Santa Said He Can't Ever Be Late On Christmas Eve

Mrs. Claus said, "I love your stories. Do you think it would be disappointing to the children if you were late tonight?" Santa said, "I cannot ever be late. Oh the children would be so upset. I am so glad that I have so  many people and elves helping me. It makes it possible for me to spend more time with you."

Mrs. Claus said, "I know. I can't even count how many helpers you have; here and around the world. Do remember Regan? She lives in the middle of the country. She is a believer for sure. Why don't you drop off a magic Christmas ornament for her? I think she would like that. And maybe something very special in her stocking. What do you think?"

Santa laughed and said, "She has been a very good girl all year long. She especially loves Pez candy so I'll add that for her. I was around in Vienna, Austria when the man who first made them invented them to help people quit smoking. I think that was around 1927. They tasted like peppermint back in those days. Of course, nowadays they are several different flavors and in fun dispensers that folks like to collect. Now they are made in only one factory in Orange, Connecticut not far from where James Naismith lived.

 James lived in a country called Canada. He had loving parents who were raised in Scotland. A country that is about three hundred miles north of where Chardon lived when he was a little boy. His parents wanted an adventure so that's why they moved even before James was born. He was able to go to school and then on to college. He was very bright and worked had and got his doctorate degree. He eventually became a physical education instructor in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was thirty-one years old.

One day the school superintendent came to James and said, "I want you to come up with an indoor sport for our boys. I want something where they won't get hurt as in football, but will keep their strength and spirits up during our cold winters."

It seemed like in no time, Dr. James Naismith had developed a fun and physical indoor sport which he called basketball. It consisted of peach baskets and a soccer style ball. He published 13 rules for the new games. The peach baskets were nailed onto the lower railing of the gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game had to be stopped so that the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. The janitors soon got tired of that so they cut  out the bottoms of the fruit baskets. The first public basketball game was played in Springfield, Massachusetts on March 11, 1892.

The story goes he possessed a magic ruby and gave it to a friend in need but he hid it so well that it was not discovered for many many years in a little town called Flemington.