. She also wanted to hide Frosty 

from her mom, because she knew her mom 

would get scared. It was hard hiding Frosty, 

because he always ran around the house! 

However, Mom did not notice him. She 

was too busy on Facebook, Snapchat and 

email. 

It was a few days before Christmas, and 

Ginger was excited. However, she was also 

nervous that her mother would discover her 

1805 Maguire Road, Suite 159, Windermere, FL 34786 

secret guest. She decided to move him to 

the attic, where he would be less obvious. 

Ginger began moving the air conditioners 

and snow up there. 

The next day, when she checked on 

Frosty, he was not there. She looked outside, 

in her room and underneath her bed. 

She looked everywhere! Then she heard a 

frightening scream and went downstairs. 

She saw Frosty in the pantry with her 

mom. 

“What is that thing?” her mom asked. 

“I can explain,” replied Ginger. 

She explained how she built Frosty, and 

he then came to life and ran into the house. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” asked her 

mother. 

“Because I knew you would get scared,” 

Ginger said. 

“You know we cannot keep him forever,” 

her mother said. 

“I know,” Ginger said sadly. 

“Get some sleep,” her mom said. “We’ll 

think of a solution in the morning.” 

It was Christmas Eve, and everyone was 

sleeping except for Ginger and Frosty. 

“I can’t keep you forever, Frosty,” Ginger 

said. 

“I know,” Frosty said. 

“You can talk!” exclaimed Ginger. 

“Yes, yes I can,” Frosty said. 

“But why didn’t you tell me,” Ginger 

asked. 

“Because I knew you’d get scared,” 

Frosty said. 

Suddenly, they heard a deep voice bellow, 

“Ho! Ho! Ho!” 

“It is Santa Claus!” they screamed 

excitedly. 

They both raced down the stairs, flung 

open the front door, and saw Santa Claus 

on the rooftop. 

“What are you two doing up?” Santa 

asked. 

“We’re sorry, Santa,” Ginger said timidly. 

“But we have a problem, and we’re 

trying to think of a solution. 

“What is the matter?” Santa asked. 

“Since spring is coming in a few months, 

I will not be able to stay here,” Frosty said 

sadly. “I have to find a way to a cold place 

before I melt.” 

“Well,” Santa said, “I happen to live in 

a very cold place, and I can take you with 

me tonight!” 

“That is wonderful news!” Frosty said 

joyfully. 

Ginger looked very sad, but she was 

also happy for Frosty. 

Off Frosty went to find new adventures 

and places to explore, and what better 

place to live than the North Pole? 


Christmas Joy 

by Madison Salgado 

Windermere Trails 

All the joys of the season. 

The sense of Christmas around the world. 

Happiness in all. 

Excitement for the holidays. 

The smell of pine needles. 

A star on top. 

Presents underneath. 

Hot cocoa burning my tongue. 

Marshmallows floating on top. 

Now calls my name. 

Rolling, building, sledding, tasting. 

The big guy who comes and wishes all 

good night. 

Out he goes. 

Lands with a thump. 

The joy of Christmas is around tonight. 


Christmas Forgotten 

by Aliza Britton 


It was a sad and gloomy time in New 

York City. There were no lights or decorations. 

The tree in Rockefeller Center 

was missing, and the stores were vacant. 

The ice skating rink was closed. 

And the people in the city were home, 

working. Even Santa’s elves could not fix 

the problem in the city. So, it was up to 

Santa to find four responsible helpers to 

get New York City looking and feeling 

like Christmas. 

A week later, in the North Pole, Santa 

had found four furry helpers. They were 

pups named Snowflake, Icicle, Ginger and 

Jingle. They loved Christmas. Snowflake 

had the idea of going to New York City 

and bringing a lot of presents to everyone. 

Jingle wanted to find and light the 

Christmas tree again. Ginger suggested reopening 

the ice skating rink. Icicle agreed 

to do all of those things. The pups wanted 

everyone to be happy, but they didn’t know 

how they would get there. 

“The sleigh!” Jingle said. 

They asked Mrs. Claus to give them a 

ride in the sleigh. 

“Yes, of course, since this is a very important 

trip,” she said. 

In the morning, Mrs. Claus started packing 

the bags and preparing the sleigh.

“I will get ready as fast as I can,” she 

said. 

The pups told her they would be waiting. 

They were wondering if they could really 

bring back Christmas to New York City. 

When they got to NYC, it looked like any 

ordinary city on any day. The pups looked 

at each other and knew it was going to 

be a big challenge to bring Christmas to 

the city. 

“OK, guys, let’s get started,” Icicle said. 

Snowflake had wrapped presents and 

was ready to start sneaking into houses to 

deliver them. Ginger went to the ice skating 

rink to find the Zamboni. She cleaned the 

ice. The ice was finally shiny, smooth and 

white. It was ready for skating. 

Jingle put up the colorful ornaments, 

beautiful stars, angels and lights on the 

tree. Jingle got scared because someone 

was watching her. Luckily, it was just Mrs. 

Claus. Icicle snuck into Carlos’ Bakery and 

baked delicious Christmas cookies for the 

whole city. After all of their work was done, 

New York City looked phenomenal. 

After a good night’s sleep, it was finally 

morning. The smell of freshly baked cookies 

was in the air. The pups could see 

through windows that kids and families 

were opening presents. Ice skaters were 

circling around the rink. The large tree at 

Rockefeller Center was shining brightly for 

all to see. The pups could hear laughing 

and cheering all over the city. 

“It sounds so nice,” Ginger said. 

“High-four!” Jingle said. “We did our 

job. We accomplished our Christmas mission 

in the city.” 

New York City celebrated Christmas, 

and there was a happily ever after. 


