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Mystery couple pay off dozens of toy laybys ahead of Christmas

<p>An anonymous couple has paid off the layby gifts for almost 100 Melbourne families at Toyworld Pakenham. </p> <p>The mystery secret Santa put the plan into motion almost six months ago, chipping away at layby balances for families at the toy store. </p> <p>The kind act was revealed on Wednesday, with tearful customers thanking the family. </p> <p>“My children are actually going to have a great Christmas, thank you to all these people,” customer and mum-of-two Melissa Roberson told <em>7NEWS </em>through tears.</p> <p>“It’s going to help us significantly.”</p> <p>Toyworld employee Sandra Evans said: “I don’t know much about the family, all I know is that it’s a husband and wife and they’ve got four young children." </p> <p>“It’s been going for a while, so to hide that from everybody that comes in asking ‘can I put this on layby’, thinking 'you’re going to get this paid off soon’.”</p> <p>The couple were not the only ones who are trying to spread some Christmas cheer, last week a mystery Good Samaritan performed a similar act at Toyworld in Helensvale on the Gold Coast. </p> <p>Customer and mum Brooklyn Manu received a call saying a generous gentleman had walked in the store and told the manager he would pay off every layby item in the store - including the  presents she was paying off for her children. </p> <p>“We were very teary-eyed, all of us were,” Toyworld manager Aleka Riggs said.</p> <p>“It’s a feel-good thing you don’t see a lot, it’s beyond kindness — really amazing someone would do that.”</p> <p>All those families have now saved thousands of dollars, and Riggs said: “Just thank you again, I can only imagine there are a lot of families that might be struggling to pay those laybys off."</p> <p><em>Image: 7NEWS</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Sexy Santas" cause outrage at Seven staff meeting

<p>Channel 7 has come under fire after footage of a routine staff meeting featured scantily clad dancers dressed as Santa. </p> <p>The meeting of Seven Network parent company Seven West Media in Perth was held on Friday to introduce a series of new hires and appointments, while deputy news director Ray Kuka also discussed upcoming programming for the rest of the year. </p> <p>As part of the announcement, Kuka spoke of Perth’s annual Christmas Pageant on December 7th, when Mariah Carey’s <em>All I Want for Christmas</em> started playing and a group of female dancers wearing Santa hats and short red dresses appeared and started dancing. </p> <p>Female staff who watched on were said to have been "dumbstruck and horrified" by the bizarre scene, with <em><a href="https://www.afr.com/rear-window/stokes-woke-regime-comes-with-sexy-surprise-20240825-p5k54h" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Australian Financial Review</a></em> claiming many likened the dancers to "sl*tty elves". </p> <p>A photo of the event was shared online and drew heavy criticism, as one worker shared that the performance prompted a mass walk out of outraged staffers. </p> <p>“OMG – if they thought that was even slightly appropriate given everything we’ve found out about them, the cultural makeup of that organisation is badly broken,” one person wrote online. </p> <p>“That will help fix the culture issues which have been uncovered.”</p> <p>A spokesman for Seven West Media defended the dancers, explaining that they were part of the Christmas Pageant, which is a “Perth institution”.</p> <p>The footage of the meeting comes as Seven faces a series of internal challenges as they fight allegations of being a "toxic" workplace. </p> <p>Ryan Stokes, the managing director of Seven Group Holdings Ltd, recently called inappropriate behaviour in media an "industry-wide problem".</p> <p>Stokes said it was "disappointing that there is a perception [that] inappropriate behaviour" was tolerated at Seven because "we don't tolerate any inappropriate behaviour".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven West Media</em></p>

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Santas needed! Surprising Christmas shortage spells job openings for Aussie grandads

