Making a list and checking it twice

    It?s that time of year when parents go from store to store in search of a gift to put a smile on their child?s face. One person in Washington has read dozens if not hundreds of Christmas lists over the past few weeks, and that person is Santa Claus. More so than anyone else, Santa is in touch with the desires of today?s youth owing to the long hours he puts in listening to their pleas.

    For 10 hours a week, jolly old Saint Nick fields questions about and takes gift requests in Santa?s House, located west of the library on Washington Street. Santa is there from 5-8 on Thursdays, 12-4 on Saturdays and 1-4 on Sundays. Dave Stoufer, one of Santa?s close friends, said that video games are a hot commodity on the Christmas lists of many children.

    ?This year, the kids are asking for Nintendo DS. That?s the big one,? said Stoufer. ?The Nintendo Wii is another big one. The kids are big on electronic stuff.?

    Video games aren?t the only piece of electronic ware kids are asking for. Portable music players and cellular phones also top the list of most requested toys.

    ?A lot of kids want the new iPod Touch, which is an awesome piece of machinery but it?s also expensive,? said Stoufer. ?A lot of elementary school kids want cell phones. I ask them, ?Who are you going to call?? And they say ?my friends.? It?s just because everybody else has one, and the TV makes it look attractive for them to have one.?

For the full article, see the Dec. 14 edition of the Washington Evening Journal.