Christmas in Denton County 2015

Denton Record-Chronicle

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

IN DENTON COUNTY

2015

Denton Holiday Lighting Festival this Friday Page 2

Christmas is for Caring Fundraiser Page 4

Celebrate the Season with Area Events Page 18

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Holiday lighting gets locals into spirit of the season Stanton Brasher For the Denton Record-Chronicle

When large crowds of Denton residents fill the Square with red and green sweaters and the sweet smell of wassail permeates through the air, it takes only the biggest of Scrooges not to tap their feet to the music and stare in awe of the thousands of bright lights at Denton’s Holiday Lighting Festival.

This year, Santa’s bag seems to be overflowing for good Denton boys and girls. In addition to various styles of musical performances on eight different stages, attendees will also have the chance to ride in horse-drawn carriages, buy a gift for their special someone at one of the many vendors (or any of the downtown businesses) or take pictures with the jolly man himself.

A yearly event of this magnitude takes dedicated planning from a small group of volunteers who work year round to organize the joyous celebration.

Board member Kelley Pound says this is no easy feat.

“It takes a year of monthly meetings, more meetings, countless emails, phone calls and tremendous coordination among a small, dedicated group of volunteers to organize and

present the Holiday Lighting Festival,” Pound said. “I speak for every last one of the board members when I say it is an honor and privilege to bring this event to the community.”

Aside from the spectacle of lights, the Holiday Lighting Festival prides itself on diverse performances.

With all the stages and venues to choose from, festival-goers will face some tough decisions between the various choirs, dance groups, orchestras and lab bands.

Carol Lynn Mizell, director of The Handbells at Strickland Middle School, has been involved with the festival in some form or fashion since its inception. In 2007, she started bringing the joy of handbells out of the church and into the streets.

“Yes, the handbells are the same that one might see in a Church,” Mizell said. “In fact, the instruments I use at Strickland are borrowed from First United Methodist Church of Denton.

They are transported between the church and the school several times per week.”

Dance and ballet can be found in abundance this year.

Attendees will be able to see movement pieces from the Bal-

Santa Claus helps Simon Anghel pull the switch to light the tree at the 2014 Denton Holiday Lighting Festival.

Photos by David Minton/DRC

Attendees enjoy last year’s Holiday Lighting Festival. let Folklorico de Woodrow Wilson and the Silhouette Dance Company, as well as the annual performance of scenes from The Nutcracker by the Festival Ballet of North Central Texas. This year marks its 15th performance for the lighting festival.

“The Tree Lighting festival began around the same time Festival Ballet’s Nutcracker offered its talents to the area, and so we are so pleased to be recognized and included as part of this annual Denton tradition,” said Eldar Valiev, artistic director of the Festival Ballet.

Once the sun goes down and the lights go up, festival-goers will congregate around the main stage to experience some jingle bell rock. The main stage’s “Holiday Spectacular” is organized by David Pierce, the same mind that brings Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival to life every year at Halloween. This year, there will be a barrage of live music including Bonnie & Nick Norris, Issac

Hoskins and the Glass Mountain Orchestra, Bubba Hernandez, Hares on the Mountain, UNT Brazilian Percussion Ensemble, Eric Pulido of Midlake, Rosana Eckert from UNT Jazz Studies and the Denton Holiday Lighting Orchestra. Also, Denton’s own Paul Slavens will round out the evening by reading a classic holiday story.

The Holiday Lighting Festival kicks off at 5:30 p.m. Friday on the square and runs until 9 p.m. The organizers request attendees bring new, unwrapped toys to be donated to Denton County families in need. These items can be dropped off at the Little Guys truck on the northeast corner of the Square. Pound also encourages festival-goers to avoid the traffic by parking at the MedPark station and riding the A-train to the Downtown Denton Transit Center. She advises people to use the code words “Sleigh Ride” for a free round trip. (If you live in town, consid-

er carpooling with friends.)

For Dentonites and organizers, the Holiday Lighting Festival is more than an evening of fun.

It is an event for the community to come together and experience the joy of the season — something Pound never takes for granted.

“I have a deep love and re-

spect for this community and the people in it, and I am honored to be part of the committee that makes this event happen,” Pound said. “It may be corny, but its about as heart-warming as it gets.”

For a full schedule of festival events, see tomorrow’s issue of Denton Time in the Denton Record-Chronicle.

A crowd of people makes their way across the Square at last year’s festival.

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Christmas in Denton County

SHADES OF JOY CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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Holiday Coloring Contest

The Denton Record-Chronicle invited elementary school children to submit a Christmas holiday theme drawing during our holiday coloring contest. The lucky winner will help Santa turn on the lights at the 27th annual Denton Holiday Lighting Festival this Friday. Included below are some of the entries received.

Ryder Hodges age 7

Eden Brumfield age 8.5

Alainna Miller age 6

Arthur Tjandramulia age 8

Marcellus Jackson age 6

Sidney Castro age 7

Dylan Tran age 6

Roslyn Ruyle age 10

Emmanuel Picazo age 9

Jaron Tapley age 8

Ian Guzman age 6

Samantha Aydelott age 6

Ben Floyd age 6

Bobbi Eckels age 10

Sylvia Rahmlow age 6

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Christmas in Denton County

Denton State Supported Living Center fundraiser planned Staff Report Volunteers for the Denton State Supported Living Center and WBAP-AM will lead the “Christmas is for Caring” fundraising campaign Monday through Dec. 11.

The Volunteer Services Council has helped raise money for the center for 37 years, partnering with area media outlets to pay for things the state of Texas doesn’t. The group has funded medical and mobility equipment as well as improvements on the grounds. The center is located on Denton State School

Road in southern Denton.

