Holiday cheer surrounds Long Beach

By Katie De Boer
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer

During the month of December enjoy the entire glittering splendor Long Beach has to offer throughout the community.

Students at CSULB can celebrate Christmas cheer by the gift of giving. Associated Students Inc. is hosting the 7th annual Cherishing Children Christmas held in the CSULB Pyramid on Dec. 8, from 3 to 6 p.m. This event will focus on giving less fortunate children in the community a time to receive a gift and take a photo with Santa while enjoying music, crafts and refreshments. Students are encouraged to drop off gifts for children at the ASI department in Student Union room 311. Students who wish to take part in the event or know someone who would be a likely candidate should contact Bob Rodgers at 562-985-7853.

The CSULB music department is also hosting a number of events this Christmas season. The biggest is the 25th Anniversary Winter Festival Concert. The concert will be held in the Historic Sanctuary of the First Congregational Church of Long Beach, located at 241 Cedar St. in downtown Long Beach. The festival will take place on Dec. 4 and 5. The festival will include the talented University Choir, Chamber singers, Forty-Niner Chorus, Women's Chorus, Pacific Bells, Pacific Standard Time, and the 68 Rank Moller Organ.

Tickets are still available with prices ranging from $8-$25. Call 562-985-7000 to reserve tickets or check out the Web site at www.csulb.edu/music for all upcoming CSULB concert events.

This Christmas season is also packed with events all across town including dazzling street and boat parades, a tree lighting ceremony on the Queen Mary and an actual snow downfall in Bixby Knolls. The following are a list of events in the Long Beach Community for the month of December according to the Long Beach City on-line news.

Dec. 4 — Belmont Shore 22nd annual Christmas parade starts at 6 p.m. at the corner of Second Street and Livingston. It will head east to Bayshore and make a U-turn back to Second Street. It will be a large parade with well over 100 entries and 14 marching bands. The parade will also be featuring Olympic gold medalist Misty May, Snoopy, and WWII veteran Walter Enlers.

Dec. 5 — At the snow fall in Bixby Knolls, 30 tons of handmade snow is created for a holiday wonderland. It is open to the public and will have sleigh runs, vendors, food, live entertainment and a visit from Santa. Snow in Bixby Knolls will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Atlantic Avenue between Roosevelt Road and San Antonio Drive.

Dec. 8 — Not decorating a tree this year? Take part at the Holiday Mixer and Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Queen Mary. Bring a guest and canned goods and enjoy a food buffet, prizes and lots of joyfulness. The Holiday Mixer will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information call 562-590-9234

Dec. 9 — Pathways Volunteer Hospice is hosting a holiday tree lighting ceremony featuring columnist Tom Hennessy from the Long Beach Press-Telegram and Lou Anne Bynum, V.P./assistant superintendent of Long Beach City College and chairman of the Long Beach area Chamber of Commerce. The lighting takes place at Farmers & Merchants Bank, 302 Pine Ave, in downtown Long Beach at 7 p.m. For more information call 562-531-3031.

Dec. 11— The Daisy Lane Christmas Parade will have more than 60 entries including the mayor, city council members, girl and boy scouts and local school marching bands. The parade will start at Pacific Coast Highway between Daisy Lane and Burnet and will make a U turn around Willow Street and head back to Daisy Lane. The parade will begin at 5 p.m.

Dec. 11— Don't miss the famous Long Beach 1,000 Lights Holiday Boat Parade downtown along the harbor of Shoreline Village from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information call 562-435-4093.

Dec. 18 and 19 — No holiday would be complete without the Nutcracker. The ballet will be presented by the Long Beach Carpenter Performing Arts center at the Terrace Theater in downtown Long Beach. On Saturday Dec. 18 the show times are 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and on Sunday Dec. 19 there will be one showing at 2 p.m. The event has been choreographed by David Wilcox with creative sets and magnificent costume designs. Ticket prices range from $16 to $28. To buy tickets call 562-426-4622.