A Christmas Surprise 

by Jessica Bravo 

Gotha 

Christmas day is probably my favorite 

time of year. I get to see my family members 

and loved ones. Unfortunately, this won’t 

be one those years for me. My husband 

of six years was deployed to Afghanistan 

eight months ago, and this year, I was told 

that he won’t be back until Jan. 18, 2017, 

meaning he will miss Christmas and New 

Year’s. Sure, this is very depressing for me 

and his family, too, but as long as he is 

looked at as a hero in our kids’ eyes, I will 

pull through. 

We have twins who are already 6 years 

old, and they look up to their father, saying 


how much of a hero he is to them and how 

much they miss him. What breaks my heart 

is that they always ask me if he is making 

the country proud, and I always respond 

with, “Of course!” 

Today was Christmas Eve, and I went 

out with my kids, shopping for last-minute 

gifts for the family when they come over 

tomorrow for our annual Christmas party. 

I was looking through the aisles when my 

little girl, Emily, pulled my hand to get my 

attention. 

“What is it, Emily?” I asked. 

She responded by pointing one of her little 

fingers at a sign that said: Santa Claus. 

“Do you want to go and see Santa?” I 

asked her. 

She nodded her head while jumping up 

and down in excitement. 

“Do you wan to go, too, Katherine?” I 

asked her twin sister. 

She replied in the same manner as her 

sister. 

“OK then, let’s go!” I said as we walked 

over to where Santa was and stood in line. 

The line was short, and the kids got more 

excited as we inched closer. 

“Now, what do you little girls want for 

Christmas?” Santa asked them as soon as 

they sat on his lap. 

“Daddy!” they said at the same time. 

Hearing that broke my heart, and it 

seemed to do the same to the people 

around us. 

“I want Daddy to come home from war,” 

Emily said. 

“He has been gone for so long, and I 

want him to come back home. Can you 

make that happen?” Katherine asked with 

her hands neatly placed on her lap. 

“Oh, well, I will try my best, OK?” Santa 

said flustered. 

I looked around and saw everyone with 

a sad face plastered on and pitying the 

girls. Every time I hear them ask when their 

father is coming home or whenever I hear 

them say they want their father to come 

back, I just want to break down and cry, 

but I know I have to be strong for them. 

“OK, girls, help mommy with the gifts,” 

I told them. 

As soon as I walked into the house from 

shopping, something felt very off. Our alarm 

system didn’t go off, and I remembered that 

I had put it on before we left the house. I 

put down the gifts and told the girls to go 

to their room. I grabbed the closest thing to 


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me, which happened to be a vase. I slowly 

walked to my living room to see if there was 

someone in the house, and there was! 

I dropped the vase in my surprise and 

let it shatter to millions of pieces on the 

floor. What had made me stop dead in my 

tracks was the love of my life standing in 

front of me. This is now becoming the best 

Christmas of my life! 


Christmastime From 

a Dog’s Point of View 

by Parker Andreson 

Windermere 

Do you enjoy Christmas? I do, but no 

one thinks about how a dog feels on 

Christmas. 

I’m William, a golden retriever. My 

owners, Joseph and Susan, have two kids 

— Maria, who’s 7, and Isaiah, who’s 11 

months old. It’s Christmas Eve, and everyone 

is getting ready. Maria is in her room, 

and Susan is playing with Isaiah. Joseph 

is out shopping, so I’m laying down on my 

bed in the hallway. No one can wait for 

tomorrow. 

We can 

SPOT and treat ... 

They are now eating dinner, so I decide 

to eat my meal. It’s the usual, dog food 

with water in a separate bowl. Maria, 

Joseph and Susan are having mac and 

cheese with peppers on the side. Susan 

is feeding Isaiah his baby food, so I finish 

my meal and walk under his chair to wait 

for some food to drop. I get some, but only 

a little. 

It’s now 7:35 p.m., and we are watching 

TV. How the Grinch Stole Christmas is 

on. When I hit my paw against the door 

to go out, Susan gets up and opens the 

door. I bolt into the yard and start sniffing. 

Suddenly, I smell a squirrel. There it 

is, down the slight incline. I run after it, 

and it takes off for a tree. The squirrel 

just makes it up the tree before I grab for 

it. Darn! I’ll get it next time. You just wait 

squirrel. 

“Woof,” I bark. 

“Will! Will!” Susan called. 

I trot up to the house and go inside. 

Everyone has gone to bed. It’s 12:06 

a.m. I hear a thud, then a creak in the 

floorboards. I decide to investigate. There 

stands the man himself, Santa. 

“Hello there, Will,” he says. “I have 

some treats for you.” 

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Mmm hmm, I sure could use something 

to eat right now. Santa gives me three 

treats and pets me. I lay down. He takes 

out many gifts and puts them underneath 

the tree. I go back to my bed and fall 

asleep. 

I wake up and hear Isaiah crying. 

Suddenly, Maria comes running down 

the hall and into Joseph and Susan’s 

room. 

“Mommy, Daddy, wake up!” she says. 

Isaiah continues to cry. 

“Merry Christmas,” Joseph says. 

Susan picks up Isaiah and takes him 

into the family room. Maria, Joseph and 

I follow. 

Joseph pets me and says, “Merry 

Christmas, Will.” 

“Look at all these presents!” Maria said 

excitedly. “Can we open them? Please, 

please, please, please?” 

“Yes,” Susan says. 

Isaiah makes a weird noise, and Susan 

pats his back. I lay there while Maria tears 

into the first present. It’s what she wanted, 

a makeup kit. 

“Yes!” Maria shouts. 

Next, everyone starts opening presents 

until they are gone. While I lay there, I 

think about how I saw him, Santa Claus, 

and no one knows. It’s a weird feeling. 

Now you know how a dog feels on 

Christmas. If you have a pet, you should 

think about how it feels during the 

holidays. 