“Our longtime friend Neil Sperry will once again lead the event,” said Susan Dean, director of community relations for the center.

Donors may call the station’s phone bank at 214-525-2500 between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. during each day of the drive. All contributions go straight to the council and are tax-deductible.

Donors also can give a gift directly to residents at the center.

Residents have a wide variety of items on their Christmas wish lists, from backpacks and board games to music and movies.

The council asks that the gifts be wrapped and tagged, and not include any glass, food or gift cards. More information on the wish list can be found on the council’s website, www.vsc denton.org, or by calling 940591-3634.

Dean invites the public to see it all come together — Santa, presents and dancing — at the annual WBAP Christmas party at the center.

Doors to the gymnasium open at 6 p.m. Dec. 17.

“It’s guaranteed to bring a smile to your face and joy to your heart,” Dean said.

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

‘Emma’ celebrates season in all forms of dance

By Rhiannon Saegert Staff Writer

In Denton, you can take your pick between sugar plum fairies and swing dancing elves. Or you can enjoy both in one weekend, thanks to a pair of local ballet companies.

Denton City Contemporary Ballet stages its annual Christmas show A Gift for Emma at 7:30 pm Dec. 19 and 2 p.m. Dec. 20 at Margo Jones Performance Hall, which is on the first floor of the Texas Woman’s University Music Building at Pioneer Circle and Oakland.

Artistic director and company founder Lisa Racina-Torre said the original show grew out of a smaller, informal show her studio put on every Christmas.

By 1998, she said she had choreography set to music from The Nutcracker, but didn’t want to stage another version of the ballet, despite its status as the only classical ballet traditionally performed at Christmas.

“I took the choreography I had, and I made up a story about a little orphan girl, Emma, who gets blown into the dance studio by the Arctic wind,” Racina-Torre said. “She falls asleep and has a dream, and in the dream she goes to the Garden of Dreams, the Sea of Miracles, and ends up at the palace of the snow princess.”

Racina-Torre said her classical ballet background informed the show, but inspiration came from different places. Suit jackets donated by Racine-Torre’s father became costumes for the Swinging Elves, who mess up the tidy ballet studio and fill it with toys at the beginning of the show.

“He was a musician as I grew up, and he had all these suits because he would go work in night clubs and country clubs,” Racina-Torre said of her father, “and I had this wonderful swing music, and I love vaudeville style, so I created the swinging elves.”

Barbie dolls are jazz dancers, while GI dolls and toy robots prefer hip-hop. Dancers representing the Arctic wind, the whispering wind and butterflies perform modern, but snowflakes stick to classical ballet.

The spiders that trap Emma in a web later in the show do so on pointe, while performing contemporary ballet.

The show started small and evolved over the years but always includes different genres of dance and music. Movie themes, hip-hop, Cirque du Soleil music and classical ballet scores have been incorporated into the show. Racine-Torre said the show changes a little bit every year, depending on the number of students in the show and their strengths.

“I’m a really big proponent of training dancers in all dance genres. So if I have really good hip-hop dancers, really good jazz dancers, really good modern dancers and tap dancers, what are they going to do in a Christmas show?” Racina-Torre said. “So I needed to come up with something that involved all the genres, and it’s worked out really well because it seems to have something in there for everybody.”

Tickets are between $15 and $20 for reserved seats and $25 at the door. Tickets can be bought online by visiting http:// bit.ly/1MPMipc.

Courtesy photos

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Wassail Weekend to attract thousands

By Ladonna Campbell For the Denton Record-Chronicle

Visitor and vendor expectations are heating up for Wassail Weekend on Friday and Saturday.

The 17th annual Wassail Fest — the free-to-the-public, hot cider recipe tasting competition for Denton downtown merchants — was concocted by Denton Mainstreet Association to accompany the Holiday Lighting Festival in 1999.

Soon, taste-testers of all ages will flood the town center as in past years to taste free wassail samples and qualify for door prizes from this year’s 38 merchants, all vying to be crowned King or Queen of Wassail. Also up for grabs: the titles of Duke or Duchess for second place and Lord or Lady of Wassail for third place.

Never had a sip? Wassail is a traditional spicy apple cider beverage served hot. The drink is heralded in European holiday caroling celebrations. Wassail Weekend serves up participants’ recipes of the drink. In years past, the samplings have been diverse. Some are fruity and sweet, and others have a surprising, peppery finish. Most entries can boast a soothing signature scent — cinnamon, lemon and cider mingling in a homey way.

The beginning Wassail is an old English term derived from various meanings over the years. It’s been a reference to a walk through orchards, a hot spicy beverage, a toast to one’s health and a lively jaunt through neighborhoods wishing revelers well.

However, all of the meanings seem to embody the Denton Wassail Fest event — a lively party where revelers roam, sipping spicy hot cider with their neighbors and drinking to one’s health.

Wassail Fest has grown from a small activity that first lured hundreds to an event that now attracts thousands.

The 2014 merchant counts put attendance at around 3,000, and this year organizers anticipate 4,000 tasters. Julie Glover, Economic Development Program Administrator for the City of Denton, remembers planning the first Wassail Fest.

Organizers saw the event as a way to entice Holiday Lighting attendees “off the lawns” of Denton’s courthouse and into the downtown stores, Glover said.

Now, thousands of wassail cups and sales later, Wassail Fest is big business. Festival crowds are so large that starting last year, Denton Merchant Association officials changed it from a one to two-day event. Now many merchants say Wassail Weekend is their biggest time of the year.

Glover explained that though the event is free, “it plants seeds,” and generates business from tasters, who either become shoppers on-the-spot, or return to purchase items they noticed while wassailing.

