T he Holiday Edition
Holiday Sonnet How-To
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STOCKING STUFFERS
OIL
Change Your
ES REVER
Christmas Poem
in December
‘s
Get to know
THE STAFF
Getting to Know the ECHO Staff
Meet Elizabeth Evans
Elizabeth Evans brings the necessary amount of dark vibes to the Echo staff. She provides a new perspective from the traditionally optimistic personalities of the Echo staff. Elizabeth loves dogs with her entirely whole heart, even though she does not own any (but she would like to). She lives for theatre and it is her favorite thing. She does “lots and lots of shows”. She is an artist, and she really likes impressionism. Some of her favorite artists are Van Gogh, Degas, and Monet. f She passes her time singing, playing the violin, and practicing the piano. She enjoys painting and musicals. Vinyls are her thing. Elizabeth loves classical literature and her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice and her favorite movie is The Royal Tenenbaums, not only because it's a great movie, but because she says the directorial stylings of Wes anderson are positively “exquisite”. When she is not listening to showtunes, she is probably listening to David Bowie or Sylvia Plath reading her own poetry. She aspires to work on her own feminist fanzine and showcase her art and unique music taste. Elizabeth is a DB Dramahawk, member of the choir, and previously a part of the dobyns bennett orchestra. She spends most of her free time volunteering at LampLight Theatre or browsing the book selection at the Willow Tree coffeehouse.
A Christmas Trees Point of View
By: Maddie Allen
Evergreen; a plant that retains green leaves throughout the year. That was my plan. To be myself and live a long life until my colors started to slowly fade along with my consciousness, but it happened a lot sooner than expected. It was finally winter, my favorite time of the year. The crisp air, and the rain that greeted the cold just to invite the snowy coats that cautiously painted my branches. I was alone most days, all my relatives distant, on another hill. Usually around noon a few birds or maybe some deer stop by to greet me. But this day felt different. I was anxious, no one had greeted me yet and it was past noon, and it was still. I didn’t think much of if I’m honest, I was content with my surroundings and felt confident that i was in no danger. I was waiting for my friends when a noise interrupted my thoughts. I finally had some company! I looked around and between the surrounding trees for a familiar face, but instead my eyes met an unfamiliar shape. It was tall and seemed to be standing on its back legs. The figure had a coat just like me
but it wasn’t snow and it held an object in its hand that was long and rectangular shaped. The object had a handle on one end and some kind of zig-zag pattern on the edge of one of the longer sides. The figure got closer and I saw that it had a face, i’ve never seen anything like it in my whole entire life. I welcomed the figure, thinking i could make a new friend and maybe they would stick around. I held my branches out wide for a warm embrace. Instead the figure pulled out an object from its leg like some magic trick. It was a smaller rectangle that had an even smaller rectangle on the inside that flashed a bunch of different colors. It was magical, i had never seen anything like it. It pressed the small device a few times and then held it up to the side of its face. After what seemed to be a few seconds, it spoke. Its voice was orotund and hopeful. It started talking to the tiny box describing my height and volume. I didn’t think much of it, maybe the figure was just the observant type. After a few low hums the figure made the small rectangle disappear just as it had appeared. It circled me once more stopping at my back. Thats kind of an odd place to greet someone. In a matter of seconds I was face first in the snow and I blacked out. After what seemed like weeks of darkness I saw light. I looked around and I was no longer home. I was in an unfamiliar place. There were small lights on strands hanging upon foreign walls identical to the ones wrapped around my limbs. Where I once had legs, there was some sort of brace holding me up since I no longer could support myself. I was paralyzed. I was held captive in this place for a few weeks. My colors slowly faded along with consciousness.
