Christmas Eve

Looking for a special meal on Christmas Eve? Well, look no further than Five Crowns, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, which will be offering a special holiday menu Dec. 24. Courses such as butternut squash soup, lobster bisque and the eateries’ popular roasted prime ribs will be served. Holiday choices will also include roasted goose in Riesling-raisin sauce with mashed yams and roasted Long Island duckling served on a bed of apples and prunes. The price for the entrees, including the first course, ranges from $33 to $52. To add to the holiday magic, carolers will sing nightly until Dec. 30. The regular menu will also be offered nightly throughout the holidays.

Miracle stories told during the Christmas season usually come packaged neatly with tidy endings that produce tears of happiness and smiles all around. This one is different. Though it's being told on Christmas Eve, this story set in Newport Beach is about a slow-motion miracle that's been unfolding daily in nearly indiscernible increments over the past six years. And the ending may still be decades away. Maybe because of those characteristics and the undaunted courage of the story's real-life characters, this tale is as inspirational as any — Christmas or otherwise — you'll ever hear.

The following civic offices will be closed at various times because of the holidays. Newport Beach City Hall will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, as well as New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Trash collection and street sweeping will not take place on Christmas or New Year's Day. For more information, call the city's General Services Department at (949) 644-3055. Costa Mesa City Hall will be closed Christmas Day. The Newport-Mesa Unified School District office will be closed from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. It will reopen Jan. 2. School will resume on Jan. 7. The Orange County Board of Supervisors has canceled a month's worth of meetings during the holidays.

COSTA MESA — First it was the hymns and melodies depicting Jesus' birth, then it was the incense that led parishioners toward St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church on Thursday. They were there to celebrate Christmas. Armenian Orthodox Christians have been celebrating Christmas on Jan. 6 since Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301, said Pastor Moushegh Tashjian, the church's archpriest reverend. Dressed in a long white robe, Tashjian led the 10:30 a.m. service, while worshipers continued to arrive from throughout Orange County and the rest of Southern California.

Ruth Lorene Smith passed away peacefully in Yorba Linda on Christmas Eve at the age of 90. Ruth’s accomplishments were many, but none greater than her love for her family. She was predeceased by her husband Wes, son Kim and 2 sisters. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Flinn Rawlins (Brad), sons Dale Smith (Mary Jo) and Bob Smith (Judy) as well as 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

WEATHER Believe it or not, it's raining. so keep the umbrella handy again today. See Page A2 SPORTS Estancia High's boys basketball team ran wild in the first round of the Garden Grove Tournament, to the tune of 81-29 over El Monte. See Page A6 CHRISTMAS WISHES Lists are being made; the checking's still to come. But by now, just about everyone knows what they're asking Santa to bring for Christmas. We're asking that you send your Christmas wishes to us. We'll publish them on our Forum pages on Christmas Eve. Call our Readers Hotline at (949)

One driver was killed and three people were injured in a fiery Christmas Eve crash on East Coast Highway, near Jamboree Road, authorities said. At about 5:12 p.m., a westbound Ferrari lost control along East Coast Highway, jumping the median and smashing head-on into a tow truck that was heading in the opposite direction, police said, citing an initial investigation. There were two people in each vehicle. The Ferrari’s driver was killed, and the vehicle caught fire, police said.

One-and-a-half-year- old Charli Krotts cried when her parents took her to sit on Santa’s lap at Fashion Island on Saturday. “She’s scared of Santa — this is about the fourth or fifth time we’ve come to see him,” said father Jason Krotts, of Newport Beach. But Charli’s sister, Olivia Krotts, is a Santa veteran, bravely sitting on the bearded man’s lap. “I already sent my letter to Santa,” Olivia said Saturday.

"Joyeux Noel" ("Merry Christmas") recounts the wondrous events of Christmas Eve, 1914, when soldiers in the trenches of World War I declared a brief truce. Christian Carion wrote and directed this Oscarnominated movie, which is based on true events so unlikely they seem fictional. Anna Sorenson (Diane Kruger) is a famous soprano of Danish origin, and her lover is a renowned German tenor named Nikolaus Sprink (Benno Furmann) who is now fighting on the Western front. Anna pulls some strings and is given a pass to entertain some of the officers on Christmas Eve, and Sprink is allowed to join her. Improbably, she follows Sprink when he goes back to the trenches so she can sing for his men. There are some lovely, surreal images and sounds in this movie: Little Christmas trees aglow with candles line the German trenches; Scottish soldiers sing about home, accompanied by the mournful sound of bagpipes; a French soldier has an alarm clock that always rings at 10 a.m., the time he always had coffee with his mother; a friendly tabby cat trots between the French and German camps so often it is later convicted of treason.