The Christmas Disaster 

by Derin Rohleder 


It was two weeks before Christmas, and 

my family was decorating our Christmas 

trees. We had both a big and a small tree. 

My brother and I always decorated the 

smaller one. We were all happy, and we 

watched a Christmas movie almost every 

night. On Dec. 24, my mom and I baked 

cookies for Santa. 

When I got to bed, I was so excited I 

couldn’t sleep. When I woke up, I rushed 

to the tree, and, oh no, there were no presents 

under it. We were devastated! 

The following day at school I was talking 

to my friend, Sean, and he told me 

that he didn’t get any presents either. No 

one did. It was a Christmas disaster. 

The next day, Sean and I walked 

around at recess, asking everyone if they 

got presents or not. 

“Sean, what do you think happened,” 

I asked. 

He told me that he thought Santa had 

turned evil. 

“We have to find a way to get to the 

North Pole,” he said. 

“My dad is going there on a business 

trip tomorrow,” I said. 

“Really?” Sean asked. 

The next day was Saturday. I called 

Sean on my phone and asked him where 

we should meet. He said in his backyard, 

so when it was 8 a.m., we could sneak into 

the car to get on the plane. When we arrived, 

we went to every single house, asking 

where we could find Santa. Everyone 

thought that we were crazy until we saw 

an old-looking house that Sean was too 

scared to go into, so I went in. 

The old man in the house told me that 

deep in the snowy mountains there was a 

cave, and in that cave was a scroll protected 

by a dragon. On that scroll was a 

map of how to get to Santa. So we traveled 

into the mountains until we saw the 

cave and went in. 

We were scared by the huge dragon 

guarding the scroll, and we thought we 

had no chance of getting past the dragon 

until we saw two swords on the wall. We 

fought the dragon. It was a hard battle, 

but we won! We looked at the scroll, and 

it said that Santa worked undercover at 

the same place my dad was having his 

meeting. 

It was risky, but we had to do it. When 

we got there, we immediately started looking 

for Santa. After what felt like years of 

searching, I saw a familiar man with a big 

white beard. It was Santa. We walked 

over to him and demanded an answer for 

why he didn’t deliver presents this year. 

He said that he was too lazy and that 

after delivering presents since the beginning 

of time, he needed a break. After a 

long talk, he finally agreed to deliver presents 

every year from then on. 


The Strong 

Squad Saves Christmas 

by Michael Wong 

Stoneybrook West 

Once upon a time, there was a group 

of teenagers called The Strong Squad 

who saved the North Pole from super villains. 

The members of The Strong Squad 

were Spencer, Layla and Devin. These 

teenagers each had special gifts given

to them by Jesus, because they were 

chosen to protect and preserve the holiday 

of Christmas. Spencer had superintelligence, 

Layla had super-strength, 

and Devin had super-speed. The super 

villains were Evil Santa and Evil Elf. Evil 

Santa kidnapped the real Santa every 

year to steal his powers, and Evil Elf hypnotized 

elves to control them. 

“Yay, it’s Dec. 23,” Devin said. “Only 

two more days until Christmas.” 

“Mom, Dad, where are our presents? I 

think I know who did this. I have to call 

Spencer and Layla.” 

“Spencer, Layla, Evil Santa and Evil Elf 

are striking again,” Devin said. “Time to 

squad up.” 

Everyone in the village was in chaos, 

because Christmas was ruined, but 

The Strong Squad would save the day. 

The teens met up at their headquarters 

so they could find Evil Santa and Evil 

Elf’s coordinates. To do this, they used 

Spencer’s high-tech computer. As soon as 

they found the coordinates, Devin supersped 

to their location to observe what 

they were doing. 

“Guys, they’re destroying all of the kids’ 

presents,” Devin said. “We have to attack 

now.” 

“We have to attack when they least expect 

it,” Layla said. 

“Guys, it’s Christmas Eve, and the kids 

are counting on us,” Spencer said. 

“Alright, let’s attack now!” Devin and 

Layla said together. 

Devin super-sped Spencer and Layla to 

the evil lair. 

“Well, well, well. What do we have 

here?” Evil Santa asked. 

“We came here to stop you,” Devin 

said. “Children are very upset with both 

of you.” 

“Then let’s settle this with a fight, and if 

we win, you let us destroy Christmas every 

year,” Evil Elf said. “If we lose, we’ll buy 

back all the Christmas gifts and be good 

citizens.” 

Evil Santa and Evil Elf started attacking 

with the increasing power of Evil Santa. 

He was stronger than ever. Before they 

could reach The Strong Squad, Devin 

ran around them, creating a tornado and 

which made them dizzy. When both of 

them fell down, Layla punched the ground, 

causing it to shake. Eventually, Evil Santa 

and Evil Elf were knocked out. 

Spencer used his power to steal handcuffs 

to turn them in to the police. In order 


for them not to use their powers, their cells 

had to be underground, covered in pure 

steel. 

Christmas was saved once and for all, but 

the only thing left was the presents. Devin 

took all of the presents from the lair and 

super-sped them back to all the families. 

“Hooray! Hooray! Christmas is saved!” 

the children chanted. 

Eventually, when Jesus found out about 

the Strong Squad’s good deeds, he 

thanked them. He also enhanced their 

powers. Devin had invisibility and superspeed, 

Layla had teleportation and superstrength, 

and Spencer could fly and had 

super-intelligence. 

The Strong Squad was known as the heroes 

of the North Pole, and they formed an 

alliance with Santa. Although Christmas 

was saved, there is a new, powerful threat 

coming. This means The Strong Squad will 

have to train even harder. Stay tuned for 

the sequel, coming next December. 


Christmas Magic 

by Emma Pohlhammer 

Roberts Landing 

“Kimi, come here quickly!” Mom said. 