Serious competition Glover said vendors fuel the event. She’s seen them abandon their tried-and-true simple crockpots for larger, sturdier equipment that holds higher quantities liquid that usually runs out by night’s end.

“Merchants may spend up to several hundred dollars, producing as much as 12 gallons of juice,” Glover said.

Some retailers keep their recipes a secret, while others share their ingredients with tasters.

“Oh, it’s a great day for us,” said Claire Amano, owner of Serendipity on the Square. “Last year, we sold out of cider after going through 2,000 cups. All through the first year, customers would buy from us and declare ‘I first found you at Wassail Fest.’”

Amano described the lengths to which she and husband Jeff prepare their store, such as rearranging their floor plan to handle the traffic and giving their

original drink a name, “The Waffle Wassail.”

How to Wassail The public can judge merchant cider creations by casting ballot votes, either in-person or online. The “royal titles” of Wassail Fest are selected by the tasters. Voters can pick up ballots at the Wassail Information Booth on 109 W. Hickory St. by the old Evers Hardware Building.

Participants also can vote online on Facebook, at the Downtown Denton – Denton Main Street Association page. Tasting is free and open to all ages.

Tasters can vote Friday evening during Denton’s annual Holiday Lighting Festival or at the Saturday tastings. A list of the 38 wassail merchant tasting “stops” is available on the events page of the website, www. dentonmainstreet.org.

Information will also be posted on Downtown Denton-Denton Main Street Association social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @DentonMSA. Completed ballots qualify for door prize drawings. Prizes will be awarded after Wassail Weekend.

For Wassail Fest 2015, Event Coordinator Christine Gossett said that returning cider samplers will recognize the repeat “menu” of familiar sights and sounds of the event — the strolling musicians and carolers, make-and-take crafts, historic re-enactments, free spine screenings and the chance to win a $200 Holiday shopping spree.

New features include a Denton County Bar Association Food Drive, scheduled at the corners of Oak and Elm streets on the Denton courthouse lawn (visitors can donate non-perishable food and monies to Our Daily Bread soup kitchen); a “Selfies with Santa” contest detailed on DMA social media, and a selection of Wassail Weekend souvenir mugs for sale.

Planning to go? Organizers advised that event-goers should opt for nearby parking, watch out for special train ride discounts from DCTA and to bring flashlights to help in case you have to park at a distance. For more information, those interested should visit the Denton Mainstreet Association website at www.dentonmainstreet.org and click events or like them on Facebook.

Photos by David Minton/DRC

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

‘Nutcracker’ builds on local production’s foundation

Courtesy Photos

By Lucinda Breeding Features Editor cbreeding@dentonrc.com

The artistic director of Denton’s staging of The Nutcracker said he inherited a ballet that works and feels like a family, and his plan is to build on it.

“It’s still Mr. Nini’s choreography,” said Eldar Valiev, the artistic director who took the reigns of the Festival Ballet of North Central Texas from founder Hugh Nini back in 2011.

Valiev lead the effort with his late wife, Lilia, until her death last December.

“Mr. Nini’s choreography is very unique,” Valiev said. “The Nutcracker is a ballet that, of course, I’m familiar with and have done all over the world. But I can say that this Nutcracker is the best I’ve ever seen. Every single note of the music has its own movement in the choreography.

It’s very unique.”

The Festival Ballet has mounted the classic holiday ballet for so many years that the little dancers who started their

lifelong love affair with the ballet as baby buffoons have little dancers of their own.

Valiev conducted rehearsals for the annual ballet in August -he requires his students at Denton Ballet Academy to try out along with dancers from other studios and college dance departments -- cast about 180 dancers, ages four and up, in the ballet.

Young dancers fill the roles of tots, party goers and the corps de ballet. Intermediate, advanced and guest artist are dancing the famous solo roles - the moving toys, the Russians, Arabians, Chineses and others.

Valiev has brought guest artists, principal dancers from professional companies, to fill several roles. Nikola Hadjitanev, a principal dancer at the Sofia National Opera and Ballet in Bulgaria, returns to dance the roles of the Russian and the Snow King. As the Snow King, Hadjitanev will dance a pas de deux with Violeta Aleksandrova Angelova, an alumna of the Su-

zanne Farrell Ballet.

Hadjitanev joined the company’s Nutcracker last year, and this will be Angelova’s first production with the company.

“I think it’s important to keep the guest dancers in the ballet,” Valiev said. “Keeping that tradition is important. We want the highest quality, from the baby buffoons to the principals.”

Valiev said about 18 volunteer committees produce the show, from staffing the boutique at the show where Nutcrackerthemed merchandise is sold to loading the sets into the performance hall.

Valiev’s assistant, Melissa Glenn, has been auditioning for the ballet and appearing in it since childhood. Her parents still appear as the Stahlbaums in the party scene.

“She’s been doing the ballet since she was three years old,” Valiev said. “We have so many dancers -- and volunteers with ballet backgrounds -- who return each year. They love the Nutcracker.”

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Christmas in Denton County

Local churches plan special events

By Julian Gill Staff Writer

Several Denton churches are planning to ring in the holiday season with a little more than the traditional services.

Southmont Baptist Church is hosting a Christmas musical, “Shine on Us,” from 6:45 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 12 and 13 in the church. Tickets are free, and they can be picked up at the

HOLIDAY HOURS MON-SAT 9AM-8PM SUN 12:30-5:30

church’s front office.

The First United Methodist Church will host an evening in Bethlehem from 5 to 8 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 4, in the Ivey Garden (front lawn).