<p>A nationwide Santa shortage has many shopping centres hoping for a Christmas miracle, before festive families line up in droves for a snap with Father Christmas. </p> <p>According to talent agency <a href="https://scenetobelieve.com.au/santa-jobs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scene to Believe</a>, who are responsible for hiring Santas in over 180 around Australia, there are not have enough applicants for Santa roles this December. </p> <p>The agency's head Christmas recruiter, Viviana Diaz, told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/careers/santa-jobs-go-unfilled-despite-fall-in-aussie-job-ads/news-story/de7f3c5b6d95c6f78f9718d1bb60a099" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> that the seasonal shortfall was nationwide, but the situation was more pronounced in Sydney.</p> <p>The company said issue has been growing over the last three years, with the problem believed to have stemmed from the Covid pandemic. </p> <p>Ms Diaz said that contrary to popular belief, Santas can come in all shapes, sizes and ages, and that women are also eligible to apply. </p> <p>“Sometimes they think they have to look like Santa,” Ms Diaz said.</p> <p>“But we provide a full Santa suit and they don’t have to have a real beard.”</p> <p>Previous experience is also not required, as Scene to Believe runs a dedicated Santa School where new incoming Santas can learn tips from experienced Santas.</p> <p>The company states that Santas “need to be jolly, have a great HOHOHO and enjoy working with children”, while a genuine love of the festive season, patience and compassion, and good communication skills.</p> <p> A current Working with Children Check and Police Check, or willingness to get these, are also important.</p> <p>Ms Diaz added, “Being a shopping centre Santa is a perfect job for Aussies looking to help their hip pocket come Christmas time, with flexible working arrangements and casual rates.”</p> <p>Experienced Santa Tony Hooper said it’s “perfect for older Australians wanting to dip their toe back into the workforce”. </p> <p>“Being a Santa is by far the best work I’ve ever done. It’s flexible, I work when I want and I spend my days talking to young families and getting in the festive spirit.”</p> <p>“It’s also a great way to earn extra cash right before Christmas, which is when I need it most. And the best part is, I can still receive my pension!” </p> <p>Ms Diaz said failing to fill its Santa positions was not an option, and they would do everything in their power to have a flock of Santas ready to spread Christmas cheer on December 1st.</p> <p>“We have to find a lot of people because Santa has to be there. We will perform a Christmas miracle!”</p> <div> </div> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Aussie mum claims she was body shamed by Santa's helper

<p>An Aussie mum has been left feeling humiliated and defeated after she took her daughter for their annual family photo with Santa. </p> <p>Mini Westwood was excited to take her seven-year-old daughter April to have a photo with Santa in their local shopping centre. </p> <p>April helped pick out her mother's outfit for the occasion, choosing jeans and a cropped T-shirt.</p> <p>The mother-daughter duo were excited as they lined up for their photo opportunity, but things took a turn when they sat down. </p> <p>"I was sitting as I am now and the photographer turned around and says quite loudly, 'Mum suck your gut in', and just motioned for me to suck my gut in," Mini told <em>A Current Affair</em>.</p> <p>"Santa looked at me and kind of looked back at the photographer and shook his head like, you shouldn't say that to someone, especially while their child is here," April said.</p> <p>Mini said she was shocked and froze at the suggestion, as she held it together until she got home and collapsed in tears.</p> <p>She said her daughter asked multiple times what the photographer meant when she told her to "suck it in".</p> <p>"She googled it on her iPad and she said to me, 'Mum, suck it in means that you're fat', and I was like, no, 'suck it in' is someone saying that to you who's not happy with themselves and they'll pick on you for it," Mini said.</p> <p>Mini has been drastically effected by the comments, due to her difficult history with mental health issues and anorexia. </p> <p>Mini reached out to the company to complain about the insensitive staffer, who immediately apologised and offered free Santa photos for her next year. </p> <p>The young mum said she won't let it ruin Christmas with her daughter, but had some advice for the photographer.</p> <p>"Don't do it again. Do not make anybody feel the way you made me feel," Mini said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Body

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Woolies Christmas surprise where Santa comes to YOU

