Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Santa ready for annual trip

With Christmas less than a week away, Santa and his elves are working hard preparing for their global trip.

Locally, police and emergency personnel have again offered their services to help St. Nick get through Prescott and Nevada County safely and quickly.

Sam Reeder, Prescott Police Chief, said his officers would escort Santa and the reindeer through town, making sure they can find the houses where all the good boys and girls live.

"Santa's got a lot of work to do," Reeder said, "and we're going to make sure he has no trouble getting it done in Prescott."

Nevada County Sheriff Steve Otwell said he and his deputies would be patrolling the county around midnight Christmas Eve, making sure the jolly old elf has safe passage through the county.

Otwell and his deputies will also help Santa find those hard-to-reach places in the county to make sure the children have a merry Christmas.

Otwell echoed Reeder's statement, saying, "Old Santa's got nothing to worry about in the county, cause we're going to be there watching out for him and his reindeer."

St. Nick has no plans to abandon his annual world tour, even with the fighting in Afghanistan. To avoid problems in the region, Santa has equipped his sled with stealth technology so it can't be seen.

Actually, Santa invented stealth technology, this year, though, he updated it by adding an invisibility factor to the sleigh and reindeer so they can't be seen with the naked eye or by radar.

Father Christmas, as Santa is also known, took a few minutes from his busy schedule of making toys, and checking his list twice to talk with us at the Nevada County Picayune.

"After all the ice and problems you had with it last year," Santa said, "I've decided to be extra nice to the children this year. And they've been so good.

"I remember how it was the year Rudolph and his red nose took his place at the head of the sleigh," Santa continued. "The weather was so bad I thought we'd have to cancel Christmas."

This, as we all know, didn't happen, and Rudolph's legend lives on in the hearts of children of all ages.

"I think the children will be especially pleased with their gifts," Santa said.

"But I have a special message for everyone as well. I heard about what happened on Sept. 11 in New York City and Washington, D.C. It saddened me greatly. However, the way the people of America pulled together renewed my spirits.

"Since the pilgrims first landed on America's shores, the United States has been one of my favorite places in the world. The people here refused to be dominated by oppression or fear, and will sacrifice themselves to keep others from being so dominated as well.

"Because of this, I am dedicating this Christmas, and this is something I've never done, to America and Americans, no matter where they are.

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good life."