Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, and I hope everyone has a happy, healthy New Year.One of the most enjoyable parties I attended last week was the Celebrity Bartenders at the Hyatt Regency's World Largest Office Party. For four hours, there were at least two bartenders manning 20 bars to raise money for Santa Claus Anonymous and the WBAL Kids Campaign.This is fun because I love to talk to people in a party-bar atmosphere. And since it's for charity, we work hard to raise tips. This year I had a lot of help from the Arena's Edie Brown and Presenting Baltimore's Tucky Ramsey.

From the moment she was born, her grandmother knew she would grow up to be a "strega," or witch. Author Tomie dePaola's Strega Nona appears in many of his children's books, and she is always equipped with wise lessons and enough rosemary to make even the baldest person sprout a handsome coif. She learned all her magic from her Grandma Concetta, who spent her life curing headaches, removing warts and settling upset stomachs. When Grandma Concetta was ready to retire, she passed on her little house, her book of spells, herbs and remedies, and her magical secret ingredient to Nona and said, "From this day forth, you shall be known as Strega Nona!"

Boy, what a pleasant surprise when I picked my Baltimore Sun on Sunday morning and read Ross Mackenzie's op-ed, "To congressional Democrats: Merry Christmas and thanks for nothing" (Dec. 26). I agree with virtually every word Mr. Mackenzie wrote in his letter to the Pelosi/Reid Congress. I would like to add my Maryland's Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Sen. Benjamin Cardin and Rep. Elijah Cummings to his list to let them know that I do not agree with or appreciate with their wrong spirited actions in a lame duck Congress.

Friday morning found students at Eldersburg Elementary School laboriously writing, coloring and painting cards and presents for Christmas instead of studying science and social studies.Parent volunteers wandered around the four open space suites helping students sponge paint brown paper bags that would hold their Christmas present to their parents and making sure gifts had names on them. Little hands were colored red, green, yellow and blue from the paint.Students who had finished decorating a craft sat at their desks coloring and writing cheery messages to area nursing home residents using marking pens provided by a parent volunteer.

FOR SALE: Amid wishes for a merry Christmas, Bishop Emilio de Carvalho of Luanda, Angola, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, said such sentiments seem odd in the world's trouble spots."

Congratulations to all who have survived Christmas despite the hazards of excessive eating and drinking, or prolonged exposure to family members. Today, December 26, is the second of the twelve days of Christmas. It is also, in British tradition, Boxing Day. The origins of the term are in dispute. It was probably not a day to return purchased presents. It may have been the day on which the wealthy gave their servants a Christ box of gifts and the day off. One explanation is that gifts from the charity box in church were distributed.

Florence Henderson is still the quintessential American woman. Almost 20 years after starring as the perfect mom, Carol Brady, on "The Brady Bunch," she's still at it -- wife, mother, performer, author, TV and video star. And she's coming to Baltimore.Monday she will bring her Christmas concert to Meyerhoff Symphony Hall along with co-star, Pat Boone. Their show, entitled "We Wish You A Merry Christmas," has been described as a "thrilling holiday feast for the entire family."Henderson describes it as "more than a Christmas show."

After a particularly exciting school day, Daisong Tan went home and taught his parents, who are Chinese, to say "Merry Christmas" -- in Polish. Lydia Legg added another item to her Christmas wish list: a dreidel. And George Bilias wondered how he could convince his family to not only celebrate Christmas, but Hanukkah and Kwanza, too.Welcome to the holiday season of many colors. At public schools throughout the state, students are being given a secular lesson about the diverse ways ethnic groups celebrate.

After a particularly exciting school day, Daisong Tan went home and taught his parents, who are Chinese, to say "Merry Christmas" -- in Polish. Lydia Legg added another item to her Christmas wish list: a dreidel. And George Bilias wondered how he could convince his family to not only celebrate Christmas, but Hanukkah and Kwanza, too.Welcome to the holiday season of many colors. At public schools throughout the state, students are being given a secular lesson about the diverse ways ethnic groups celebrate.

Four-year-old Jackie Topa came to Baltimore to sing some well-rehearsed songs for her father, an Army reservist stationed in Jacksonville, Fla.The songs, she said, were "about Christmas and all that kind of stuff."Nikki Haagenson's children came with the chicken pox. But they also had something better to share with a father spending Christmas so many miles away: a list of what Santa brought.At CSX Railroad's Baltimore headquarters yesterday, a bit of Christmas magic and some high-quality fiber optics helped reunite children with parents, husbands with wives, fathers with sons.