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[Times art: Teresanne Cossetta]
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By Times X-Team
© St. Petersburg Times
published December 2, 2002
The Times X-Team knows how to get into the holiday spirit. With Hanukkah here and Christmas and Kwanzaa just around the corner, the team thought about what would make the holidays truly magical and bright. Here are X-Team wishes for the holidays.
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I wish that the Tampa Bay Lightning make it to the Stanley Cup finals. I wish that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers make it to the Super Bowl. I also wish that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays do much better in their next season than they did in the seasons before.
I wish all these things because the Tampa Bay area has not won any major sports championships. The Lightning and the Buccaneers are off to a good start in their seasons, so I think they have a chance to make it to a championship. The Devil Rays' season has not started yet, but, with their new manager, they might do much better. If any of our teams win a championship, I think it would make us even more proud to live in the Tampa Bay area.
-- Jacob Ludin, 11, is in fifth grade at Pinellas County Jewish Day School in Clearwater.
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What I want for Christmas . . . the question might be hard but the solution isn't! In merchandise at your local Target, you can find anything a girl could want. You could start off with a nice gift card. You might not be able to pick out something satisfactory, but I certainly can. If you do think you're able to take on the task of shopping for me (yeah right), read on. There is, of course, your basic selection of cute bags and hats. What would the average teen dream do without her Prada knock-off purse to shelter her ever-growing supply of makeup and her plastic visor to keep the unrelenting sun off her beautiful face? You can also find a large selection of money holding cards, for the occasion when all you find to donate to my Christmas cause is money. Then, last but certainly not least, you can find my favorite thing at Target is most famous for: candy!
-- Mackenzie Porter, 13, is in the eighth grade at St. Mary's Episcopal Day School in Tampa.
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My holiday wish focuses on children who have serious illnesses or special needs. These children and their families face major challenges every day. This issue is important to me because of my little cousin, Bobby, and my friends, P.J. and Sarah. I have seen how dedicated their families are to them, and how brave these young people can be. Children who have special needs or are inflicted with serious illnesses are truly heroes. They rarely complain, are always optimistic, are very appreciative, and they teach the rest of us what is truly important. My wish for the holidays is for these children and their families to enjoy this holiday season, and that their years ahead are filled with love, happiness and good health.
-- Theresa Linnert, 12, is in seventh grade at Westlake Christian School in Palm Harbor.
Just be happy
I wish that this year all kids have a wonderful holiday season. I hope each child is happy and gets to spend time with family and friends, and gets a special gift. The holidays are supposed to be happy times. I hope that's the way it is for everyone!
-- Dana Orlando, 12, is in sixth grade at Seven Springs Middle School in New Port Richey.
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I personally wish that . . . Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri return to the cast of Saturday Night Live; that the word "like" be deleted from everyone's vernacular; that sushi was free; and finally, that Heath Ledger was my next door neighbor.
On a more serious note, my holiday wish is that you all come to understand the spirit of the season. It's a miracle really. When else do you make it a point to look around at all you have and give thanks? So this holiday season, I encourage all of you to shake a hand, look that person square in the eye and tell them you're really glad they're here.
-- Kelly Bryce, 18, is in 12th grade at Palm Harbor University High.
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My holiday wish is for all of my family to come to my grandma's this winter. Almost every year there has been someone missing for one reason or another, and it would be great if everyone could make it. The holidays are my favorite time of the year, and with family, it's even better.
-- Jocelyn Howard, 11, is in sixth grade at Bay Point Middle School in St. Petersburg.
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I wish everybody could be where they call home for the holidays. I wish that I was done with my college applications. I wish that all of my friends and I already knew where we had been accepted, instead of waiting until April. I wish that all of us get into our first choice schools -- on full scholarships! I wish that Seinfeld and Dharma & Greg were not just reruns. I wish I wasn't late for AP English for once in my life.
-- Catherine McCarthy, 17, is in 12th grade at Seminole High.
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Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year because there is a joyous atmosphere. One of my biggest holiday wishes is for peace with Iraq. Also, for all racism in America and throughout the world to disappear. Those are my big holiday wishes. I also wouldn't mind a few new outfits, some CDs and some gift cards. This would be the best Christmas ever if I could get those gifts, especially the first two.