<p>Woolies is promising a cheerful fix for those Aussie families who are struggling to lock in a time for Santa photos.</p> <p>From Monday December 5, shoppers will have the opportunity to book Santa for an at-home Christmas shoot via the Woolworths Metro60 service and promo code SANTA.</p> <p>Once the booking is confirmed, a photographer and Santa will arrive at the home within 60 minutes.</p> <p>Customers will be able to create their own festive scenes and include anybody they like in the shoot including the family pet.</p> <p>The service is only available from select stores across Sydney and Melbourne and will run from Monday December 5 until December 9.</p> <p>David Berger, Co-founder at Metro60, said the promotion was a fun way to “capture special memories for families”.</p> <p>“This year, Metro60 will be not only the most convenient way to get your groceries delivered in under 60 minutes, but the easiest and most magical way to surprise your family, kids, or pets with an early visit from Santa,” he said.</p> <p>“We’re always looking to provide more value to customers, especially during another challenging year.</p> <p>Offering customers a visit from Santa for family photos will do what our grocery service does: give time-poor customers some valuable time back so they can spend it doing the things they love.”</p> <p>Shoppers using the Metro60 app could also be in with a chance to win $100,000.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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New footage of Rust shooting released

<p dir="ltr">Police have released new bodycam footage of Alec Baldwin's questioning on the Rust set after the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.</p> <p dir="ltr">Halyna was killed, and director Joel Souza injured, when the gun went off during rehearsals for the upcoming film <em>Rust</em> on a ranch outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police asked Baldwin whether someone had any ill intention to swap out the "flash rounds" with live ones to which he said he didn’t believe so.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new video shows Baldwin asking officers to help him identify the object being removed from Souza’s shoulder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The thing that… is going to answer all of your questions is: what's in Joel's shoulder. Is it a rock or is it a bullet?" Baldwin asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Officers said they could show him an image of what was removed from Souza’s shoulder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"That's a bullet," Baldwin replied.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If that's a bullet that was pulled out his shoulder, then someone loaded a live round into the gun I was holding."</p> <p dir="ltr">Baldwin, who is also a producer on the film, has repeatedly denied responsibility for Halyna’s death, insisting that no live rounds should have been on set.</p> <p dir="ltr">In other videos, police and medics were seen racing to the scene, and bodycam footage shows first responders battling to save Halyna.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another video shows Baldwin dressed as a cowboy and practising with what appears to be the gun that killed the cinematographer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the investigation into the shooting "remains open and ongoing".</p> <p dir="ltr">There are currently several lawsuits filed against Baldwin following Halyna’s death, including one from her husband Matthew.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the footage <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-61226637" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Santa Fe Police</em></p>

Legal

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"Brilliant gesture": Secret Santa pays off local toy store lay-bys

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A kind gesture has eased the financial burden of Christmas for shoppers at a Townsville toy shop, in north-eastern Queensland, after a generous stranger paid their lay-by balances.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Natasha Vidler said she was “in disbelief and shock” when she was told over the phone that $170 had been paid off her toy bill at Townsville Toyworld.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I rang my husband and I was pretty much in tears, tears of happiness,” Ms Vidler </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-15/anonymous-secret-santa-pays-toy-store-layby-townsville/100698928" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re forever grateful. This time of year is a bit of a struggle for everybody, not only financially but mentally, emotionally.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the toy store wouldn’t say what the gifts totalled, Ms Vidler said she was one of 20 customers who benefitted from the unknown woman’s kindness.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The mother-of-two has spent the last two weeks in hospital, and said the contribution would make this year’s Christmas that much more special for her family.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Now the kids are going to have an extra-special Christmas thanks to some total lovely stranger,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another recipient, Mark Jones, had been paying off presents for his children and granddaughter and said he was “blown away” by the gesture.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I thought it was an absolutely brilliant gesture,” Mr Jones said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Townsville truck driver said he was being evicted from his rental crisis amid the city’s housing crisis, so every extra dollar made a difference.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s been a bit of a tough year, not just for me but for everybody,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to forecasting from the National Retail Association (NRA), Australians are set to spend a record $20.5 billion in the 10 days leading up to Christmas. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the spending comes at a particularly challenging time for many families, with chief executive of the Queensland Council of Social Services Aimee McVeigh saying that 250,000 children had one or both parents relying on income support.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“These parents are having to choose between paying rent, food, electricity and medical bills, never mind Christmas presents,” Ms McVeigh said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“While the unemployment rate might be lower than it was last year, there are more people than ever in Queensland who are relying on income support payments of just $45 a day.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Queensland alone, NRA chief executive Dominique Lamb said people are expected to spend $3.9 billion over the next 10 days.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve had our international borders closed, our domestic borders closed, people have been staying home and certainly saving their money,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There seems to be a push for joy after what’s been a really long 18 months.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Backlash after bishop tells children Santa doesn't exist