Attendees will celebrate Jesus’ birth with a live nativity, door prizes, petting zoo, storytelling, crafts, food, wassail, and more.

The church is also hosting its annual Christmas concert at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, in the Monroe Building. Several church ensembles, including Foo McBubba, the Men’s ensemble, and the Chancel Choir, will perform their favorite Christmas carols. Admission is free for both events.

St. Andrew Presbyterian choir will lead a special presentation of the Handel’s Messiah at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, in Fellowship Hall. The church will also host a Christmas pageant at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, in the sanctuary.

The First Baptist Church of Denton will be remodeling its children’s wing, and therefore will not be hosting its annual Christmas Celebration this year.

Keith McGee, the music minister at the church, said they plan to continue hosting the celebration next year.

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Cookie decorations that look, taste good Alison Ladman Associated Press

Sugar sprinkles are pretty, but they generally don’t taste like much. So when we created these delicious holiday butter cookies, we decided to experiment with colorful decorations that taste as good as they look.

Our solution? Freeze-dried fruit. You’ll find a wide variety in either the produce or dry goods sections of the grocer. Buy a variety of fruits for a rainbow of colors. Strawberries, raspberries, mango, pineapple and blueberries are particularly nice. Then you just crush any larger pieces and sprinkle them over the glazed cookies. Instant color. Big flavor. ___ RAINBOW BUTTER COOKIES Start to finish: 45 minutes plus chilling Makes 60 cookies 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon table salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 egg yolks 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar 1/4 cup milk 2 tablespoons corn syrup Freeze-dried fruit (such as strawberries, mangos, pineapple or blueberries), coarsely crushed In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt and baking powder until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. Stir in the flour just until well mixed.

Set 2 sheets of waxed paper on the counter, then scoop half the dough onto each. Using slightly moistened hands and the paper to help, form the dough into logs about 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long.

Wrap the paper around the dough. Smooth the paper and twist the ends. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with kitchen parchment paper.

Unwrap 1 log of dough and slice into scant 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Turning the log as you cut it will help to keep the round shape.

Arrange the on the prepared pans, leaving 1 inch between the cookies. Bake for 9 to 11minutes, or until just starting to turn golden around the edges. Allow to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Repeat with the remainder of the dough.

Once the cookies are cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, milk and corn syrup. Spoon or pipe a small amount of glaze over the tops of each cookie, then immediately sprinkle with the crushed fruit pieces. Allow to set up completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week.

Nutrition information per serving: 70 calories; 30 calories from fat (43 percent of total calories); 3.5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol; 20 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 1 g protein. ___ Alison Ladman is a chef, food writer and recipe developer for The Associated Press. She also owns The Crust and Crumb Baking Company in Concord, New Hampshire.

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

11C

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Holiday cards with an artful edge

By Kim Cook Associated Press

Christmas and seasonal greeting cards have long been an artistic niche that inspires illustrators and designers.

Besides today’s ubiquitous family photo cards, contemporary designs often take advantage of advances in drafting and production — holography, music embeds, digital photography and laser-cutting among them.

Other designs begin life with time-honored tools like the paint pot, pencil box and scissors.

Shondra Neumayer of Portland, Oregon, combines modern vintage-style typography, folkarty woodland silhouettes and antique-style, marquee-light imagery with rustic barn-board backgrounds in cards she sells at her Etsy shop, InkDropDesign.

She began designing cards out of frustration with what she saw as a market filled with cheap and cheesy holiday cards. (https:// www.etsy.com/shop/inkdropdesign) “Going to the mailbox should be an exciting event,” she says.

“Each [year] I found myself asking the question, ‘Why can’t Christmas cards be cool?’”

In a series of cards sold at Society 6’s online store, Christina Rollo, a photographer in Binghamton, New York, makes intimate portraits of plump little chickadees and sparrows nestling among snowy boughs and berries. (www.society6.com) The Museum of Modern Art in New York has been selling holiday cards since 1954. Chay Costello, the museum’s associate director of marketing, says the card program began as a way to foster and encourage young and

emerging artists by exposing their work to a larger audience.

The program’s early years included work by Alexander Calder, Robert Indiana and Andy Warhol. Costello says Indiana’s famous “Love” illustration was originally created as a holiday card.

MoMA’s card art is selected through an open submission process, and the museum receives hundreds of designs annually. Pop-up cards have become particularly popular.

“We started to see an increasing trend toward cards with special features,” Costello says. “Instead of a card with graphic artwork on its front, many artists have begun to think three-dimensionally, with spiraling and fold-out elements and elaborately crafted pop-out constructions that result in a card that’s a gift in and of itself.”

The designs feature paper manipulation at its best: shimmering snowflakes, shooting stars, skiing reindeer, and holiday bouquets that “bloom” when the card is opened. There are twirling ornaments, sleds that swoosh through a forest, Santa perched precariously on a ladder decorating a tree, and a paper bucket full of holiday champagne.

New York-based Elsa Mora’s lantern-shaped card with intricately cut woodland flora and fauna is a favorite in the MoMA shop, Costello says. This year, Mora’s “Wintertale” card includes a village complete with homes, holly and dancing children. “Festive Dinner Table,” a card by artist Sophie Blackall of Brooklyn, opens to a holiday dinner party. (www.momastore.org) Other creative cards, pop-up and not, are available at Papyrus, Galison and the Art Institute of Chicago’s web shop, among other places. The crafts site Etsy.com had over 90,000 Christmas card offerings in a recent search. (www.papyrus.com ; www.galison.com)

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Holiday Coloring Contest

The Denton Record-Chronicle invited elementary school children to submit a Christmas holiday theme drawing during our holiday coloring contest. The lucky winner will help Santa turn on the lights at the 27th annual Denton Holiday Lighting Festival this Friday. Included below are some of the entries received.