“Yes, Mom, what is it?” I asked. 

“Look, the hail is damaging the town 

Christmas tree! I am so glad you came 

home early, because if you had stayed 

out any longer, you could have been ... 

gone,” Mom said. 

The next morning. 

“Look at what the storm did to the tree,” 

Mom said. 

"But Mom, look at the townspeople, I 

said. "Look at what they are doing." 

"Hmmm, all I can see is that all of 

the townspeople are still celebrating 

Christmas, even after the storm nearly destroyed 

the tree.” Mom said. 

OK. So now I will tell you how it all 

started. 

It started when we had a major hurricane, 

tornado, blizzard and earthquake 

all at once. When we thought it was over, 

we all came out of our houses. That was 

a mistake! We had a major aftershock 

as you can see. I am going to describe it 

whether you like it or not. 

The wind said, “Whoosh,” as it zipped 

across the sky. Hail the size of bowling 

balls with equally as strong force had taken 

on our strongest Christmas tree, the one 

in the town square. Sleet ruined the strong, 

healthy grass, and the blizzard covered 

the houses of the town of Berry. Worst of 

all, the berries had been destroyed, as if 

they were the main target. It was a total 

nightmare. Nobody in the town of Berry 

could get to sleep, but one person did. 

Her name was Kimi. 

That’s me! I got to sleep, because I have 

a mysterious mystical power. It lets me 

save the world, according to an old town 

legend. It says the person with the power 

will save us all and our most prized holiday, 

Christmas. I have that power, but all 

I’ve been doing with it is saving myself. But 

one afternoon during the storm, something 

happened. I had the courage to step outside 

and face the storm. 

“Ouch!” I said. “Aww man, battling 

hurts! I think I broke my arm! And I am at 

the end of the battle I have been fighting 

against the storm. I can’t give up now!” 

“Ha, ha!” the storm mocked me. 

“Hey, can you talk?” I asked. “Oh, I am 

so going to get you! You are so dead! All 

energy blast!” 

“Ahhhhh,” the storm said. 

Yeah, it really hurts, but I single-handedly 

saved Christmas. 

“Hey, look!” the people in town shouted. 

“That little girl saved us all. She’s a hero!” 

“Mom! Where are you, Mom?” I 

shouted. 

“I’m right here, honey,” she answered. 

“Oh, look at you. You’re all grown up.” 

“But, Mom. You should be sad. The 

Christmas tree is ruined.” 

“Honey, Christmas is not about the tree. 

It’s about people coming together and enjoying 

time with each other. It’s also about 

celebrating peace, joy and happiness. 

Now, let’s celebrate!” 

I am truly sorry for telling this story so 

short, but hey, let’s celebrate! I deserve it, 

I think. 

“Mom, I have a present for you,” I said. 

I hope you have an adventurous 

Christmas, and remember this: Have a 

merry Christmas. Your Christmas can be 

magical, too, if only you believe. And remember 

to keep the heart of Christmas in 

your heart. 

The staff of the Southwest Orlando Bulletin extends special 

thanks to everyone who participated in the 25th annual 

holiday short-story contest. 

Editor’s note: Entries may have been edited for grammar, 

punctuation, length and content. To honor as many holiday 

short stories as possible, School News does not appear 

in this issue. ª


ACROSS 

1. Minimal in magnitude 

6. Club alternative 

9. Angelina to Maddox 

13. Cattiness 

14. "___ the land of the 

free ..." 

15. Permissible 

16. 1/100 of a rial 

17. Oahu greeting gift 

18. Foolish 

19. *"Harry Potter and the 

____ Child" 

21. *UK's 2016 withdrawal 

vote 

23. Christian minister, abbr. 

24. Long, long time 

25. Scottish cap 

28. Sushi selection 

30. African tree 

35. Faubourg Saint-HonorÉ 

and Rivoli, e.g. 

37. Brown seaweed 

39. Latin American plain 

40. Sky bear 

41. Don't go out for dinner 

43. *This Barrymore got 

divorced in 2016 

44. New Zealander 

46. Ring-around-the-rosy 

flower 

47. Prima donna's numbers 

48. George Town state, 

Malaysia 

50. Mary's follower 

52. Born, in society pages 

53. Fix a horse 

55. *Ezekiel Elliott became 

one in 2016 

57. Popular flowering shrub 

60. *Cubs, e.g. 

63. *Ciara, on her special 

day 

64. Wade opponent 

66. Eagerness, pl. 

68. Comic book expression 

STATEPOINT YEAR IN REVIEW 

CROSSWORD PUZZLE 

(Answer Key on Page 44) 

for fear 

69. Soccer mom's ride 

70. Icy hut 

71. Enthusiasm 

72. Product of creativity 

73. Cut one's leg off, e.g. 

DOWN 

1. Aldous Huxley's drug of 

choice 

2. "The Iliad," e.g. 

3. Hokkaido language 

4. One Beatle 

5. Less verbose 

6. "The ____ and the Beautiful" 

7. *Harper ____, 1926-2016 

8. *A ____ Called Quest 

issued comeback album 

9. Seductive one 

10. Berry high in antioxidants 

11. Créme de menthe 

flavor 

12. Absorbed, as a loss 

15. Relating to spleen 

20. What some smells do 

to memories 

22. *Kardashian brother 

who became a dad 

24. In total 

25. *Election winner 

26. Sign of a saint, pl. 

27. Subatomic particle 

29. *Like 2016 

31. One of auto pioneers 

32. Sacha Cohen's middle 

name 

33. Anoint 

34. *"Major Tom" singer, 

1947-2016 

36. Mystery writer, ____ 

Paretsky 

38. Site of Leaning Tower 

42. Naiad or maenad 

45. English in Spain 

49. "Fancy that!" 

