DREAM WORLD DECORATED FOR THE HOLIDAYS

By: Arial

The dream world has been dressed to the nines for the holiday season!

Over the past week, workers from the Pole have been busy putting up decorations, lights and other holiday related paraphernalia around the dimensions of the dream world. In that week's time, just about every corner of the dream world was not left untouched by the holiday magic.

“We had our workers hard at work making sure all corners got a little taste of the holiday magic!” Rainier, Secretary of Christmas Affairs told me, “A walk through the dream world this month will feel quite merry and bright. We decked the halls!”

Indeed, the dream world is looking brighter with the addition of holiday string lights. Various dimensions have had their lights turned off to better accommodate the holiday lights shining bright.

“We voluntarily turned off the lights in different areas so the lights hanging above look nicer and brighter,” Rainier explained, “You should really consider taking a stroll out there. It's magical!”

Alongside the work done to decorate, Pole workers have also been installing various donation pipes around the dream world. These pipes are meant to transport morphs to the Pole stemming from donation stations set up in different areas. It's part of the Pole’s Morphs for Change charity initiative.

“We're bringing back Morphs for Change again! Last year, we set it up originally to help with recovery efforts following Winter Storm Genesis,” Rainier explained, “Since it was successful, we decided to bring it back again so residents can help donate to good causes! If you see a donation station, consider donating some morphs! They will be transported to the Pole where they will be properly accounted for and later distributed.”

Rainier says that Morphs for Change will take place until just after New Year's Day.

“This donation drive will run from now through Christmas and then a little after New Year's Day,” he said, “We hope people will pitch in and help out as much as they can. Any amount can make a big difference and I know we can do it!”

Likewise, Rainier expects the dream world to look festive through the same time period.

“Things will be looking pretty jolly through the new year. So don't worry about time because we got enough of it!” he exclaimed, “Take your time and get out there to experience as much of the festivities as you can. We're only two weeks away from the big day!”

Christmas will be in two weeks from today. This is a developing story. Stick with the Tribune for the latest information as it happens.

HOLIDAY SIGHTS AND SOUNDS TO VISIT

By: Oswald

With the holiday season in full swing, our readers may be wondering: What are some unique areas around the dream world to go visit for this time of year?

The Tribune staff has gone out into the dream world to explore what sights and sounds there are to experience this holiday season. As usual, we compiled a list of some of the most intriguing areas we think our readers should take the time to visit this holiday season!

The Cafe: This holiday season, the Cafe has become a small bakery which has been busy making treats! Stop by if you’re longing for a baked good, hot chocolate, or need to get out of the cold. It smells nice here too!

The Cinema: If you’re looking to watch some holiday flicks, the Cinema will be screening holiday related movies all month long. It’s become tradition at this point to do so during certain holidays, but nonetheless, it’s worth the time if you’re in the mood!

The Gallery: Various traditional and vintage works of art are up for viewing here. They certainly invoke a lot of Christmas nostalgia and will be up through the holiday season for viewing!

The Parlor: Similar to the Cafe, the Parlor is an alternative, although they have a mix between baked goodies and their usual menu. However, the atmosphere here is more serene if you’re looking for less crowds and noise!

The Hills: Still looking for a Christmas tree? The Hills has a small Christmas tree farm up for those that are still needing one in time for Christmas. Be sure to bundle up as it’s cold out there!

The Pole: And of course, the main attraction for the holiday season is the Pole itself! Be sure to visit in time before Christmas but be advised it may be more crowded than normal. It’s still the go-to destination for anyone wanting to get the best Christmas experience!

These are some areas worth visiting but there are plenty more out there to explore! Let us know your favorite go-to destination to visit for the holiday season. Happy exploring!

Q/A: Ask Rainier

Dear Rainier, does Santa really check his list twice?

By: Dubble Chech

Hello Dubble! You may have heard that Santa checks his list twice on Christmas from a song or perhaps word of mouth. This is true…sort of! 

You see, Santa does indeed check his list but he checks it thrice! The first check of the list comes prior to takeoff from the Pole. On Christmas Eve, the famous list gets a review early on in the day to make sure everything is set. The second time it’s checked is just right before takeoff as there are usually some last minute revisions and such. Santa then actually checks it one last time when he is delivering presents just to make sure the person is getting the right present.

We want to make sure everything is polished nicely prior to takeoff and during delivery too. It’s why the list is checked three times instead of the two you hear about in the song. I check the list year-round just out of curiosity to see how things are going but the official checklist is on Christmas! How fun!

Dear Rainier, when does gift production begin?

By: Prisen T.

Hello Prisen! Our busiest times begin in mid-November running through Christmas Eve. We begin gift production in early November as we start getting closer to December! 

Our special production workers get to work to start assembling various knick-knacks and gifts of all kinds that those on the nice side of the List would like to get for Christmas! The gifts are then sent to a special warehouse where they are organized by category until mid-November when our wrap workers pick it up in the Wrapping Hall. Once they are wrapped, they are sent to another special warehouse where they await to be put in Santa’s sleigh! This typically begins in mid-December as workers finish producing and wrapping the final gifts. 

Gifts can still be produced last minute, even on Christmas Eve! Though by then, it’s typically involving magic as it’s last minute.

Dear Rainier, who gets the first and last gift of Christmas?

By: Eywan Taprezent

Hi Eywan! We often think about Santa delivering presents on Christmas but not often do we wonder just who gets the first gift and who gets the last one!

The first gift of Christmas if actually given to one of our workers at the Pole. Amongst ourselves, we take a vote to decide which worker here will get the privilege to receive the first gift. Per rules, I myself am not allowed to get the first gift! Any other worker at the Pole is eligible so long as they haven’t gotten the distinction in prior years. Often, we’ll vote for the person we think deserves it the most based on how hard they worked, their efforts, and other factors.

The last gift of Christmas is given to… Me! Yes, I am the one that receives the final present of the holiday season on Christmas Day. Once Santa is done delivering presents, I am then personally given the last gift from the big guy himself. I often don’t wish for anything on Christmas but there is always something given to me regardless for running a successful Christmas. Is there anything I want this year? I’m not sure but I bet it’ll be something I secretly want deep down, hehe.