Maggie Wainscott age 11

Abigail Kim age 11

Emilia Hernandez age 10

Alycea Morales age 9

Tucker Pace age 10

Daniella Farris age 10

Britt Pace age 8

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Tortilla cookies focus on fun Alison Ladman Associated Press

Like the idea of baking holiday cookies, but hate the mess and trouble of baking? These are the cookies for you.

This recipe lets you focus on the fun parts of making cookies — cutting out the shapes and decorating them. Instead of a classic cookie dough, we cut our cookies from flour tortillas, which then get brushed with melted butter and seasoned with a warming blend of cinnamon, cayenne, cocoa and sugar.

Once baked, the cookies get a sweet lime juice glaze followed by a sprinkle with whatever candy decorations you like. Holiday cookies have never been so easy! ___ MEXICAN TORTILLA CUT OUTS Start to finish: 30 minutes Makes 48 cookies 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Pinch of cayenne 2 teaspoons cocoa powder Four 10-inch flour tortillas 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon corn syrup 3/4 cup powdered sugar Colored sugars and sprinkles, to decorate

Heat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment.

In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, cayenne

and cocoa powder. Brush the tortillas liberally on both sides with the butter. Using 2-inch cookie cutters of your choice, cut out as many cookies from the tortillas as you can fit.

Sprinkle the cut tortillas all over on both sides with the sugar mixture, then arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, or until crisp. Allow to cool, then prepare the icing.

In a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, corn syrup and powdered sugar, adjusting the consistency with more sugar or a couple drops of additional lime juice as needed to make a thick glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies, then sprinkle immediately with your choice of sprinkles or sugars. Allow to set up for several hours. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 weeks.

Nutrition information per serving: 50 calories; 20 calories from fat (40 percent of total calories); 2.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 7 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 1 g protein.

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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Subscription gifts bring many months of merry

By Kim Cook Associated Press

Suffering from a pre-holiday “what to give” headache? The prescription may be a subscription.

Subscription gifts, one of the hottest retail trends, literally keep on giving: New installments arrive over the course of weeks or months.

While the idea isn’t new (remember those record-of-themonth clubs?), the breadth and variety of what you can subscribe to is. Everything from Anna Sui makeup to zebra masks for kids. Freshly-pressed records, juices and high-fashion togs. Mystery boxes for people and for pets.

If your loved one is more into Content than Stuff, consider ordering a subscription for ebooks, movie passes, or classes in art, cooking or exercise.

“They’re a great improvement on the gift card,” says Neale Martin, a consumer expert and CEO at Sublime Behavior Marketing in Marietta, Georgia; like gift cards, subscription gifts are easy to buy, especially last-minute, at a variety of prices, but they also can be highly customized.

“The idea of giving a present that will be bringing smiles for months creates a very powerful reinforcement,” he said.

Liz Cadman founded a website, MySubscriptionAddiction.com, devoted to boxes containing a mix of items each month.

That improves the odds that your recipients will like what you gave them, she says: “Boxes give you variety. Most include five-plus items, so you know someone’s going to like at least a few of them.”

Many local stores will work with customers to put together subscription-gift options. For ideas, here are some online offerings:

The

___ HOME Decoterie sends a curated box of limited-edition home accessories and textiles — coasters, thank-you notes and a personalized ceramic bowl were among items in this summer’s box. (www.cratejoy.com/decoterie) Burke Décor’s subscriptions include a mix of home, spa and travel accessories. (www.burkedecor.com) Set your style parameters at Linen Crate and get a monthly box of tablecloths, placemats, towels or rugs, as well as coordinating items like platters and spa accessories. (www.linencrate.com) The edible subscription universe is vast and varied. Chocolate of the Month, Bacon of the Month, Spice to Meet You, Candy Japan and Original Craft Beer Club are all services that might appeal to foodies. Pressed Juicery sends an array of green, root, citrus and fruit juices. ___ WOMEN There are all kinds of beauty, fashion and wellness subscriptions, many of which ask you to describe your personal style and makeup parameters; the companies take it from there.

Birchbox, a subscription pioneer, offers monthly boxes of sample sizes and one full-size product. (www.birchbox.com) From Stitch Fix, five new wardrobe items, chosen by a stylist, appear at the door. Send an e-gift card that your recipients can redeem; they select delivery dates, keep what they want and return the rest in the prepaid mailing bag. (www.stitchfix.com) At Quarterly, prominent people like Nina Garcia, creative director of Elle Décor, and science icon Bill Nye create their own boxes and include a personal note outlining why they chose

what they did. Nye’s boxes have included bow ties and cardboard DNA models. (www.quarterly.co) Cadman recommends Popsugar Must Have as a subscription gift for women. “It’s $40 a month, and they send a variety of beauty, fashion, home, food and fitness items,” she says. October’s box included a satin pillowcase and a gift card for monogrammed jewelry. (www.musthave.popsugar.com) ___ MEN With Dollar Shave, you choose the style of blade and razor you want and refills arrive on the schedule you determine. (www.dollarshaveclub.com) Or try Bespoke Post, Cadman says: “It’s $45 a month and they deliver high-quality items (think ties, barware, grooming kits, shoes, etc.). Each month they announce new box options, and your giftee gets to pick which one they want.”(www.bespokepost.com) At Chicago-based Trunk Club, a stylist gathers a clothing selection which you preview and approve online. When the items arrive in a box, you can nix them if they don’t fit or don’t look right. (www.trunkclub.com) Socks are sometimes called a lame gift, but what about a whole year’s worth of cool ones?