The Santa Train: The 75th Annual Ride
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The History of the Beloved Saint Nikolaos of Myra
Jolly old St. Nicholas, Lean your ear this way. Don't you tell a single soul, What I'm going to say; Christmas Eve is coming soon, Now, you dear old man, whisper what you'll bring to me: Tell me if you can. St. Nicholas was born in AD 270. He was born in the country of Patara, which is now known to be located on the coast of Turkey. Nicholas' parents, eophanes and Nona, were noble and wealthy, and they used their money to help the less fortunate. ey had been childless their whole married life, but they had always wanted a conceive. Finally, Nicholas was born. eophanes and Nona dedicated Nicholas to God for him to be used greatly. Young Nicholas became orphaned when his parents passed. Unlike most orphans, Young Nicholas was left with a lot of money which he used throughout li to help others by giving it all away to the poor and orphaned. Young Nicholas his life went to live at a monastery with his uncle who was a Bishop, and was also named Nicholas. Because of the many miracles attributed to his interseccion, he was known as a wonderworker. Inspired by the hand of God, Nicholas was used to inexplicably manifest divine works by calling upon the Lord. As one of his earliest miracles, Nicholas happened by a woman with a withered hand, and by prayer and petition, her hand was marvelously made whole. He was noted to perform plenty more, such as coming to the aid of sailors and helping a poor family’s daughters to have enough gold for their dowries. One story tells of harsh famine, a malicious butcher, and the remains of three th children destined to be made into meat pies. e Saint had come to the
country to provide for the hungry, and soon saw through the greedy butcher's plans. By his prayers, Nicholas resurrected the three children and reunited them with their parents. Called by God, Nicholas decided not to move back to his homeland of Patara, but Ca wanted to go where no one knew him. Nicholas moved to the city of Myra in Lycia. ere, he lived like a poor person without a place to sleep. His only place of refuge was the church. At that time John, the Archbishop of Myra, died, and bishops gathered and prayed for God and not the people to decide who was to be the next Archbishop. So the bishops prayed and fasted. God opened His will to the oldest bishop. When the bishop was praying, the story says that an angel appeared to him and told him to go the door of the church and watch for the rst man to enter it. It is written that God said: “He is my chosen one. Accept him and make him archbishop: his name is Nicholas. e aged bishop who saw the vision went to the place shown to him in the vision and waited for the man. When it was time for the morning service, Saint Nicholas was the rst to come to the church, for he always woke up at midnight to pray and therefore came to the service before all the others. When the Old Bishop brought Nicholas before the other bishops and the people of Myra, they rejoiced in n Archbishop chosen by God himself. Nicholas, who never liked praise, having their new denied the post for a long time; but then yielded to the pleas of the council of bishops and all people, accepted the post of "Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra". Eventually, emperors began to persecute the Christian church. Emperors, Diocletian and Maximian, ordered that all citizens of the Roman Empire worship their idols. Nicholas refused and was thrown in prison and tortured. He stayed in prison for a long time, enduring hardships, famine, and thirst. When King Constantine the Great rose to power, he restored the Christian Churches. Saint Nicholas was able to set the captives free and return to his homeland again. e people hardly recognized him as he passed through the streets except for those who had been children before he ente entered prison, but they could never forget the face of the one who had shown them so much kindness.
A Perspective From the Stage The holidays as a Dobyns Bennett music student. The holidays are usually a very busy time for many of us, but the pressure is heightened if you're a musician. ‘Tis the season for one concert after the other and countless hours practicing, rehearsing, and performing. And while these few months can be frustratingly hectic, all the occupied time is delightfully rewarding. The DB Eastman Holiday concert is a collaborative effort from the three music ensembles at school; the choir, orchestra, and band. The annual event always includes fantastically performed selections of holiday favorites. In my three years of high school, I have been a member both the orchestra and the choir. And even though we live in rehearsal during the holidays, the performances are a lot of fun. But there is work that is put into these concerts that is extreme, as they meet and go beyond musical expectations of excellence. One of my most favorite holiday events is the orchestra’s small ensemble dessert concert. That one was always the most fun to be in, and also there’s cake (which is always nice). This week, aside from performing in two myself, I went to the DB A Cappella Christmas concert, which of course, exceeded my expectations.
