“I loved the music,” said Jessica Galaviz, while inspecting the well-decked tree. “The students were really, really good.”
Galaviz was “dragged” by her friend, Malinee Chum, who says she has come to the event for about five years to find the perfect Christmas ambience.
“It’s fun, and really puts you in the Christmas mood,” she said, grinning.
“A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens’ classic tale of one man’s redemption of character, opened Friday at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa and will run through Dec. 24.
Now in its 28th year, actor Hal Landon Jr. will reprise the role of Scrooge, the character he has portrayed every year since 1980.
The production is considered a holiday tradition in Orange County.
“People talk about how Christmas starts with seeing ‘A Christmas Carol,’ ” Landon said.
Families of slain troops invited to O.C. festivities
U.S. Military families worldwide visited Orange County this week for the second annual Snowball Express, a local program aimed at bringing together families who have lost a mother or father in a post-9/11 conflict.
The program, which provides free transport, lodging, and meals for nearly 1,500 people, brought these families together for mutual support, concerts and even a trip to Disneyland.
Among them were Kathy Kennedy and her young son, Kevin, who flew from Hopkinsville, Ky. They said they were both excited — especially Kevin, who jumped with excitement.
“It’s truly overwhelming that so many people did this — it’s amazing,” she said, watching her son play. “It almost makes you cry, it really does.”
To donate, visit snowballexpress.org, or send a check to Snowball Express a 501(c)3 organization 2973 Harbor Blvd., No. 401, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.
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