Soul Socks, which sends a house-designed pair of Peruvian cotton socks each month, helps support job-training programs for American high schoolers. (www.soulsocks.com) ___ KIDS Arts and crafts are a fun subscription gift for children; each month brings a new box of creative possibilities. Check out Green Kid Crafts and Art in a Box. (www.greenkidcrafts.com ; www.artinabox.net) Tinker Crate offers puzzles

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and engineering challenges for 9- to 12-year-olds. (www.tinker.kiwicrate.com) Spangler Science Club, aimed at kindergartners through sixth graders, sends enough stuff each month for over a dozen science experiments. (www.spanglerscienceclub.com) My Geek Box centers around a theme — “sidekicks” and “justice” were recent ones — with geek gear, collectibles and T-

shirts. (www.mygeekbox.co.uk) GiftLit sends monthly book boxes, while Brickbox’s niche is — you guessed it — all things Lego. (www.giftlit.com ; www.brickbox.com) Expose your budding 3- to 12-year-old traveler to new places with Little Passports.

Young armchair globetrotters get started with a little suitcase and a map. Then comes a monthly array of activity kits, gadgets, stickers and souvenirs

that explore sciences and world cultures. (www.littlepassports.com) Citrus Lane sends boxes skewed to babies, toddlers or preschoolers, full of quality toys, games and snacks. (www.citruslane.com) ___ PETS Barkbox lets pets in on the subscription-gift game with dog and cat toys and treats arriving monthly. (www.barkbox.com)

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

SHADES OF JOY CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Holiday Coloring Contest

The Denton Record-Chronicle invited elementary school children to submit a Christmas holiday theme drawing during our holiday coloring contest. The lucky winner will help Santa turn on the lights at the 27th annual Denton Holiday Lighting Festival this Friday. Included below are some of the entries received.

Kei Maeda age 6

Abisay MuĂąoz age 11

Joshua Swift age 7

Lilly Aydelott age 10

Madison Tribble age 10

Jacob Castro age 8

Karissa Thiele age 9

Lily Ruyle age 7

Claudia Kensinger age 8

Brandy Ramirez age 10

Torben Richter age 7

Emiliano Fernandez age 6

Kohen Erdmann age 5

Blaine Marshall age 8

Griffin Evans age 8

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Youth company performs ‘Modern Christmas Carol’

By Lucinda Breeding Features Editor

Young actors are performing a new take on the holiday classic in Denton this weekend.

The Denton Community Theatre Theatre School opens A Modern Christmas Carol by Ruth Ann Pattee.

Based on the famous novel

by Charles Dickens, A Modern Christmas Carol follows a young man named Ed. He’s a chronic grump, and his friends and family are starting to lose patience with him.

Just when it looks like Ed’s Scrooge-like outlook might have left him to grouse all by himself,

Ed is visited by his old friend Kaitlin and three ghosts of Christmas. They have a message for him, and how he responds could change Christmas for good.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. this Friday, Dec. 5, and 2 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday. Additional performances are 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 12-13.

Performances are at the POINTBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Tickets cost $10. Seating is general admission. Directed by Chris Adams.

For reservations, call 940-3821915.

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Holiday Coloring Contest

The Denton Record-Chronicle invited elementary school children to submit a Christmas holiday theme drawing during our holiday coloring contest. The lucky winner will help Santa turn on the lights at the 27th annual Denton Holiday Lighting Festival this Friday. Included below are some of the entries received.

Brynnli Pace age 6

McKenzie Tribble age 10

Alexis Holland age 9

Audrey Lamb age 7

Adrianna Wood age 8

Tommy Aarons age 9

Rei Maeda age 8 LB

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

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Christmas in Denton County

CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Farm animals in demand for Nativity scenes

By Melissa Kossler Dutton Associated Press

Some farmers have extra reason to rejoice at Christmas: Tis the season for renting out animals for live Nativity scenes and other holiday events.

Growing up in rural Burlington, Wisconsin, one of Larry Squire’s favorite Christmas traditions was helping to set up a Nativity scene in his uncle’s barn.

“We borrowed the animals from all over the neighborhood,” he recalled.

So several years ago, Squire brought the tradition to Cargill United Methodist Church in his current hometown of Janesville, Wisconsin, renting animals from petting zoos and small farms. The church rents two pens’ worth of animals to stand next to a makeshift stable alongside volunteers dressed as Mary, Joseph, angels and the three wise men.

“It’s a beautiful thing. There’s a calm and peacefulness that comes from having the animals there,” Squire said.

Farm animals, reindeer and camels are in high demand between Thanksgiving and Christmas, said Megan Powell, event coordinator at Honey Hill Farm, a mobile petting zoo with locations in Berry, Kentucky, and Utica, Ohio.

“We will do 25 to 30 events in one weekend,” Powell said. “It’s not uncommon for us to sell out.”

Renting animals for Christmas programs helps pay for their food and upkeep, she said, and has been a huge growth area for the business.

“Churches love it,” Powell said. “We didn’t create the demand. We just became overwhelmed by it.”

Jodi Collen, an event planner at Augsburg College in Minneapolis and president of the International Special Events Society, explains it this way: “As event professionals, it doesn’t take you long to say, ‘I’m organizing a Nativity and I can get a donkey — why wouldn’t I get a donkey?’”

Honey Hill works with dozens of churches, schools and businesses to provide sheep, donkeys and goats for live Nativity scenes, said Powell, whose mother started the business about 15 years ago with a pony that she rented for birthday parties. “It really took off and she started adding animals.”

Rentals start at $325 an hour for a group of animals, depending on which ones are requested and for how long. In most cases, Powell said, visitors are allowed to touch and pet the animals.

