Santa and the Ice Trolls

[Jessie Valdez]

I love everything related to Christmas. After a long boring day, I know where I can read something that cheers me up. Thanks GULL

[SellSword]

Gull, the official FT storyteller and head punsmith!

[LostKnight]

Yea he crafts a pretty mean pun doesn't he!

[Gullander]

I got to thinking this is my 4th Christmas season here. I didn't join the forum till the spring of 2018 so no story my first Christmas posted.

As I reflect back it is amazing how this place we call FT can grab ahold of you and become a part of a daily routine. It is neat to see the changes made in content and features over the last almost 4 years, but sadly many of the type of problems players faced then are still with us today. I remember when it seemed a more welcoming place where it was fun to meet people from all over the world. But schisms and fractures are with us over national origin, language, or financial ability.

I have tried with these Christmas and other posts to be an agent for understanding and compassion and the core values of respect and consideration for others. I have tried to play fairly, be friendly and helpful, and instill humor whenever I can and hopefully leave where I have been brighter. But in spite of my and other players of good will it increasingly becomes more and more difficult to call this game home, sometimes I am embarrassed and at other times just digusted and wearied from it all.

But being the optimist I still hold a Christmas wish that things improve here and the morale of players returns to one of excitement feeling FT as a welcoming place again. It is rated for Everyone I wish that applied to all areas of the game.

It reminds me of a line from Dickens tale A Christmas Carol (movies) where the ghost of Christmas present is asked if Tiny Tim will live. He replies "if these shadows do not change I see an empty spot at the table and a crutch carefully preserved" and "if these shadows be not changed none of my kind will be here again". It remains to be seen if my old bones will see another FT Christmas.

But for now let not my words dampen your holiday joys I wish all in FT the best of Christmas cheer in a world especially needful of good cheer and loving embraces.

I thank you all for the privilege that has been mine of writing here on this forum, it has been a life saver for me at times having this creative oulet.

[SellSword]

As has been the case many times, Gull has put into words much of what I feel.

[LostKnight]

I cannot deny I agree with Gull and SellSword.
Still ... there is a draw.

[merisajan]

We all celebrate Christmas for many years here
in ft game
Unfortunately, I was able to spend Christmas with game last year
It will be two years this year
And I hope we can count more years together

We are interdependent
we are friends

We get spirit and energy from each other and we can lend to each other

[Leone]

Well said, Gull. It is easier for us all to focus on the negatives in life (whether that be FT or not). Trying to take something from the positives has its own rewards and has got to be better for everyone, in whichever community you are part of.

[merisajan]

When I want to send something I write and send with ease But when I read my writing again I see I wrote something else that I did not mean at all
I mean simple This is the second Christmas I experience in the game And I'm very excited And I like to be with my friends at Christmas in the game In the past, I could not play these moments Because I did not know at all that it is a celebration in the game I found out exactly last year And I will not miss these happy moments anymore

[LostKnight]

Let's all have a:
Merry Christmas
Happy Christmas
Wonderful Christmas
Happy Holidays

in the spirit of Love and Giving!