The Niverville Elementary School performed their annual Christmas play on Wednesday, December 16, and Friday, December 18. Students shared traditional carols, dances, and poems from many different countries and ended the show with a round version of The Huron Carol.

Setting lofty goals are often not specific enough to achieve long-lasting results. Many people set out to eat more vegetables, stop dining at drive-thru restaurants, and ditch junk food once and for all. Such big commitments are better achieved by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable nutrition choices. For example, instead of cutting out restaurants entirely, try to start packing a lunch more often.

Auditions for the 2016 NCI high school drama production took place on December 14–15. The auditions were headed up by the drama’s director, Deanna Wiebe. 16 kids, many of them first-timers, are vying for a role in the May production.

For most of us, Christmas is a special time of year accompanied by the sights, sounds, and smells of the season. Simply put, it is a wonderful time for sensory overload. I have to admit, though, that I sometimes find it quite overwhelming. Don’t get me wrong: I love all of the celebrations and food, but my struggle comes from the fact that I am a self-described minimalist when it comes to design and décor.

It’s been said that one can only see the stars when it gets dark enough. Briana Bloom is a testament to that. Briana looks like your average 14-year-old. She is demure and sweet. Sitting cross-legged in blue jeans across from me, we are surrounded by a gathering of button-eyed monkeys and other delightful creatures of her making.

The Niverville Elementary School will be holding their annual Christmas program on December 16–17 at the school’s gymnasium, with 2 shows each day: a matinee at 1:30 p.m. and an evening performance at 7:00 p.m. The show will feature students from Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Only half of each grade will be represented each respective day.