“We do have a camel,” she said. “But we only have one — so he goes really fast.”

Few petting zoos and traditional farms raise camels, and they are harder to incorporate into programs and exhibits, said Bob Hudelson of Lost River Game Farm in Orleans, Indiana.

He raises foxes, skunks and other exotic animals.

“There are a lot of camels out there — just not a lot of tame camels,” he said.

Many churches want them, however: “The three kings definitely had camels on their journey to see Christ,” Hudelson said. “With the camel, you get more of a feel of the story.”

Customers also want reindeer, said Powell, who does not raise them but has thought about it.

“The demand for reindeer is really high,” she said.

From his farm in Knoxville, Tennessee, Kyle Wilson rents reindeer to malls, Christmas tree farms, zoos, hospitals and other businesses throughout the South. His prices start at $1,500 for a pair of reindeer for four hours.

“I currently have 21 reindeer but that’s not enough,” he said. “I started 15 years ago and each year I have had a record year.”

Families love to see Santa arrive with reindeer, said Amy Boyles, marketing manager of Kingsport Town Center in Kingsport, Tennessee.

“It’s an added thing for our community and kids,” she said.

“How many people get to see a reindeer? It gives them a bit of a wow factor.”

She has already booked “Dasher” and “Dancer” to appear with Santa during the mall’s Black Friday sale.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2015

CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Denton Holiday Lighting Festival F R I DAY

H I S TO R I C DECEMBER 4th COURTHOUSE 5:30-9:30PM on-the-SQUARE Community Toy Drive

Schedule of Events

Drop off your donations for the Elves Shelves at the intersection of Locust and Oak (northeast corner of the Square) from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

5:30 - 5:45 5:30 - 8:30 5:45 - 6:00

FREE PARKING in the Wells Fargo Bank and DATCU parking lots, DCTA MedPark Station (Secret Word: Sleigh Ride) , and the Denton County Historical Park.

6:00 - 8:30

dentonholidaylighting.com 8:00 - 9:30

Denton Community Band & Sing-Along Toy Drive Drop-Off Greetings from the Dignitaries Christmas Tree Lighting Entertainment on Stages, in the Courthouse, Historic Park , Wells Fargo & around the Square Wassail Fest at participating merchants (Fri. & Sat.) Children’s Arts and Crafts Booths Santa Claus Photographs ($7/photo) Horse-drawn Wagon Rides ($5/rider, 2 & under free) Denton Holiday Spectacular - Performance Stage

Event Sponsors Denton County Transporation Authority Denton Convention and Visitors Bureau Denton Municipal Electric AIA Insurance Agency, Inc. First State Bank Produce Results

First United Bank Little Guys Movers Texas Woman’s University NORTHSTAR BANK OF TEXAS AccessBank Texas Verus Real Estate

TEXAS Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Denton Reaper Minatures University of North Texas

In-Kind Sponsors:

AlphaGraphics · Bellissimo Foto Denton County · City of Denton Denton Parks & Recreation Produce Results · Pan Ector

The Denton Holiday Lighting Association, Inc. Board of Directors reserves the right to accept or refuse requests from community organizations to distribute information at the Holiday Lighting Festival event, without recourse from the organization. Requests to distribute information at the event must be made in writing, with a sample of the information to be distributed, at least 60 days prior to the event. For more information, visit www.dentonholidaylighting.com. The Denton Holiday Lighting Festival was started in 1988 by a group of volunteers. Today the annual tradition is continued by the efforts of volunteers and funded by donations from local businesses and individuals. For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.dentonholidaylighting.com or Facebook.

Join the 100/$100 Holiday Club Join your friends, family and community as a sponsor for the annual Denton Holiday Lighting Festival!

Your name will appear in the DRC Thank You ad, Facebook and Website.

Company/Name: ________________________________________ (Published Name):_____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ City/State/Zip: __________________________________________________ E-mail: _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Amount: q$100 q $500 q$1000 q Other __________________________________________________________________ q Check ________ qCredit/Debit q Cash q Company Invoiced (Contact) Credit/Debit #________________________________ Ex. ________Security Code ________Billing Zip ___________ For more sponsorship information or to make a donation visit www.dentonholidaylighting.com or Denton Holiday Lighting Festival PO Box 2765 • Denton, TX 76202

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CHRISTMAS IN DENTON COUNTY

Christmas in Denton County

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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Holiday events ONGOING Send someone a personalized letter from Santa — addressed from the North Pole — by calling Denton Parks & Recreation at 940-349-8285

by Dec. 3. Letters cost $2 per person.

SATURDAY 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — Holiday Market at the Denton Community Market, 317 W. Mulberry St. Final market day of the season includes vendors selling holiday items at their decorated booths, and a performance

by Vocal Magic choir. Admission is free. Visit www.dentonmarket.org.

THURSDAY, DEC. 3 8 p.m. — UNT College of Music’s “Sounds of the Holidays,” with five different choirs, brass and organ.

Audience sing-along, choral music, milk and cookies, and more, in Winspear Hall at the Murchison Performing Arts Center, off I-35E at North Texas Boulevard. Admission is $3. For reservations, visit www.thempac.com or call the box office at 940-3697802.

FRIDAY, DEC. 4 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. — Denton Holiday Lighting on the downtown Square, 110 W. Hickory St. Booths, music, wassail and lots of community performances, as well as a toy drive.

Free. For more information, visit www.dentonholidaylighting.com.