<p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p>A bishop in Italy has had to apologise after telling children at a religious festival that Santa doesn’t exist.</p> <p>Bishop Antonio Stagliano made the comments at an event in Ragusa, Sicily. He told the children Santa was nothing more than a brand.</p> <p>“No, Santa Claus doesn’t exist,” he reportedly said, according to local media outlet<span> </span><em>il Quotidiano.</em></p> <p>“In fact, I would add that the red of the suit he wears was chosen by Coca-Cola exclusively for advertising purposes,” Bishop Stagliano told the children at the event, which was dedicated to celebrate the feast day of Saint Nicholas.</p> <p>Born around 280AD, St Nicholas was known for his piety and kindness, travelling to help the poor and sick. The Bishop went on to discuss Santa Claus, labelling him a "fictional character".</p> <p>He ended his speech by saying: "The children know that Santa Claus is Dad or Uncle. So no broken dreams."</p> <p>There was immediate backlash, with the bishop's comments going viral online.</p> <p>The Diocese of Noto then posted a public apology on its Facebook page.</p> <p>"First of all, on behalf of the Bishop, I express regret for this statement that has disappointed the children, and want to clarify that this was not at all Mr Stagliano's intention," the statement said.</p> <p>It said the bishop's comments instead were meant to encourage children to "reflect on the meaning of Christmas and the beautiful traditions that accompany it with greater awareness [and] regain the beauty of a Christmas now increasingly commercial and de-Christianised".</p> <p>"If we can all draw a lesson, young or old, from the figure of Santa Claus [which originates with Bishop St Nicholas] it is this: Fewer gifts to create and consume and more gifts to share," it said.</p> <p>"Showing up for someone we have been neglecting or ignoring for a long time or mending a damaged relationship" was a more meaningful gift, the statement said.</p> <p>"[At Christmas] we receive the gift par excellence, Jesus Christ."</p> <p>But the parents involved weren't impressed.</p> <p>While some welcomed the attempt to refocus Christmas on its religious origins, others were angry at the bishop for interfering with family traditions and celebrations, as well as upsetting the children – particularly after the difficult couple of years they have faced throughout the Covid pandemic.</p> <p>"You are the demonstration that, when it comes to families, children and family education, you don't understand a thing," one commenter wrote.</p>

Family & Pets

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Gun-toting Santa stops supermarket thieves

<p>A group of police officers are celebrating the holiday season – except not how we would quite imagine.</p> <p>Officers in Riverside, California, took part in an operation called “Santa’s intervention”, where they dressed as Santa and elves to stop alleged thieves from stealing.</p> <p>On Thursday, several police men and women waited outside Target dressed as Santa and his elves.</p> <p>“As the suspects exited the store with merchandise they just stole, Santa and his elf were waiting to take them into custody for the theft,” police said.</p> <p>“As a result of this operation, three arrests were made.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.9488817891374px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839244/police-santa-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0ec0022f5fcc4113b20934a0ff18dc2e" /></p> <p>A woman was arrested for allegedly stealing a trolley full of stolen items while a local homeless man was also detained after he entered a store while he was allegedly in possession of illegal drugs.</p> <p>A second man was arrested for allegedly stealing more than A$1300 worth of Lego.</p> <p>“Toward the conclusion of the operation, detectives received information about three suspicious men casing vehicles in the shopping centre parking lots,” police said.</p> <p>“One of the undercover detectives spotted these three men as they were in the act of stealing an older white Honda CR-V.</p> <p>“Two of the men saw the detective and ran off but were quickly apprehended by the other officers. One suspect resisted arrest but was taken into custody with the help of our undercover Santa, and the second was detained by the undercover elf.”</p>