51. *Olympic host 

54. Caterpillar precursor 

56. Opposite end of alpha 

57. Seed coat 

58. *Mosquito-borne threat 

59. Yemeni port 

60. Rapper and actor, 50 

____ 

61. Rodeo Drive tree 

62. ____ gin 

63. Ciao in the U.S. 

65. Argo propeller 

67. Rolled grass


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n Wet ‘n Wild’s final days 

After providing a splashing good 

time to countless families for 39 

years, Wet ‘n Wild, located at 

6200 International Drive in Orlando, 

will permanently close Dec. 31. 

In a message to visitors, representatives 

of the amusement park said, 

“We are extremely appreciative to 

those that have contributed to our 

success over the past 39 years. It is 

fans like you that have made us so 

successful and a place that families 

will remember for years to come.” 

For more information, visit www. 

wetnwildorlando.com on the web. 

n OCSA supports holiday 

party for children with 

special needs 

Members of the Orange County 

Sportsmen’s Association’s board of 

directors presented a $2,500 check 

to Autistic/Handicapped Children 

of Central Florida Inc. to support its 

43rd annual Holiday Season Party 

for children with special needs. The 

two groups have partnered since the 

event’s inception and have brought 

thousands of smiles to special needs 

kids in Central Florida. 

STATEPOINT YEAR IN REVIEW CROSSWORD 

PUZZLE ANSWER KEY 

(Crossword on Page 42) 

NEWS & BUSINESS BRIEFS 

compiled by Lauren Salinero 

Representatives from the Orange County Sportsmen’s Association’s board of directors and 

Autistic/Handicapped Children of Central Florida, (front, l. to r.) Jennifer Martin, Mitzi 

Stevens, Deborah Garson, Brian Gibson, Debra Kral, Wendy Everett, Andrew 

Kral, Albert Gallof and Daniel Everett (back), gather for OCSA’s donation to the 43rd 

annual Holiday Season Party for children with special needs. 

The party began in the backyard 

of a former OCSA president, became 

a three-day event at OCSA, 

and now has moved to The Pines 

at Windermere to accommodate 

nearly 1,500 children each 

year from local schools and the surrounding 

areas. The long-standing 

tradition is one that the teachers 

and families of these special children 

look forward to each year. 

It is also an opportunity for volunteers 

to get engaged with the 

community. 

For more information, call 407- 

876-2010. 

n Ocoee lights its holiday tree 

The city of Ocoee held its fourth annual 

Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration 

at the city’s historic Withers-Maguire 

House and the Ocoee Lakeshore 

Center. Attendees enjoyed games; 

face painting; a fire pit with s’mores; 

train, pony and carriage rides; a silent 

wreath auction; live music, and more. 

Santa and Mrs. Claus also visited the 

Withers-Maguire House during the 

evening, and The Friends of Ocoee 

History Preservation gave tours of the 

historic house, regaling audiences with 

how holidays were celebrated during 

the turn of the century. All of the excitement 

centered around the lighting of a 

20-foot tall tree. 

For more information, visit www. 

ocoee.org on the web. 

n Annual Tales and Tails Gala 

is a success 

Earlier this fall, Canine Companions 

for Independence held its 20th charity 

gala, the Tales and Tails Gala, 

at Rosen Shingle Creek to raise 

money to help place assistance dogs, 

free of charge, for people with disabilities. 

The 2015 event raised more than 

$385,000. This year, with the theme 

of “A Star-Spangled Celebration — 

Every Day Is Independence Day,” the 

event drew a record-setting 735 attendees 

and surpassed its fundraising 

goal by 18 percent, with a total of 

$465,000. 

For more information, call 407- 

522-3300 or visit cci.org on the web. 

A record 735 guests attend Canine Companions for Independence’s Tales and Tails Gala.

BUSINESS BRIEFS 

West Orange Chamber of 

Commerce held a ribbon-cutting 

ceremony for Sage Dental. WOCC 

builds partnerships, strong businesses 

and commitment to the community 

by serving as the leading business 

advocate in Central Florida, facilitating 

opportunity to nearly 1,000 

member businesses. For more 


learn how to code, blog and maintain 

their own customized landing 

page as part of a new platform, 

vrtalentbook.com. The new website is 

scheduled to go live by the beginning 

of 2017 and will include the ability 

for talent agents to meet and book 

new talent through the site. For more 

information, call 407-420-7231 or 

visit www.accentsmodelandtalent.com 

on the web. 

produce to communities in need — 

was awarded a grant that will help 

its current goal of supporting additional 

neighborhoods in Central 

Florida. For more information, call 

407-355-7100 or visit Whole 

Foods Market Orlando at 

8003 Turkey Lake Road. 

The Tourist Development 

Committee unanimously approved 

$45 million from the Tourist 

Development Tax to be put toward 

the construction of Phase 2 

of the Dr. Phillips Center for 

the Performing Arts. The funds 

support Steinmetz Hall, a 1,700- 

seat acoustical theater, home to 

local resident companies Orlando 

Philharmonic Orchestra and the 

Orlando Ballet. The theater also 

hosts performances of other local 

arts groups and exceptional talent 

from around the world. For more information, 

visit drphillipscenter.org 

on the web. 

information, call 407-656-1304 or 

visit wochamber.com on the web. 

Accents Model and Talent 

Center, located at 2411 W. Sand 

Lake Road in Orlando, is partnering 

with Bee2Bee Network Inc. in 

an effort to introduce young talent 

entering the entertainment industry 

to complementary technologies 

that will give them a competitive 

advantage. The Beauty & Brains 

Campaign allows coed students to 

Whole Cities Foundation, a 

nonprofit foundation of Whole 

Foods Market, is partnering with 

more than 30 community-based organizations 

that are increasing access 

to fresh, healthy food in their 

neighborhoods through the new 

Community First Grant Program. 