7:30 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre’s Theatre School presents A Modern Christmas Carol at the PointBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Seating is limited and general admission is $10. For tickets, call 940-382-1915 or visit www. dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

SATURDAY, DEC. 5 10 a.m. to noon — Santa’s Snap Shots for $5 per child at Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center, 1300 Wilson St. Children get to sit on Santa’s lap, tell him their wish list and get a picture taken. Pay at the door. $2 per additional prints. For more information, call 940-349-7275.

Noon to 7 p.m. — Holiday Stroll in Old Town Lewisville, starting with the North Pole Winter Wonderland parade at noon. Event includes community performances, photos with Santa, the Santa Paws Village, a toboggan run, pony rides, a petting zoo, snowball fun, an elf scavenger hunt, holiday arts and crafts, and the Old Town Christmas tree lighting at 5:15 p.m. The city will show the movie Elf at 5:45 p.m. in Wayne Ferguson Plaza. Attendees can bring blankets and chairs. Visit http://bit.ly/1SpfOpY. 2 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre’s Theatre School presents A Modern Christmas Carol at the PointBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Seating is limited and

Hickory St.Tickets cost $22 for adults, $18 for seniors 62 and older, $15 for students with valid ID and $10 for ages 12 and younger. Call 940-3821915 or visit www.dentoncommunity theatre.com.

general admission is $10. For tickets, call 940-382-1915 or visit www. dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

SUNDAY, DEC. 6 2 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre’s Theatre School presents A Modern Christmas Carol at the PointBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Seating is limited and general admission is $10. For tickets, call 940-382-1915 or visit www. dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

SUNDAY, DEC. 13

FRIDAY, DEC. 11 6:30 p.m. — Reindeer Romp 4.2-mile run and 2.5-mile walk at South Lakes Park, 556 Hobson Lane.

The race and walk course take participants through a neighborhood decked out for the holidays. Entry fee includes T-shirt, fruit, snacks and drinks at the finish line. A free holiday fun zone for children is included for parents and guardians who run and walk. $15 in advance, $20 for race-day registration. For more information, call 940-349-7275 or visit www. dentonparks.com 7:30 p.m. — Holidays with the UNT One O’clock Lab Band at McDavid Studio at Bass Performance Hall, 301 E. Fifth Street in Fort Worth.

With Alan Baylock conducting. $30.

Seating is general admission. Tickets are available online at www. basshall.com/mcdavidStudio.jsp.

7:30 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre’s Theatre School presents A Modern Christmas Carol at the PointBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Seating is limited and general admission is $10. For tickets, call 940-382-1915 or visit www. dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

7:30 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre presents A Tuna Christmas at the Campus Theatre, 214 W. Hickory St.Tickets cost $22 for adults, $18 for seniors 62 and older, $15 for students with valid ID and $10 for ages 12 and younger. Call 940-3821915 or visit www.dentoncommunity theatre.com.

SATURDAY, DEC. 12 2 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre’s Theatre School presents A Modern Christmas Carol at the PointBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Seating is limited and general admission is $10. For tickets, call 940-382-1915 or visit www. dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. — The Festival Ballet of North Central Texas presents The Nutcracker at Margo Jones Performance Hall, on the first floor of TWU’s Music Building at Oakland Street and Pioneer Circle.

Tickets cost $15-$35. Visit www. festivalballet.net.

7:30 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre presents A Tuna Christmas at the Campus Theatre, 214 W.

2 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre’s Theatre School presents A Modern Christmas Carol at the PointBank Black Box Theatre, 318 E. Hickory St. Seating is limited and general admission is $10. For tickets, call 940-382-1915 or visit www. dentoncommunitytheatre.com.

2 p.m. — The Festival Ballet of North Central Texas presents The Nutcracker at Margo Jones Performance Hall, on the first floor of TWU’s Music Building at Oakland Street and Pioneer Circle. Tickets cost $15-$35. Visit www.festivalballet.net.

2 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre presents A Tuna Christmas at the Campus Theatre, 214 W. Hickory St.Tickets cost $22 for adults, $18 for seniors 62 and older, $15 for students with valid ID and $10 for ages 12 and younger. Call 940-3821915 or visit www.dentoncommunity theatre.com.

FRIDAY, DEC, 18 7:30 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre presents A Tuna Christmas at the Campus Theatre, 214 W. Hickory St.Tickets cost $22 for adults, $18 for seniors 62 and older, $15 for students with valid ID and $10 for ages 12 and younger. Call 940-3821915 or visit www.dentoncommunity theatre.com.

SATURDAY, DEC. 19 9 to 11 a.m. — Breakfast with Santa for children ages 1-12 at the Denton Civic Center, 321 E. McKinney St. Event also includes a bounce house, face painting and holiday crafts. Register by Dec. 17 by calling 940-349-7275 or by visiting www.dentonparks.com. Cost is $10 per child in advance, $13 at the door.

Adults may dine for $3.

7:30 p.m. — Denton City Contemporary Ballet presents A Gift for Emma, a holiday fantasia in dance for all ages, featuring dancers from Denton Dance Conservatory. At Margo Jones Performance Hall, on the first floor of TWU’s Music Building at Oakland Street and Pioneer Circle.

Tickets cost $15-$21. Visit www. dentondance.com or www.denton citycontemporaryballet.org.

7:30 p.m. — Denton Community Theatre presents A Tuna Christmas at the Campus Theatre, 214 W. Hickory St.Tickets cost $22 for adults, $18 for seniors 62 and older, $15 for students with valid ID and $10 for ages 12 and younger. Call 940-3821915 or visit www.dentoncommunity theatre.com.

KRUM’s North Pole Days

A AR

DE OF LIGH T

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U ILI S PPER H C After Parade

S

P

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FT SHOW A R

$5 Donation

C Vendor Applications Online

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