Note: Mandy lives at the Bob and Judy Charles SmartHome in Boulder, and is using some of the technology in the SmartHome and in CORE/Labor Source classes to write articles for the Imagine! employee newsletter. Below is her latest contribution. The Magical Christmas Holiday
There was a big rocking chair. It was painted red and green and it was very comfortable. This man sat in it and then put on his red velvety outfit with white furry trim and a big black belt with a shiny buckle. He had four gold buttons going down the front of the red velvet jacket with white furry trim on the cuffs of his sleeves and on the bottom of his pant legs. He had big black shiny boots with a buckle. Every once in a while he would put extra polish on his boots. The polish made them bright and beautiful. His nose was as red as a cherry. He had a long white beard and a red stocking hat with furry white trim. He had a white tassel on the top of his hat. He had a black sack over his shoulder with lots of toys in it for all the good girls and boys. His stomach jiggled and shook as he walked.
There was a little girl walking by. She looked very excited for Christmas day. The little girl walked up with a big smile on her face and said "Hi." Santa patted his knee and asked the little girl to come and sit with him. The girl said, "Sure, I would love to." Santa read "The Night Before Christmas." Then Santa started talking to the little girl about what she wanted for Christmas. The little girl said, "I don't care." Right before the little girl left, Santa asked the little girl if she was interested in helping him put up the Christmas tree. The little girl’s eyes lit up with happiness. The little girl said "I would be delighted to." Santa and the little girl started to put up the tree together.
They put all kind of neat ornaments, garlands, lights, and something that can make the Christmas lights on the Christmas tree blink to the rhythm of the Christmas music that was playing. The girl’s mom had handmade a Christmas carpet to put under the Christmas tree. The carpet had a whole bunch of different Christmas scenes on it. The mom gave the carpet to the little girl and the little girl carried the carpet over to where Santa was sitting. Santa and the little girl helped each other put the carpet under the Christmas tree.
They had one last step they needed to do to help the Christmas tree look complete. They finished by putting the Candy-Canes on the Christmas tree. They were very happy with way it all turned out. They put lots of work into it and made it really nice. The Christmas tree lit up the whole town. The lights were bright as the people walked up and down the street. The children were waiting for Santa to greet them. The little girl had her picture taken with Santa. Then she said, to Santa, "I need to say goodbye." Santa said, "Wait, I have a copy of the book I was reading you, The Night Before Christmas." The little girl said, “Oh thank you" and handed Santa her own Christmas list. She wanted a toy computer and games.
Santa started to practice and prepare for his one special night. He is a star. He only comes once a year. The little ones can see him from afar. He can see up close. Where, nobody knows. He comes around when everyone is asleep and doesn't peep. He brings lots of toys to all the good girls and boys. He drives a car made of candy.
Artist/consumers in Imagine!'s CORE/Labor Source art classes, including SmartHome resident Lana, have completed another project that provided a great community connection. Whole Foods Market, located at 2905 Pearl Street in Boulder, will be displaying tree ornaments created by the artist/consumers. “It was a beautiful simple project that consisted of clear glass ornaments that the students cut up small pieces of tissue paper and glued on with watered down Elmer’s glue,” said Alethea Chorey, Art Instructor for the class. The end result is an ornament that looks like stained glass. 