Each organization will be awarded 

$5,000 to support existing 

projects that improve community 

health through broadening access 

to fresh food. This year, Orlando’s 

The Fresh Stop Bus — a re-purposed 

Lynx bus that delivers fresh 

Photo courtesy of WOCC 

West 

Orange 

Chamber of 

Commerce 

members 

celebrate the 

opening of Sage 

Dental. 

The First Academy will hold 

open houses Jan. 8 and Feb. 12 from 

2-4 p.m. The Christ-centered school 

accommodates students from birth 

through 12th grade. Its lower and 

middle schools have earned blue 

ribbon status, and it boasts a 100 

percent college acceptance rate. 

For more information, call 407-206- 

8602 or visit thefirstacademy.org on 

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n Charities/Fundraisers 

Through Dec. 31 — Pet Rescue Project 

Reed Nissan sponsors the third annual 

Reed Nissan Pet Rescue Project 90-Day 

Adopt-a-Thon through Dec. 31, with a 

special adoption program Dec. 13 at 

Reed Nissan Clermont, 16005 State 

Road 50, Clermont. During the event 

on Dec. 13, fees will be waived for animals 

adopted at the dealership or both 

Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando shelter 

locations. Last year’s project resulted in 

the adoption of more than 2,100 pets. 

Time: 3 p.m.-6 p.m. For more information, 

visit www.friendinreed.com on the 

web. 

Through Dec. 31 — Doggie 

Donation Drive 

Orlando Canine Country Club, 5027 

Patch Road, Orlando, hosts Canine 

Christ-Mutts Angels, a monthlong fundraiser 

for A Cause 4 Paws Rescue 

Inc. and A New Beginning Rescue Inc. 

Donations go toward providing adoptions, 

veterinary benefits, leashes, collars, 

beds, food, treats, blankets and towels. 

For more information, call 407-601-7971 

or email michaelocccc@gmail.com. 

Through Jan. 16 — Infant 

Prematurity Campaign 

Southwest Orlando resident and midwife 

Jennie Joseph, executive director 


COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD 

of Commonsense Childbirth Inc., urges 

people to support the annual Heads Up 

on Infant Prematurity campaign by knitting 

or crocheting hats for newborns 

or premature infants. The hats will be 

delivered to local neonatal intensive 

care units or hospital nurseries Jan. 

16, 2017. For more information, email 

perinataltaskforce@gmail.com or visit 

www.perinataltaskforce.com on the 

web. 

Jan. 22 — Brighton Beach Memoirs 

Play Reading 

Theatre South Playhouse presents 

an intimate stage reading of the hit 

Broadway play Brighton Beach Memoirs 

at the Rosen Event Theater, 11184 S. 

Apopka-Vineland Road, Orlando. Time: 

2-4 p.m. Cost: $10, with proceeds benefiting 

the research of Lou Gehrig’s disease, 

also called amyotrophic lateral 

sclerosis. ALS attacks motor neurons, 

cells that control the muscles. For more 

information, call 407-489-4458, email 

theatresouthorlando@gmail.com or visit 

brightonbeachfor-als.whindo.com on 

the web. 

compiled by Lisa Sagers 

n Children’s/Teen 

Programs 

Dec. 15, 17, 31 & Jan. 7 — Youth 

Auditions 

Theatre South Playhouse’s winter/spring 

season youth auditions take place Dec. 

15, Dec. 17, Dec. 31 and Jan. 7. Youth 

shows include Xanadu Jr.; I Wanna Star 

in Annie, Matilda and Newsies; The Lion 

King Jr.; and 13, the Musical. Shows 

rehearse Saturdays with some catch-up 

rehearsals Wednesdays and Thursdays. 

K through second-graders are encouraged 

to audition, but it is not mandatory. 

There are different shows for K through 

12th-graders. To reserve an audition 

spot, email theatresouthorlando@gmail. 

com. For more information, visit www. 

theatresouthorlando.com on the web. 

Dec. 19 — Cookie Decorating 

The Southwest Library at Dr. Phillips, 

7255 Della Drive, Orlando, hosts 

Cookie Decorating for ages 6-18. Time: 

10:30 a.m. For more information, call 

407-835-7323. 

Dec. 19, 22 & 29 — Coding With 

Ozobots 


7255 Della Drive, Orlando, hosts 

Coding with Ozobots for ages 6-12, 

which teaches the basics of coding 

and computer programming using a 

miniature Ozobot. No prior coding 

knowledge needed, and registration is 

required. Time: 4 p.m. For more information, 

call 407-835-7323. 

Dec. 21 — Winter Welcome Party 


7255 Della Drive, Orlando, hosts the 

free Winter Welcome Party, including 

stories, activities and crafts, for ages 

6-12. Time: 3 p.m. For more information, 

call 407-835-7323. 

Dec. 22 — Holiday DIY Crafts 

The Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant 

St., Winter Garden, hosts Holiday DIY 

Crafts for ages 6-18. Attendees create 

handmade decorations, ornaments or 

simple gifts. Time: 4:30 p.m. For more 

information, call 407-835-7323. 

Dec. 27 & 30 — Noon Year’s 

Celebrations 

The Winter Garden Library, 805 E. Plant 

St., Winter Garden, and Southwest Library 

at Dr. Phillips, 7255 Della Drive, Orlando, 


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host free Noon Year’s Celebrations for ages 3-12. Activities 

include making crafts, noise makers, yummy treats, New 

Year’s resolutions and a balloon drop finale. The Winter 

Garden Library event is Dec. 27 at 11 a.m., and the 

Southwest Library at Dr. Phillips event is Dec. 30 at 11:15 

a.m. For more information, call 407-835-7323. 