Legal

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The letters to Santa that will leave you heartbroken

<p>A little boy’s sweet letter to Santa has broken the hearts of thousands online after he admitted he just wants to be loved.</p> <p>The young boy, known as Will, wrote a letter to Father Christmas as part of the US Postal Service’s “Operation Santa”, an initiative that helps children and families in need at Christmas.</p> <p>In his handwritten note, Will said all he wants for Christmas is to be loved the way he is.</p> <p>He wrote: “Dear Santa, do you support the LGBTQ community?</p> <p>“And if you can speak to God can you tell him I love him and [ask] if he loves me for being gay?</p> <p>“Thank you. Love, Will.”</p> <p><img style="width: 325.47169811320754px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838953/screen-shot-2020-11-27-at-114254-am.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0038ae4a3d224784aafff131860dcfb3" /></p> <p>The heartwrenching message was posted to the postal service’s website, which then made its way on to Twitter.</p> <p>“This letter to Santa broke my heart,” wrote Twitter user Nancy.</p> <p>Her tweet ended up going viral and garnered 200,000 likes and over 22,000 retweets.</p> <p>“This hurts my heart so much. I hope Will and all the other little LGBTQ+ babies know (and get told) they’re so, so loved,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“Being a queer kid is so difficult. I hope this little boy knows that God does love him no matter what,” another said.</p> <p>Others said they were “crying” and a “blubbering mess” after reading the note.</p> <p><img style="width: 320.4272363150868px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838954/screen-shot-2020-11-27-at-114306-am.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bbaf55a583dd49d2bbaf5d4fb1d43e60" /></p> <p>Some of the other emotional letters including a child asking for help to pay his parent's bills.</p> <p>“We also need internet so I can study,” the child said.</p> <p>One girl called Kayla asked Santa to bring her a sofa bed, saying her parents spell on a sofa in their one-bedroom unit.</p> <p>She added that her dad “works a lot” and she doesn’t want him to wake with “back pain”.</p> <p>Another child, Almir, spoke about his mum who recently passed away from cervical cancer, and said how hard it has been on his entire family.</p> <p>He asked Santa to help his loved ones at Christmas, and also asked for some gloves and a coat to keep him warm.</p> <p>“These break my heart,” one person declared.</p> <p>“This is the most heart breaking thing,” another agreed.</p> <p>Operation Santa began in the US in 1912 when Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock authorised local Postmasters to allow postal employees and citizens to respond to the letters – a program that eventually became known as Operation Santa.</p>

Caring

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"Favourite time of year": Cambridge kids have already written letters to Santa

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children are so excited for Christmas that they've already sent letters off to Santa.</p> <p>According to an insider, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis "can't wait for Christmas" and want their parents to put up decorations already.</p> <p>"It's their favourite time of the year... in fact, they've already written their list for Santa and are nagging William and Kate to put up the Christmas tree," the insider tells<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-moms/news/prince-william-duchess-kates-3-kids-cant-wait-for-christmas/" target="_blank">Us Weekly magazine.</a></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6eXqjIlOvk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6eXqjIlOvk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@kensingtonroyal)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>This could be because grandmother Carole Middleton has already promised the trio that they could decorate her tree via video call.</p> <p>“We may not be able to get together but, after a year like 2020, we need to remember what’s really important this Christmas,"<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/tag/kate-middleton/" target="_blank">Kate Middleton's</a><span> </span>mom, who is also grandmother to 2-year-old<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/royals/pippa-middleton-reveals-her-saving-grace-while-raising-11-month-old-son-arthur/" target="_blank">Arthur</a>, her daughter Pippa's son, wrote in a new Instagram post for her Party Pieces company.</p> <p>“For me, what really matters is that my family feels connected," wrote Carole, 65. "I normally let my grandchildren help me decorate the tree. This year, I’ll ask them by video call to decide which decoration should go where. It may need to be tastefully rearranged later…!”</p> <p>The trio also get a tree each to decorate in each of their rooms at grandmother Carole's house.</p> <p>Space isn't an issue as she lives in a manor house with her husband Michael.</p> <p>Explaining her reasoning, Carole shared it’s “so that they can decorate it themselves.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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“I want a very, very, very good dad”: Child’s heartbreaking letter to Santa