-- Amita B. Shah, 14, is in the 10th grade at St. Petersburg High School.
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Putting a tag on what should take priority in my life is something that I've had to deal with a lot. I haven't always placed what I know should be important in my life ahead like I want to. Family life is especially something that we all can probably use a hand in trying to make time for. This is why above all material or personal desires I only wish that I could make the time to cherish and appreciate what I already have. I want to spend time getting reacquainted with my loved ones. I know my wish may not be for a bike or for the latest B2K CD, but I feel that if my character just grew a little more or changed a little way for the good, that will be worth far more.
-- Kendra John, 15, is in the ninth grade at Boca Ciega High School in St. Petersburg.
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My holiday wish is that I get everything that I wished for!
-- Reva Luth-Powell, 13, is in the eighth grade at Bay Point Middle School in St. Petersburg.
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Jacky Johnson, 15, is in ninth grade at Seminole High School.
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Something that I wish for?
I cannot cite just one . . .
There is always "End all war and strife,
Been here since the world begun."
But on a more personal note
For this high school teen
Hmm, let's see, to begin . . .
How 'bout an endless shopping spree?
Or maybe a million-dollar check
A new car sounds quite nice
Just please don't fill my stocking
With cabbage, beans and rice!
Oh! Oh! Before I let you off
There is one more thing,
Making Friday part of the weekend
Seems to have a nice ring.
If you could fulfill this list
I would be filled with glee.
Any or all of the things on here
Would be enough for me!
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My wish for this holiday season is that people will be more understanding. Every single problem going on in the world could be solved if only people would take the time to listen and respect each other. Whenever people argue or disagree, the root is always caused by misunderstanding, or the fact that the people don't want to understand. Let people explain themselves to you before you pass judgment on them. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Chances are, you'll find out something you never knew about them, and they'll probably admire you more because you listened to them. So, this year, even though I'll still write out a list of things I want to see under my Christmas Tree, my greatest wish is for something to appear in people's hearts: understanding.
-- Jessica DaFonte, 14, is in ninth grade at Palm Harbor University High.
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I wish it would snow here in St. Petersburg. What a perfect Christmas gift to wake up to! Every year I hope for the same thing and not once have I started to feel like Linus in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. He waits and waits for the Great Pumpkin and he never comes. Well I know it will snow one day. From a frozen Lake Maggiore to a snowflakey beach, there will be signs of a white winter in this hot, humid state. Just you wait and see.
-- Lindsey Brooks, 13, is in eighth grade at Bay Point Middle School in St. Petersburg.
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These are my holiday wishes. I wish to play guitar like Jimi Hendrix and basketball like Michael Jordan. And if possible I wish to grow three inches and be able to slam-dunk a basketball. Finally, I would like a waterbed and more time to sleep in it. On a more serious note I wish for every one to have a friend. I wish that my family would stay close forever. I wish that the world would someday be so safe and enjoyable that you can leave the front door open at night and not have to worry. I wish that every one would be not only satisfied but happy with whom they are.
-- Nathaniel DiMura, 13, is in seventh grade at Seminole Middle School.
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As we come to the end of another wonderful year, it is time that our eighth-grade class must graduate. My school is a private school so it goes from kindergarten to eighth grade. This is my ninth year attending St. Paul's School and I do not want to leave! I have made so many great friends, and all of them are like my brothers and sisters. When you walk down the hall, people ask you how your mom is if she is sick. This shows how much they care for you.
My wish for the holidays is not just to remain friends, but to keep our friendships strong and everlasting. It is our friends who we turn to when we need help the most, and it is our friends who care when times get rough. I know that leaving my school will be hard, and I will always remember the wonderful times and great relationships with 42 of my closest friends.
-- Kwynn Kirkhuff, 14, is in eighth grade at St Paul's School in Clearwater.
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My wish is to just enjoy the holidays with the people that you love most. To cherish the time that you have, because you never know if that same person will depart from this world. The holidays are not just to receive presents, but are also a time to spend with close friends and family members and celebrate the birth of Jesus.
-- Kente Jamison, 14, is in eighth grade at Academy Prep in St. Petersburg.
Here's the rest of today's Xpress
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