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Merry Christmas, Where is My Gift?

This is a true story about my Christmas adventures as a New York Times delivery man... Believe me... The New York Times will love this story!

More in Christmas in Haiti, Birthdays, Gifts, Holidays

What better way to start today than to say...

MERRY CHRISTMAS
WHERE IS MY GIFT?

It's the season for gifts... The season for giving... the season for spending...

Oh! I love it, It's the season when you give everything and you get nothing!

On the other hand, I hate it... My birthday is Christmas Eve... That's right... December 24th is my birthday.

That means, I only get one gift... if I get a gift.

Am I going to ask you for a present?

you bet I will...

Since you in already giving mode,
don't forget your good friend

Please send your gifts to:

Woodring Saint Preux
What??? My address???

Ehhhh... you can send it to me online:
GO TO >> fouye.net

No... I am not shy!... and no... I am not begging

I know to ask for a gift... I learned that while delivering the New York Times in Nyack, NY

T'was the night before Christmas in Nyack, NY

When I was in college, I used to deliver the New York Times in Nyack NY. Around Christmas time, I go shopping for Christmas cards... Not to give to my family, but to give to my customers...

If you receive your newspaper
And you find a Christmas card in it,
It is not from the newspaper company...
It is from the delivery man...

He is asking you for a TIP

That's why we give you a Christmas card
and that's why our return address is on it
We didn't mail it to you... Duh!
we want you to know where to mail the check!

Anyway,

One day one of us got a bright idea...

"we know why we send the Christmas cards,
they know why we send the Christmas cards,
why not make it easier...
for them to send us the check"

So...

He inserted a self addressed stamped envelope inside each Christmas card.

I thought that was a great idea, so I gave it a try

That Christmas, ever single subscriber of the New York Times who lived in Nyack NY received a Christmas card in their Sunday paper with a self addressed stamped envelope in it

About 3 days later... I started receiving those envelopes back!

$5.00... $20.00... $25.00... $10.00...
I admit... That's the time I really love my job

I even got a check from people who never sent me a tip before. I guess they finally understood why I was sending the Christmas card.

There was one of my envelope that caught my attention. Up until today, I never forgot the content of that envelope.

In that envelope was a note that said:

"When you can learn to put the paper exactly where I ask for it, when you can learn to put it on my porch instead of half way across the neighbor's yard, than you can ask me for a tip"

What a waste of a good stamp!

Can you guess where he had to pick up his paper for the next six months?

Have a Nice Weekend! and Merry Christmas

Article by: Woodring Saint Preux

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All Comments (1)

Topic says...

I was reading your article and I would like to know, I would like to know where and how can publish a book that I wrote about my childhood and how I'm dealing with cancer.

I would like every Haitian women to read this so they would know, there's help out there and life continues.

thanks
argarette

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Topic says...

I am Claire St. Preux I resides in Talladega, Alabama.

I am not aware of any other relatives that has migrated to that part of Country Alabama that is If you are aware of any let me know.

Marie Josee ( is my sister) was at my house Saturday when she sent you the Email, as I retired on that day from Dept of Justice Bureau of Prisons.

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Topic says...

Hello Madame,

My Father Galbeaud Saint Preux tells me that there are no Saint Preux "Tit Kontre", he says we are all related.

I will definitely give you a call.

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Topic says...

Hello Woodring Saint Preux, I was searching through the web and I noticed an article on Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable you had wrote.

I live in Chicago, IL and I am very excited to find this interesting piece on Du Sable.

I enjoyed it, and most of all to have been writen by someone who is probably related to me. I am a member of Midwest Association of Haitian American Women, and on December 31, 2003 we are hosting Bicentenial Gala to celebrate Haiti Independence, I would like for you to contact me and may be we can incorporate the Du Sable piece in our program that evening and we would be honored if you can attend the Gala. I can be reached at the above e-mail address and

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