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Digest

See Santa, learn about gifts, food this week

By TIMES WIRES
Published December 3, 2006

From the traditions to the new, two perspectives on embracing the holidays are offered this week in East Lake. At the East Lake Community Library, 4125 E Lake Road, a Victorian Santa and a Victorian lady will visit at 6 p.m. Thursday to reveal the history of Santa Claus and other holiday traditions. Then you can decorate ornaments until the present-day Santa arrives on a fire truck with books for the children. Call (727) 773-2665. Alternatively, the Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, hopes to inspire new holiday traditions. Sustainable Holiday Gifts and Parties is offered for adults from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the center's Cypress Swamp Cafe. The free program will cover earth-friendly gifts and party invitations, food and decorations, as well as gifts. Call (727) 453-6800.

Share holiday spirit at tree trimming

If you don't have a tree this year, you might enjoy helping Oldsmar Fire Rescue decorate its tree at the station's annual open house with Santa from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday. The station at 225 Pine Ave. N will have refreshments. And it's a good time to drop off a small, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots before the Dec. 12 deadline. The toys are for children from birth to age 16 and should be new. A Toys for Tots bin is also located at City Hall, 100 State St. W. Call (813) 749-1200.

Work on your Santa belly at breakfast

Yes, we know: Nothing in life is free. But $10 for a family of four to breakfast with St. Nicholas is a bargain. The Kiwanis Club of Palm Harbor is offering all-you-can-eat pancakes with sausage, coffee and juice from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke Catholic Church, 2757 Alderman Road. St. Nicholas will smile for photos. There will be children's activities and a secret children's gift shop, as well as a bake sale. Tickets cost $3.50 for adults, $2.50 for children, $10 for a family of four, and benefit the church's early childhood development program. For tickets, call the church at (727) 787-8146.

Group wedding set for Valentine's Day

Thanksgiving is barely over, but it's not too early to start thinking about Valentine's Day - if you plan to get married next year. That's because Pinellas Clerk of Circuit Court Ken Burke will perform a group wedding ceremony in the main courthouse courtyard at 2 p.m. on Feb. 14. The group ceremony will be a first, and the usual $30 fee to perform the marriage is waived for couples choosing to wed in the special ceremony. (Standard marriage license fees will still apply.) To participate, sign up at any clerk's office by Feb. 7. Marriage licenses must be applied for between Dec. 18 and Feb. 9 to take part. Along with the group ceremony, individual ceremonies still will be conducted first-come, first-served in the clerk's offices. Standard marriage license fees and ceremony fees will apply. For more information, call (727) 464-4876 or visit the clerk's Web site at www.pinellasclerk.org.

[Last modified December 2, 2006, 22:07:09]