<p>A domestic violence shelter in Texas has shared a child’s heartbreaking letter to Santa.</p> <p>In the letter, seven-year-old Blake asked Santa for a “very, very, very good dad” after being forced to leave his home with his mother.</p> <p>“Dad was mad,” wrote Blake.</p> <p>“Mom said it was time to leave and she would take us to a safer place where we don’t have to be scared.”</p> <p>The handwritten note was shared  online on Thursday by SafeHaven of Tarrant County and was discovered a few weeks ago in the boy’s backpack, said the shelter.</p> <p>“I’m still nervous. I don’t want to talk to the other kids,” Blake told Santa.</p> <p>“Can you bring some chapter books, a dictionary, and a compass and a watch?</p> <p>“I also want a very, very, very good dad. Can you do that too?” he asked.</p> <p>With Christmas right around the corner, SafeHaven said “Blake is getting exactly what he asked for from Santa” thanks to donations from the public.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsafehaventc%2Fposts%2F2926963557336165&amp;width=500" width="500" height="495" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>“But with 117 women and children needing shelter this holiday season, we need your help to make sure they have a safe place to stay throughout December,” added the shelter.</p> <p>The organisation reassured concerned users that Blake and his mother were safe, and thanked the public for their concern.</p> <p>“Victim safety has been our priority for over 40 years, and we would never compromise that through a social media post or otherwise.”</p> <p>The post received a stream of support, with many people asking how they could provide help and support for the shelter’s victims.</p> <p>“How many children do you currently house? Now I want to help all the children … my heart just breaks,” wrote one person.</p> <p>“Is there a way to send packages through the mail or Amazon to you guys to give to him? I want to gather up some books, stuffies and a card for this sweet boy,” wrote another.</p> <p>The post has been shared over 700 times and has close to 200 comments.</p> <p><strong>For information about family violence and where to get help: </strong></p> <p><em>If you have experienced sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Why children really believe in Santa

