Christmas Party

Gov. William Donald Schaefer, heckled today when he appeared at the fourth annual Christmas party for state employees, ignored admonishments to keep it upbeat and reminded employees that the state's economy is not his fault.Pickets from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees were outside the door of the State Office Building on Preston Street when the governor arrived. When he started to speak, a burly man screamed "No layoffs" and was escorted from the building by security guards.

Even with all the warning, I just can't see to get up to speed with the holidays. Way back around Halloween when the first hints of Christmas decorations were sprouting like too-early crocuses poking through a February snow, I looked around and figured there was plenty of time. My kids still had uneaten candy from trick or treating. Thanksgiving, which I swear someone moved so it fell the week after Halloween this year, was fast upon me and there was a lot of cooking and cleaning to do. By now Christmas hype was, as it always is at Thanksgiving, turned up to full volume.

MEMBERS OF TWO Mount Airy Girl Scout troops bridged the generation gap Monday during an afternoon at Mount Airy Senior Center.Keeping with the Girl Scouts' goal of community service, 11 girls held a Christmas party and prepared a traditional dinner for senior citizens. They met their community service goals while providing holiday cheer and having fun.The Girl Scouts provided a festive twist to bingo with holiday bingo. While some of the girls called bingo numbers, the others helped the seniors fill bingo cards in the shape of candy canes, wreaths and snowmen.

We might be amid the Holidaze, but area clubs and venues are still hosting concerts and dance parties. Luckily, some of the performers this week have non-traditional takes on Christmas. John Waters will tell you what not to do during the holidays at his show at the Lyric, while Scott Weiland will do his take on classic Christmas songs at the 9:30 Club. Elsewhere: Winks, Judy Collins, Spank Rock, and a James Brown dance party. On Monday , Scott Weiland the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots, who just performed at Pier Six last year, is out promoting his new Christmas album.

FOR MORE than 40 years, the folks at the Arundel Improvement Association have had a special arrangement with the North Pole. If they could arrange for enough elves to assist, Santa Claus would make a private visit to the homes of children in the community to hear their Christmas wishes.When I was growing up in the community, this was the event of the year. Every year, my sister and brother and I would listen for the sounds of holiday music that would mean he was in the neighborhood.With a cheery "ho, ho, ho," he would bound up the steps, ask us and our parents whether we had been good, listen to our wishes, and hand each of us a stocking and an orange.

It's time again for that much-maligned tradition, the company Christmas party. It's true that these oh-so-festive occasions are fraught with peril, but they can present a real opportunity, too, when we know how to approach them.When they're perilous, it's usually due to mixing business, pleasure and large quantities of alcohol, which makes them a likely occasion for flirtations to begin, romances to burst into flame, rumors to be conceived, rude jokes to be told, and both old and new hostilities and grievances to be aired.

HADDONFIELD, N.J. - This time of the year, back in my hometown, the Blessed Virgin Mary shrine at old St. Pat's Church would be decked out in red, green and blue lights that sparkled all night through. My Aunt Mary informed me that this was to remind us that Mary was "lying in" and waiting for the baby Jesus to arrive. Not knowing what "lying in" meant, I translated this to "goofing off," which is what I usually did in school before Christmas came. The week before Christmas, my dad's crowd, the Holy Name Society, was busy setting up for the Parish Christmas Grab Bag Party.

A family-oriented Christmas party last year turned into the worst night of Karen Hammond's life when three men burst through the apartment door, beat up her husband and pushed a friend through a glass door, cutting him so badly that he bled to death."

The Northern District Police Community Relations Council will honor its officer of the year at its Christmas Party at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.Also on the agenda will be the installation of officers for 1996.Members are asked to bring a covered dish to share with other members. The community is invited.Northern District is at 939 Hammonds Lane.

