By CHRIS PACKHAM

Amber Hathaway, age 15

There is nothing that says Christmas like A Christmas Carol, as written in the 1800s by Charles Dickens. This classic and timeless story of Ebenezer Scrooge is certainly a beloved holiday favorite. In the beginning, he is visited by the ghost of his dead friend, who tells him he is going to be visited by three more ghosts on Christmas Eve: the Ghost of Christmas Past, the Ghost of Christmas Now, and the Ghost of Christmas Future. In the end, Scrooge realizes that it is very important to celebrate Christmas, as shown by his throwing money to a lad in the street for a goose.

Maybe you didn’t know this, but A Christmas Carol is also in the form of a play and not just a book. Every year, the Kansas City Repertory Theatre puts on a play of A Christmas Carol, and this year is certainly no exception! It is showing tonight at 8 at the Spencer Theater (4949 Cherry Street, 816-235-2700). Tickets cost $12 to $20.

I told my mom I am going to see the Christmas Carol play with my friend Heather, but I am really going on a date with my boyfriend, Rick. I met Rick on MySpace. We have been dating for two weeks. He is 29 years old! This is his picture off MySpace. Dating an older man means I can get into bars and concerts, and Rick buys me alcohol! I like to drink Zima and Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Tonight, he is parking three blocks from my house so my parents won’t see him pick me up. They totally would not understand. Then I’m making him take me to see Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, DevilDriver, and Soilwork at Memorial Hall (600 North Seventh Street, Kansas City, Kansas, 913-371-7555). Tonight I think I might kiss Rick for the first time! But he has to buy me Zima.

Jonas Milbourne, age 14

My English teacher, Mr. Epstein, made me join TeenPitch as a punishment for bringing a lighter to class. Why doesn’t he just make me wear a dress to school, because that is how gay the TeenPitch is. Almost as gay as the stupid TeenPitch editor. He says I have to go see The Nutcracker, which is probably the gayest thing he could think of to make me go and write about. The Nutcracker is showing at the Kansas City Ballet Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m. My dad is dropping me off for the 2 p.m. show

I’m going to bring a jar of rubber cement with me so I can huff it for a good buzz after they dim the lights. We had to watch a video about huffing in health class last year, which is how I learned about it. As soon as I got home that night, I got some turpentine from the garage and huffed fumes for about 10 minutes, and then I sat in front of the Cartoon Network for, like, two hours. I had a bad headache the next morning, but that is probably the only way I’m going to make it through The Homocracker.

Whitney Alton, age 16

After church on Sunday, I have my Teen Devotions Group, and then my mom and grandma are celebrating Grandma’s birthday with Sunday brunch at 12 Baltimore (106 West 12th Street, 816-346-4410). It’s $14.95 a person and includes a carving station, French toast, pastries and muffins, and an omelet station where you can watch a chef make your omelet from scratch! They have brunch every week from 8:30 to 12:30.

Then I’m going by myself to the Crown Center Ice Terrace (2450 Grand) to strap on my skates and wait for Dave. He’s my new boyfriend. We met on MySpace three weeks ago, and he’s 29 years old! That’s his MySpace photo. He says he’s devoted his life to Jesus, just like me, and he likes the same Christian rock bands as me — 12 Stones, Blessed By a Broken Heart and Family Force 5. He also likes the same secular things I do, like Hannah Montana and Gossip Girl on the CW! It’s really very romantic. I wonder if he’ll try to hold my hand while we skate.