<p><strong>Warning: this piece contains Christmas spoilers</strong></p> <p>Many of us tell our children about a rotund, bearded man in red, who lives in the icy tundra at the top of the world. He is tasked with judging the moral worth of children everywhere. He has a list. He has checked it twice. And there is no court of appeals.</p> <p>We promise our children that, on a known date and under the cover of darkness, he will sneak into our homes. Here, his judgment will be delivered. In preparation, it is customary to erect and decorate a tree inside one’s home (a dead one, or a simulacrum, will do just fine), and to leave a food sacrifice of high-fat cookies and nutrient-rich milk. He will then repeat this act several billion times, aided by his entourage of flying polar caribou.</p> <p>Why would children believe something so absurd? And can it teach us anything about how children come to discriminate between what is real and what is not?</p> <h2>Children are judicious</h2> <p>One might be tempted to think that children are particularly susceptible to the fantastic. And while this may not be entirely unfair, children engage in a wide variety of judicious and sceptical behaviours. And compelling them to believe the fantastic without considerable effort is very difficult.</p> <p>In one study, known as the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S002209651100035X">“Princess Alice” study</a>, researchers told children about the invisible and imaginary Princess Alice, who was “present” in the room and sitting in a nearby chair. After this, children were left alone and given the opportunity to cheat on a task for a reward. While some children looked towards the empty chair, fewer still waved their hands through Alice’s ostensible location, and there was only very weak statistical evidence that this induction influenced children’s behaviour at all – <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00221325.2011.554921">other authors</a>, including myself, have failed to replicate this effect.</p> <p>In contrast, there is the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-7687.2004.00366.x">“Candy Witch” study</a>. Here, two different adults visited a school on two separate occasions, told children about the Candy Witch and showed the children pictures of her. They were told the Candy Witch would trade some of their Halloween candy for a toy (if they could refrain from eating it – <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0956797618761661?casa_token=Ssb8gSIk4aEAAAAA%3AoYxJXchCIEtEAxcQDL94t9KZvSwUJ291sikLB3-xBq2ooeOjCGIgWIcdMzbOjOeQk7Y6sTKiU3KgYA">no small task for a child</a>). Parents also needed to phone the Candy Witch in advance. As a result, many children believed in the Candy Witch, some even a year later.</p> <p>The primary difference between these two studies is the amount of effort (many) adults put in to compel the children. Children are quite sensitive to effort, and with good reason.</p> <h2>Actions speak louder than words</h2> <p>Childhood is a unique, evolved life-stage in which sexual maturation is delayed in favour of brain growth and social learning. Historically, the only way to learn about something you haven’t directly experienced was to rely <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdev.12081">on testimony</a>. Children can differentiate between <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027709001929">fantasy and history</a>, evaluate the <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2008.01248.x#b33">strength of evidence</a> and prefer claims with <a href="https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2006.00973.x">scientific framing</a>. Children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22417318">in many cultures</a> are less likely than adults to appeal to supernatural explanations <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/jocc/11/3-4/article-p311_4.xml">for unlikely events</a>. In fact, children <em>learn</em> to make supernatural claims.</p> <p>Theory suggests that rituals may be a particularly influential kind of testimony. Joe Henrich’s theory of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090513809000245">credibility enhancing displays</a> suggests that learners (such as children), to avoid exploitation, should pay attention to the actions of models (such as adults), and attempt to determine the degree to which a model believes something based on how costly their actions would be if those beliefs weren’t sincerely held. Put simply: actions speak louder than words.</p> <p>The “Santa Claus” parts of Christmas are an excellent demonstration of adults willfully participating in a prolonged, high-cost cultural ritual. Santa must be real, otherwise why would my parents do this? The trick, of course, is that we tell children, over and over, that the tree, the Christmas lists, the cookies and the glasses of milk are for Santa and not that they are for tradition.</p> <h2>Generating belief is hard</h2> <p>Because Christmas saturates our culture, it is taken for granted. And because Santa is a lie we tell to children, we don’t treat it as a mature topic. Yet both Christmas and Santa have a lot to teach us about ourselves and how we come to understand reality.</p> <p>Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny are somewhat unique. They require participation in social norms and cultural rituals in a way no other supernatural figures do (exempting religious figures). Children are not so much confused about what is a real, but sensitive to a diversity of cues we adults provide.</p> <p>And when it comes to Santa Claus, we tend to not only make a claim, but we engage in many detailed actions, which would seem too costly to engage in if we were lying. My own preliminary <a href="https://osf.io/hvqd3/">research</a> has shown that the figures most commonly associated with rituals are the figures that are most endorsed as real – more real, even, than some other likely figures like aliens and dinosaurs.</p> <p>Children are sensitive to our actions – singing carols, erecting dead trees inside our homes, leaving out milk and cookies – and children, sensibly, attend to this. And the result is belief: mum and dad wouldn’t do this if they didn’t believe, so Santa must be real.</p> <p>Why would they lie to me?</p> <p><em>Written by <span>Rohan Kapitany, Lecturer in Psychology, Keele University</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/why-children-really-believe-in-santa-the-surprising-psychology-behind-tradition-126783" target="_blank"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><!-- End of code. 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Inside Ellen DeGeneres' luxury $10 million Santa Barbara home

<p>Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have dropped the price of their gorgeous vintage farm near Santa Barbara, California. </p> <p>The property had over $1 million slashed from its price back in July and is now going for AUD$10 million. </p> <p>The prolific home owners purchased the home for AUD$9.8 million a little over a year ago and turned it into a posh, design-savvy home that is hard to resist! </p> <p>With three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms with an additional barn house for a lucky guest, the 10.5 acre mountain and ocean-view property has become a haven for any potential buyer looking for seclusion in comfortable luxury. </p> <p>Built in 1917, the main floor has an open layout with wide, beautiful plank oak floors throughout to give a real farmhouse feel. </p> <p>The kitchen has a unique touch with all black granite counter tops, grey cabinetry, stone slabs and sleek, stainless steel appliances. </p> <p>The living and dining area also carry a dark tone with a painted stone fireplace. </p> <p>The master suite offers a size that is unlike any other - with vaulted ceilings, custom lighting and a french doors leading to a verandah it is the type of airy and spacious part of the home a haven. </p> <p>The property also comes with a century-old barn as well as a spa, various terraces pastures that give a view worth looking at. </p> <p>The equestrian estate is located between Montecito and Carpinteria - areas DeGeneres and her wife de Rossi are familiar with. </p> <p>The couple have spent an estimate of $145 million flipping homes.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Ellen's gorgeous home. </p>