Christmas Playlist to Get Jolly To
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Christmas Memes
ES REVER
Christmas Poem tis was the absolute worst christmas ever And don’t try to convince me that tis is the best time of the year Because, when you take a closer look, Some people only care about the presents. Even if S ome people actually care about spending time with family Shouting joy to the world is just words It’s not true that Christmas is always lled with love I’m sure you can agree that tis time of year It can be lonely S ometimes e holidays are the worst You’ll never hear me say is was the best Christmas ever. ( Now read from bottom to top )
The following are the instructions on how to change your oil, specifically, in the winter. First you are going to want to put a coat on, some gloves, a scarf, and maybe even a toboggan. Next you are going to prepare the vehicle before you change the oil. Park it on a level surface; engage parking brake (and put in neutral if you have a manual car) then turn the car off. If needed, raise the front of the vehicle by driving it onto a ramp or by jacking it up and supporting it with jack stands. This next step is the hardest…open your hood. Remove the oil dipstick (helps oil flow when draining oil before you change your oil.) Once vehicle is safely and securely supported, put on safety glasses (NEVER FORGET TO WEAR YOUR P.P.E.!!!). You are going to want to put a blanket or towel down under the car because the ground is most likely cold. Then crawl under the vehicle and locate the engine's oil pan. (See owner's manual for reference.) Locate oil drain plug, which is a long bolt head at bottom of pan. The drain plug allows the oil to drain out of the pan while you change your oil. (Note: Some vehicles have two drain plugs.) Position a container, such as an oil catch pan, under drain plug. Make sure the pan is large enough to hold the amount of oil expected to drain out of the engine. Loosen drain plug using box-end wrench or 6-pt. socket. Carefully remove plug by hand, making sure the pan is underneath the plug hole. Oil will flow rapidly like a waterfall from hole, but allow several minutes for all old oil to drain out. (Go inside and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while waiting). CAUTION: OIL MAY BE HOT! But let's be real, it’s probably not because it’s colder than a well diggers hind end outside.
Wipe the oil pan threads and oil drain plug with a rag and visually inspect the condition of the oil pan (you have to make sure you didn’t crack it from being dirt nasty low) and oil drain plug threads and gasket. Buy a replacement drain plug if you have any concerns about the condition of the plug. Replace the drain plug gasket if needed. Once the oil is finished draining, reinstall the oil drain plug and tighten with the correct box-end wrench or 6-pt. socket to the manufacturer-specified torque. (See owner’s manual.) Locate oil filter. Position oil catch pan under oil filter to catch any residual oil remaining inside filter. Loosen oil filter or oil filter cap with oil filter wrench, and allow oil to drain from oil filter. Remove oil filter. Check to make sure filter gasket has come off with the filter. If it's still clinging to the engine mounting plate, remove it and any remaining residue. Place a light coating of new oil you plan to use when you change your oil on the gasket of the new oil filter so it will install smoothly onto engine. (Note: Do not use grease!) By hand, install new oil filter onto engine by turning in a clockwise direction. (REMEMBER: LEFTY LOOSEY, RIGHTY TIGHTY) Once oil filter gasket first contacts mounting plate gasket surface, tighten filter according to directions for your application (usually found on the new oil filter or oil filter box), preferably by hand. Generally, this is three-quarters to one full turn after the filter gasket contacts the engine YOU ARE NOW READY TO CHANGE YOUR OIL!!!. Under the hood, remove the oil fill cap and pour in the correct viscosity and amount of motor oil with a funnel (or don’t use one if you have the correct skills of pouring it in without one). See vehicle's owner's manual for recommended grade, specification and amount. Once you change your oil, replace oil fill cap. Start engine and run at idle for minimum of 30 seconds. Carefully inspect under vehicle for oil leaks (especially by oil drain plug and oil filter). If leaks are visible, shut off engine immediately and repair leaks.Shut off engine and allow 30 seconds for oil to settle in the engine. Carefully inspect the area beneath the vehicle for oil leaks. Safely lower vehicle to level ground. Insert and remove oil dipstick to check for proper oil level, adding more oil if necessary. (See vehicle’s owner’s manual for oil capacity and recommended oil level on dipstick.) YOU HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CHANGED YOUR OIL!!!
