Christmas Party

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.

Chamber of Commerce to meet Dec. 13 at Wilhelm Ltd. Carroll County Chamber of Commerce has announced its monthly meetings. A general membership luncheon will be held at noon Dec. 13 at Wilhelm Ltd. Caterers in Westminster. The cost is $15. Deadline for reservations is Thursday. Kathleen T. Snyder, president of Maryland Chamber of Commerce, will present a preview of the state chamber's business agenda for next year. The Connections After Hours networking opportunity and business card exchange will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 18 at the American Red Cross, New Windsor Conference Center, 500 Main St. Reservations are due by Dec. 12. Information: 410-848-9050.

An interview with Grace White, founder of Books and Buddies Book Club. How many members does your club have? Right now, we have 15, and that's as far as we want to go. We started with 10. Why do you find 15 to be a good number? We meet in each other's homes and ... for discussion purposes, we found that to be manageable. ... It's a pretty wild group, actually. Wild, how so?... Well, a lot of women in the group are extroverted and like to express their thoughts. (She laughs.) Do you think that hinders the discussions or makes them more dynamic?

25 years ago: "Christmas Party for Local Kiddies" -- Fifty-six youngsters from the area attended a Jaycees-Jayceettes Christmas party December 13. The children watched movies, sang and munched on cookies watched over by the Jayceettes. Meanwhile Jaycees members sneaked out and did a little shopping. On the way to the party they had asked their young guests, just out of curiosity, what they wanted for Christmas. Later Santa visited the party and presented each child with a gift. The organizations had been planning the delicate logistics of the party for many months headed by Jay Breakiron.

THE OTHER NIGHT when President-elect George W. Bush told the nation he is looking for ways to get along with Democrats, I thought, "He should go to Bob and Suzie Thieblot's Christmas party." The Thieblots are masters of peaceful coexistence. They are staunch Republicans, yet for almost 40 years they have lived, in Bob's words, "in the red belt" in Bolton Hill. This is a downtown Baltimore neighborhood where I happen to live and where it came as no surprise that in the last election, left-leaning Ralph Nader garnered almost as many votes in some precincts as the Republican president-elect.

For the past two years, Edward and Inez Toatley had made sure to take their kids to an annual holiday party for children of Maryland police officers who had lost a parent in the line of duty. The Toatleys had not been affected personally. But as president of the Coalition of Black Maryland Troopers, Edward Toatley had wanted to show support for his fellow law-enforcement families, to let them know they would never be alone. Yesterday, Inez Toatley went to the holiday party one more time, toting 1 1/2 -year-old Taylor, a rambunctious toddler, and 5-year-old Daniel, who raced along the floor brandishing a red balloon in the shape of a sword.

She was his best friend's girl. And even though that romance had been over for more than a decade, Christian "Horse" Gohlinghorst wasn't about to let a woman interfere with a longtime friendship. But Horse didn't realize who he was dealing with. Cari Hicks, 26, is high-spirited, outspoken and determined. She's demanding, she can be frustrating to deal with, and she's never on time. But she also has an infectious laugh and a tender heart. The story begins 15 years ago when Cari and Brett Butler were growing up in Parkton.

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.

Darlene Green's four children gathered around and traded stories about Christmas, schoolwork and friends yesterday. But most of all, Green said, "They want to know when I'm going to come home."It is not an easy question to answer at a Christmas party for inmates at the Women's Detention Center in downtown Baltimore. Doing time is something they want to forget."My children understand that I can't go home until somebody lets me," said Green, 38.For 150 women awaiting trial or sentencing, yesterday's party in the jail's gym -- with gifts, Santa Claus and food -- gave mothers a rare chance to talk, hug and cry with their children.

THE FLURRY OF pre-holiday autumnal activities in the Pasadena area continues.The United Methodist Women of Pasadena United Methodist Church open their annual two-day church bazaar at 4 p.m. today in the Fellowship Hall, 61 Ritchie Highway. The bazaar continues from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. tomorrow."All of the familiar favorites will be back at this year's bazaar," said Sara Titus, group spokeswoman.Crafts, basement bargains, attic treasures, house plants and goodies from the Sweet Shop will be available.