Jan. 21 — Youth Fitness Competition 

Winter Garden Athletic Club, 350 E. Crown Point 

Road, Suite 1070, Winter Garden, hosts Youth Fitness 

Warriors, a free, fun fitness competition and coed 

event. Physicals are not required, and free physicals 

are offered for preregistered youth participants. Time: 9 

a.m.-1 p.m. for elementary students, 1-2 p.m. for middle 

and high school students, and 2-3 p.m. for parents/ 

adults. For more information about free physicals, call 

Toni Muzzonigro, D.O., at 407-367-5676. For more 

information and to preregister for the event, visit www. 

youthfitnesswarriors.com on the web. 

n Holiday Happenings 

Through Dec. 18 — The Happy Elf Performances 

Orlando Repertory Theatre in Partnership with UCF, 

1001 E. Princeton St., Orlando, presents performances 

of Harry Connick Jr.’s The Happy Elf. Showtimes vary, 

and ticket prices start at $14. For more information, 

call 407-896-7365 or visit orlandorep.com on the web. 

Through Dec. 24 — Holiday Festivities 

Winter Garden offers a variety of holiday festivities, including 

the Merry Winter Garden Light Show on Dec. 16, 

Dec. 17 and Dec. 23 from 6-9 p.m.; Holiday Music by 

the Dickens Classic Carolers at the Plaza on Dec. 16 from 

7-9 p.m.; horse-drawn carriage rides through historic downtown, 

a Winter Garden Christmas Concert & Singalong 

at First Baptist Church from 4-5:30 p.m., a holiday golf 

cart parade at 6 p.m., and a holiday movie and golf cart 

drive-in at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 17; and holiday music by 

Paint It Black Quartet on Dec. 23 from 7-9 p.m. For more 

information, visit www.wintergarden-fl.com on the web. 

Through Dec. 30 — Every Christmas Story Ever 

Told (And Then Some!) Performances 

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF 

presents performances of Every Christmas Story Ever 

Told (And Then Some!) at the John and Rita Lowndes 

Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins St., Orlando. Time: 

Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and 

Sunday at 2 p.m. Cost: $25-$50. For more information, 

call 407-447-1700, ext. 1; or visit orlandoshakes.org 

on the web. 

Through Jan. 2 — Christmas At The Leu House 

Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando, hosts 

Christmas at the Leu House, during which the 11-room 

estate is decorated with holiday trimmings, Christmas 

trees and decorations. Time: 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Cost: 

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admission to the gardens.) For more 

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www.leugardens.org on the web. 

Through Jan. 7 — Light Up UCF 

CFE Arena hosts Light Up UCF, including 

ice skating, rides, a film festival, holiday 

market and an all-new light show. Time: 

Monday-Thursday from 5-10 p.m., Friday 

from 5 p.m.-midnight, Saturday from 

noon-midnight, and Sunday from noon- 

10 p.m. Hours may vary on holidays. 

Tickets for various activities are available 

at the CFE Arena box office and 

online. To become a vendor, visit www. 

ucfholidaymarket.com on the web. For 

more information, call 800-745-3000 

or visit www.lightupucf.com on the web. 

Dec. 17 — Holidaze Concert 

Orlando Repertory Theatre, 1001 E. 

Princeton St., Orlando, hosts Holidaze, 

a performance by the Central Florida 

Sounds of Freedom Band and Color 

Guard. The show features holiday music 

from Halloween to New Year’s Eve and a 

silent auction. Time: 7 p.m. Cost: $10; free 

for children 12-younger. For more information 

or to purchase tickets in advance, visit 

www.cfsof.com on the web. 

Dec. 17 — Habitat For The 

Holidays 

Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete 

Trail, Oakland, hosts Habitat for the 

Holidays with Alissa Himelfarb, education 

coordinator. Participants craft edible ornaments, 

garland and pinecone feeders for 

the preserve’s wildlife. Afterward, attendees 

take a hike to place their edible gifts 

on the trails. Preregistration is required. 

Time: 10 a.m. Cost: $5 for nonmembers, 

free for members. For more information, 

call 407-905-0054, email information@ 

oaklandnaturepreserve.org or visit 

oaklandnaturepreserve.org on the web. 

Dec. 17, 18, 22 & 23 — 

Breakfasts with Santa & Mrs. Claus 

T-Rex Cafe at Disney Springs, 1676 E. 

Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, hosts 

breakfasts with Santa and Mrs. Claus, 

including a buffet, photo opportunities 

and one-hour or early-bird shopping with 

a $10 retail discount on a $50 purchase. 

Reservations are required. Time: 8-10 a.m. 

For more information, call Brandi, 407-828- 

6375; email bwaterson@idry.com; or visit 

trexcafe.com on the web. 

Dec. 21 & 28 — Holiday Dances 

For Seniors 


The Belles and Beaus Dance Club sponsors 

a holiday dances for seniors at 

the Marks Street Recreation Complex, 

99 E. Marks St., Orlando. A holiday 

dance takes place Dec. 21, and a New 

Year’s dance is Dec. 28. Music is provided 

by Soft Touch, and singles and 

couples are welcome. Refreshments are 

available. Time: 7-9:30 p.m. Cost: $5 

per person. Men attending the dances 

for the first time are free. For more 

information, call 407-644-4200 or visit 

bellesandbeausdance.com on the web. 

Dec. 24 — Candlelight Christmas 

Eve Church Services 

The Sanctuary at St. Luke’s United 

Methodist Church, 4851 S. Apopka- 

Vineland Road, Orlando, holds candlelight 

Christmas Eve church services at the 

following times: Contemporary candlelight 

services at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., 

candlelight services with the sanctuary 

choir at 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., and a 

candlelight communion with the mixed 

ensemble at 11:15 p.m. Child care is 

available for the 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m 

services. At 4 p.m., all children and 

families are invited to participate in the 

special telling of the Christmas story at 

the annual Children’s Nativity Pageant. 