John Waters doesn't love all holidays. "I think Santa Claus should team up with the tooth fairy and kill the Easter bunny," he says. But Christmas? Christmas he loves unconditionally, without irony. For the past decade, he's been touring every December with a show that's part stand-up, part monologue, part pep-talk. During the holidays, he likes to think of himself as a motivational speaker. "Some people hate [Christmas] or don't believe in it. I know some people find it a very stressful time.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter will not confirm that the club has agreed to terms with Japanese lefty Tsuyoshi Wada to a two-year, $8.15 million deal with a $5 million option for 2014. But, speaking in general terms, Showalter said he supports the idea of going after international talent, something new executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has championed since coming aboard last month. “I like it. It opens up a lot of doors for us,” Showalter told The Sun while attending the club's annual Christmas party for children Tuesday.

John Waters doesn't love all holidays. "I think Santa Claus should team up with the tooth fairy and kill the Easter bunny," he says. But Christmas? Christmas he loves unconditionally, without irony. For the past decade, he's been touring every December with a show that's part stand-up, part monologue, part pep-talk. During the holidays, he likes to think of himself as a motivational speaker. "Some people hate [Christmas] or don't believe in it. I know some people find it a very stressful time.

When a home becomes a job site, tensions between those doing the work and those living with the dust can be unpleasant. But when the contractors and crew who for months had been hammering away at the Monte Verde low-income apartments in West Baltimore showed up at a recent holiday party, they were greeted by the residents as if they were Kris Kringle and his helpers. Standing in the middle of the room, clad in a bright-red plaid sports coat, was Michael T. Shacklette, the lead contractor for the renovation and now a party host.

R emember when you were a kid, you and your friends spent hours wondering if it was worse to die in a fire or by drowning, or whether you'd rather be shot or stabbed? Now that I'm grown up, I ponder a different existentialist dilemma: Would I rather have my love life or my financial one on public display in a courtroom? In other words, is it more embarrassing for a boyfriend to testify about your nightly telephone conversations, or for someone to document how you bought a $1,779.

The ghosts assert themselves in the fading December light, along with the exhilarating arrival of the decorations, music and lights. These are not ghosts in the spirit category, but the ghost memory of people and places the holiday season seems to manufacture and toss out. They pop up unexpectedly and attack your emotions.

Talking Head Christmas The lowdown -- Here's a Christmas party to end all parties: The Baltimore Bass Connection featuring Spank Rock, Shodekeh, DJ sets from Taxlo's Cullen Stalin and Simon D. Phoenix and some surprise guests all together Saturday night at the Talking Head Club. If you haven't heard of Spank Rock, these Baltimore natives are one of the freshest things to happen to hip-hop this year. Shodekeh is a local beat boxer extraordinaire. To top if off, the club is closing at that location at the end of this month, which makes seeing this show that much more important.

Holiday activities are scheduled Carroll County senior and community centers have scheduled holiday activities for seniors 60 and older. Programs include: Westminster, 125 Stoner Ave., 410-386-3800: A Christmas party will be held starting with carol singing at 10:30 a.m., a turkey dinner at 11:30 a.m. and entertainment by the Goldenaires at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 20. A New Year's party will be held Jan. 2, with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and the Baltimore County...

The Eastern District Police Community Relations Council will hold its annual awards ceremony for its police officer and detective of the year at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the police station, 3700 Mountain Road in Pasadena. No business meeting will be held. Information: 410-222-6145 or 410-255-0284. Birth Son: To Nicholas and Michele Geidel of Pasadena on Oct. 18. Around town Christmas party: The Ladies Auxiliary of the Orchard Beach Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual Christmas party for children 12 and younger from noon to 4 p.m. tomorrow at the fire hall, 7549 Solley Road.

Holiday activities are scheduled Carroll County senior and community centers have scheduled holiday activities for seniors 60 and older. Programs include: Westminster, 125 Stoner Ave., 410-386-3800: A Christmas party will be held starting with carol singing at 10:30 a.m., a turkey dinner at 11:30 a.m. and entertainment by the Goldenaires at 12:30 p.m. Dec. 20. A New Year's party will be held Jan. 2, with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and the Baltimore County...