Geraldine Lois Nack was ushered into heaven on Christmas Eve.  Born February 24, 1941 to Herman and Lucille Nack, Gerry grew up in the Newport Harbor area.  She graduated from Newport Harbor HS, OCC (AA), Cal State Fullerton (BA), and Presbyterian School of Christian Education (MA). Gerry spent her whole life tirelessly serving others.  Both congregations of St. Andrew's Presbyterian and Redeemer Presbyterian were touched by her selfless love and service to others.  She modeled a life lived for the glory and honor of Jesus Christ.

COSTA MESA — First it was the hymns and melodies depicting Jesus' birth, then it was the incense that led parishioners toward St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church on Thursday. They were there to celebrate Christmas. Armenian Orthodox Christians have been celebrating Christmas on Jan. 6 since Armenia became the first nation to adopt Christianity in 301, said Pastor Moushegh Tashjian, the church's archpriest reverend. Dressed in a long white robe, Tashjian led the 10:30 a.m. service, while worshipers continued to arrive from throughout Orange County and the rest of Southern California.

Miracle stories told during the Christmas season usually come packaged neatly with tidy endings that produce tears of happiness and smiles all around. This one is different. Though it's being told on Christmas Eve, this story set in Newport Beach is about a slow-motion miracle that's been unfolding daily in nearly indiscernible increments over the past six years. And the ending may still be decades away. Maybe because of those characteristics and the undaunted courage of the story's real-life characters, this tale is as inspirational as any — Christmas or otherwise — you'll ever hear.

Many Christmases ago, I was privileged to meet and write about a man who represented the spirit of Christmas better than anyone I had ever known. I was a rookie freelance writer on my first assignment for the Saturday Evening Post. He was a 47-year-old tool crib attendant for the International Harvester Company named Joe Swedie. He had come to the attention of Post editors because he brought so much joy and light into the dark world of sick and disabled children. Perfect, we all agreed, for a Christmas issue.

Are people really nicer at Christmas? I think so. I know I am. Most of the year, I just know that if I see another story about the Kardashian sisters, I'm moving to the smallest village I can find in Moldavia. But this time of year I tell myself, "Know what? I have no idea what they do or why they're famous, but just go with it. It's Christmas. " But there is at least one man in Costa Mesa who is not only super nice all year long, but even nicer at Christmas, which is funny, because Christmas is not exactly a red letter day on his calendar.

Have you ever noticed there are no benches in graveyards? No one wants to stay for long among the dead. Sometimes, seats or benches are provided for a funeral, but they are temporary and removed as soon as the family leaves. But if you do come to rest among the dead, you will notice things: The ancient graveyard behind the abandoned church has a newly painted picket fence; the bright green Mylar balloon can't wait to soar to heaven and waits for someone to cut its tether to the Earth; even the fastest drivers slow down to the pace of the honor guard; and the real graveyards are never decorated for Halloween.

Ruth Lorene Smith passed away peacefully in Yorba Linda on Christmas Eve at the age of 90. Ruth’s accomplishments were many, but none greater than her love for her family. She was predeceased by her husband Wes, son Kim and 2 sisters. She is survived by her daughter, Susan Flinn Rawlins (Brad), sons Dale Smith (Mary Jo) and Bob Smith (Judy) as well as 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren.

One driver was killed and three people were injured in a fiery Christmas Eve crash on East Coast Highway, near Jamboree Road, authorities said. At about 5:12 p.m., a westbound Ferrari lost control along East Coast Highway, jumping the median and smashing head-on into a tow truck that was heading in the opposite direction, police said, citing an initial investigation. There were two people in each vehicle. The Ferrari’s driver was killed, and the vehicle caught fire, police said.

Ralph Abinader was killed Thursday evening after the driver of the Ferrari he rode in crashed into a tow truck on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. The driver, whose name has not been released, was going westbound on Pacific Coast Highway, near Jamboree Road, in a Ferrari at an excessive rate of speed when he jumped the center divider and crashed head-on into the tow truck that was driving eastbound, said Newport Beach Sgt. Steve Burdette. The Ferrari split into two pieces and caught fire.