Children are asked to come dressed in 

costumes as shepherds, angels, Mary, 

Joseph, Wisemen or farm animals. For 

more information, call 407-876-4991 

or visit www.st.lukes.org/schedule on 

the web. 

Dec. 29 — Holiday Movie In The 

Park 

The Walt Disney Amphitheater at Lake 

Eola Park in Orlando hosts Holiday 

Movie in the Park, featuring A Christmas 

Story. Time: 7 p.m. Admission is free. 

n Miscellaneous 

Through Jan. 24 — Art Submission 

Deadline 

Women in the Arts Inc. and the Orange 

County Library System invite professional 

female artists to submit their 

work to be exhibited during Women’s 

History Month at the library. Finalists 

are chosen from submitted entries, and 

selected art is featured in the upcoming 

annual Celebrating the Genius of 

Women exhibition in March and April. 

Finalists are eligible for $1,500 in 

cash prizes and gallery representation 

at Baterbys Art Gallery for the top 

three winners. For more information, 

call 407-835-7481. Apply online at 

www.womeninthearts.org/art-competition. 

Dec. 17, 24 & 31 — Farmers 

Markets 

Winter Garden Farmers Market, voted 

No. 1 in America, takes place at 104 

S. Lakeview Ave., Winter Garden. The 

market is adding 50 new vendors, 

and there is a new parking garage 

next to the event. Time: Saturdays from 

9 a.m.-2 p.m. 

n Networking/Clubs 

Ongoing — Running Club for Women 

Moms Run This Town, a women’s running 

club with more than 10,000 members 

nationwide, invites local women to get 

together to run/walk/jog and socialize. 

All skill levels (from beginning walkers to 

experienced marathoners) are welcome, 

and an encouraging and informative 

online support community is provided. 

To join the Orlando chapter, visit www. 

facebook.com/groups/centralflorida.mrtt 

on the web. For more information, 

email mrttcentralfl@gmail.com or visit 

www.momsrunthistown.com/centralfl 

on the web. 

Ongoing — Members Needed 

The West Orange Women seeks women of 

all ages to join its social group where they 

“build friendships while helping others.” 

The 200-plus members enjoy more than 

25 fun activities. For more information, visit 

www.westorangewomen.com on the web. 

Jan. 5 — Retired Educators 

Meeting 

The Orange County Retired Educators 

Association meets at College Park United 

Methodist Church, 644 W. Princeton St., 

Orlando, for a program called Home & 

Personal Safety and Elder Law. Anyone 

who has worked in education is invited. 

Time: 10 a.m. For more information, call 

407-677-0446. 

Jan. 24 — Book Club Meeting 


7255 Della Drive, Orlando, hosts a 

free meeting of the Southwest Book 

Club. January’s reading selection is 

Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon. 

Time: 7 p.m. For more information, 

call 407-835-7323. 

n Support Groups 

Jan. 10 — Support Group Meeting 

For Caregivers 

The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource 

Center sponsors a free support group 

meeting for caregivers in the Suite 281 

Conference Room (next to the south 

elevators on the second floor) at Health 

Central Hospital, 10000 W. Colonial 

Drive, Ocoee. Time: second Tuesday of 

each month at 6 p.m. For more information, 

call 407-843-1910 or visit 

www.adrccares.org on the web. 

Jan. 16 — Stroke Support Group 

Meeting 

The Winter Park Civic Center, 1050 

W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park, hosts a 

free meeting of the BCenter’s Stroke 

Support & Social Group. A deli-style 

lunch is provided. Reservations via email 

are requested to valerie@bcenter.com. 

Time: third Monday of each month from 

12:30-2:30 p.m. For more information, 

call 888-942-9355. 

n Volunteer 

Opportunities 

Ongoing — Volunteers Needed 

The Mustard Seed of Central Florida, 

12 Mustard Seed Lane, Orlando, seeks 

volunteers who can help with donation 

sorting, mattress recycling, warehouse 

maintenance, administrative work, special 

events or general maintenance. For more 

information, call 407-875-2040, ext. 110; 

or email jessi@mustardseedfla.org. 

Ongoing — Volunteers Needed 

The Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman 

Program, which advocates for quality 

long-term care, seeks volunteers. 

Training is provided. For more information, 

call 888-831-0404 or visit 

ombudsman.myflorida.com on the web. 

Contributions to Community Bulletin Board are 

welcome. Please send information six weeks 

before the event to P.O. Box 851, Windermere, FL 

34786; or email Lisa@kearneypublishing.com. ª 

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• Waterfront Homesites 

7719 Minutemen Loop, Winter Garden, FL 34787 | 407-905-4651 

7518 Blue Quail Lane, Orlando, FL 32835 | 407-628-3602 

THE RESERVE AT PHILLIPS COVE 

• 2,681 - 4,121 Sq. Ft. 


• 2 - 3 Baths 

NOW SELLING! 




6975 Phillips Reserve Court, Orlando, FL 32819 | 407-439-0013 


• 2 - 3 Car Garages 


Your All-In-One Gynecology Team! 

1106 Estancia Woods Loop, Windermere, FL 34786 | 407-756-5025 

Offer void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. All information (including, but not limited to prices, availability, incentives, floorplans, site plans, features, standards and options, assessments and fees, planned amenities, programs, 

conceptual artists’ renderings and community development plans) is not guaranteed and remains subject to change or delay without notice. Maps and plans are not to scale and all dimensions are approximate. Please see a Taylor Morrison Sales 

Associate for details and visit www.taylormorrison.com for additional disclaimers. ©October 2016, Taylor Morrison of Florida, Inc. All rights reserved.

121516_SWB_DIGITAL EDITION

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