Movies to Watch this Holiday Season A Holiday Engagement
This movie is only slightly more improbable than a lot of seasonal romantic comedies. The trope of bringing an imposter as your date to a family event is not really grounded in reality anyway. The two leads are cute and sad by turns, mostly at appropriate moments, and sing well together for one nice scene. Other supporting characters... well, they look their parts and speak their lines but don't expect to find gold in their emotional range. The script and performances didn't quite gel, leaving plenty of avenues for both comedy and heart under-utilized. Real dramatic situations were barely nodded at in passing while the most potentially humorous moments were signalled more by the characters' laughter than by any similar urge in the audience. If you combined 'The Family Stone' with 'My Best Friend's Wedding', and made a college film class movie, this is about what you'd get.
Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Who doesn’t love Jim Carey as the Grinch who stole Christmas. In the land of Whoville everyone loves Christmas and count down the whole year until that wonderful time. However just outside Whoville lives the Grinch, a green hairy twisted creature that hates, and always has hated, Christmas and was rejected by the Who's as a child. The plot is stretched out to the running time and could have easily been shorter and punchier, but at heart it is a good little moral that is good from Christmas time. However, aside from the look of the film, the main reason that the film works is Jim Carrey. Overall this film is a little too long and padded out, but while Carrey is onscreen it seems to go pretty fast due to his hyper acting and comedy antics. However, it's Christmas and it has a nice message while not totally giving in to syrupy sentiment and it's just perfect for kids and adults at Christmas time.
A Christmas Horror Story
I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised. If you like great casting and cinematography, than this is the film for you. This is a well made collection of stories which all interconnect and come together dramatically at the finale. William Shatner is a great boon and brings his character to life in a realistic and yet amusing way, with the dry humour we know and love. There's plenty of blood and gore for the die hard horror fans as well as an interesting collection of narratives, filled with humour and intrigue.
Dear Santa
Formulaic, cheesy, clichĂŠ'd and wonderful. Surprisingly well-casted with Amy Acker stealing your heart as the rich girl gone good. A nice turn by Haydn-Jones as the love interest. Gina Holden is excellent in the evil queen personage. Appreciative nods also must be given to Peter Creery in the role of matchmaker A sweet movie not to be taken seriously, and something you can watch with your child or your girlfriend.
Gremlins
Gremlins provides a fantastic comedy film from 1984. Basically, a guy called Billy Peltzer picks up a new pet called Gizmo and after breaking a few rules he shouldn't have, ends up spawning a bunch of ugly creatures called Gremlins who proceed to terrorize the town. The film is a success because it succeeds at producing both a comedy and a horror in one go which can't be easy. Most comedy horror films are a joke but Gremlins is both funny and scary. It's funny seeing the Gremlins cause mischief but it's also scary throughout. They're not exactly pretty creatures and are quite scary as well.
Disney's the santa clause
"The Santa Clause" isn't laugh out loud, roll on the floor comedy; it isn't old-fashioned "It's a Wonderful Life," romance. Nope. It's an original '90s style Christmas story that tugs at your heartstrings, and reminds you that we were all kids once. It reminds you of those days when you dreamt of Santa... when you stood in line waiting to sit on the jolly elf's lap... your knees shaking... as you tried to memorize what you were going to ask Santa. Anyone who isn't touched by this movie should look for the little boy or girl inside, and remember the Christmas Eves when you listened for the clatter of reindeer hooves on the roof. If you have no such memories, you may not understand this movie.
While You Were Sleeping
Lovely little film that has the lonely Sandra Bullock admiring high-class businessman Peter Gallagher from afar in her toll booth on the subway. Then one day he is attacked by a couple of muggers and Bullock saves his life by getting him to the hospital. Naturally Gallagher is in a comatose state after the attack. A true misunderstanding makes it appear that Bullock is Gallagher's fiance and typical confusion ensues. Now Gallagher's family all believe that Bullock really is his woman. Gallagher's brother (Bill Pullman) is suspicious though, but slowly starts to believe Bullock as well. He then starts to fall in love with her and vice versa. A great romantic comedy that is so pure and well-made that it is near impossible to say anything negative about it. It is not a perfect film, but it is a very likeable movie that delivers what it promises.