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7-year-old student shocks teacher with heartbreaking letter to Santa

<p>A first-grade teacher in Texas was shocked and saddened by a letter written by one of her students to Santa.</p> <p>The teacher, Ruth Espiricueta, asked her students to write a letter with one thing they want and one thing they need this Christmas.</p> <p>It was designed to help them learn the difference between needs and wants, but Ms Espiricueta was shocked by some of the letters she read later that day.</p> <p>The teacher shared one letter that really affected her on Facebook. It read:</p> <p>“Dear Santa Claus, I have [been] good this day. This Christmas I would like a ball and a food. I need a [blanket],” the girl had written.</p> <p>Ms Espiricueta shared a photo of the letter, writing, “As a teacher it breaks my heart when I hear them ask for things that we sometimes take for granted.”</p> <p>The teacher was not expecting her students to ask for such basic needs as food and warmth.</p> <p>Speaking with the child the next day about the letter, the young student explained that she would like a ball to share with her brother, and some eggs for their family to eat.</p> <p>In an interview with <em>ABC News</em>, Ms Espiricueta explained, "Some of my students were not even excited about Christmas because they know that their parents can not afford to buy a Christmas tree or gifts for them.”</p> <p>The revelation has prompted the teacher to start a donation drive to collect 720 blankets for students in need. ABC News reports that they have already collected 616.</p> <p>Have you been affected by hardship at Christmas time? Did anyone reach out to you? Share your story with us in the comments.</p>

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The letter all parents and kids must read

<p>With hundreds of comments and thousands of shares, this letter to Santa is going viral for all the right reasons.</p> <p>Diana Vasquez Prado shared this photo of her 8-year-old daughter Nadia’s letter to Santa on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lovewhatreallymatters/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Love What Matters</strong></span></a> Facebook page on the weekend, and it’s captured the hearts of parents all over the world.</p> <p>View the letter <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lovewhatreallymatters/photos/a.710462625642805.1073741828.691679627521105/1770545616301162/?type=3&amp;theater" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a> where Nadia states, “This year I ask for nothing.</p> <p>I have toys, a home, family and love. So this year I want to make you something. Tell me what you want this year and I’ll make it.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="499" height="665" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7265506/1_499x665.jpg" alt="1 (53)"/></p> <p>Diana commented on the photo, saying, "When I found it, my heart melted, and I cried.</p> <p>“Our favorite holiday is Christmas, and I’ve always tried to instil the true spirit of Christmas into each of my daughters.</p> <p>“There are times that we doubt ourselves as parents. There are times that we wonder if we’re doing a good enough job raising good people.</p> <p>“She has learned that family is everything and love is more important than gifts under a tree.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D10215202909855843%26set%3Dp.10215202909855843%26type%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="502" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></p> <p>Comments came flooding in, as readers echoed the sentiments of Nadia’s mother.</p> <p>Facebook user Shelby Von Schweetz commented, “THIS kid here is being raised right. So much love for this little girl! Merry Christmas Nadia!”</p> <p>Another Facebook user, Susan Stowe, commented “Thank you parents that are raising your children to be good people.”</p> <p>A comment by Facebook user Pamela Genovese summed it all up by saying how refreshing it was to “see a child with an attitude of gratitude.”</p> <p>Diana then shared a photo of her daughter, saying, “Thank you, everybody for all of your kind words. I’ll make sure they reach her.”</p> <p>Has your child or grandchild ever written a letter that brought you to tears? We would love to hear your story in the comments below.</p>

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