Austin, TX

For areas outside Austin city limits here is some information on recycling your Christmas tree. Before recycling your tree, please remove all decorations, nails, wires, ornaments, tree stands, lights, and tinsel.

Pflugerville: Christmas Tree Recycling Dec. 26 - Jan. 7
Start Date: December 26, 2008
End Date: January 7, 2009
Description: The City will accept Christmas trees for recycling during the period described above. Please refer to the guidelines before bring your trees for recycling!
Location: Wells Point Park
Soccer Fields Parking Area
Located at Heatherwilde and Olympic
Contact: 512-252-5082
Email: parks@cityofpflugerville.com
Cost: N/C

Cedar Park: The City of Cedar Park will host the Annual Christmas Tree Recycling Program on January 3, 2009. Residents are invited to bring their trees, with all decorations, ornaments and stands removed, between the hours of 9:00 am and noon to the Cedar Park City Hall, located at 600 N. Bell Blvd.

Round Rock: The City of Round Rock encourages you to recycle your Christmas tree on Saturday December 27 or Saturday January 3, 2009 at the Round Rock Brush Recycling Center at 310 Deepwood Drive. Round Rock residents will get more than just a good feeling from recycling their Christmas trees, the City will give away a free seedling (while supplies last) to residents who bring their Christmas trees for recycling. Before recycling your tree, please remove all decorations, nails, wires, ornaments, tree stands, lights, and tinsel. The trees will be shredded into a fine, usable mulch which is free to Round Rock residents for pickup at the recycling center. The center is open from 9 am -6 pm for tree recycling on December 27, 2008 and January 3, 2009. Local businesses can also drop off their Christmas trees, and for a small fee ($15 per truckload), businesses that sell Christmas trees can recycle their leftovers as well. For more information, call 218-5540.

Georgetown: Bring your Christmas tree to the City of Georgetown’s Collection Station from January 2 through January 31 and we’ll grind it up and provide you with mulch, free of charge. The collected trees will be ground up weekly and then will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Please remove all garland, ornaments, lights, or tree stands before dropping off your tree. Bring a bag or container, your photo ID, and your current City of Georgetown utility bill because this service is only for residential utility customers in the City Limits. The Collection Station is located at 250 W.L. Walden Drive and is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Collection Station will be closed on December 25 and January 1. For further information, contact Rachel Osgood, Environmental Services, at (512) 930-8131 or by email at rosgood@georgetowntx.org.

Leander: The City of Leander will again accept live Christmas trees for recycling beginning Dec. 26th. Trees may be dropped off in the marked areas of the Robin Bledsoe Park parking lot during park hours. This free service will continue through January 11th. For more information on the tree recycling program, contact the Parks & Recreation department at (512) 528-9909.

Dripping Springs: Residents participating in the Christmas Tree Recycling Program should drop off their trees, also free of charge, at the Triangle, located at intersection of Hwy 290 and Ranch Road 12, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturdays, January 3 and 10, 2009. The mulch will be available on a first-come-first-service basis. Individuals picking up mulch should bring their own bags and tools required to carry it away.

For information about recycling your tree in the Austin city limits, click here.

Residents should use the following guidelines when recycling their trees:

* All trees six feet or taller should be cut in half
* Remove all ornaments, decorations, and tree stand
* Do not place tree in a “tree bag” before setting on the curb
* Only real Christmas trees may be recycled

For the 173,000+ Pay-As-You-Throw customers served by Solid Waste Services, recycling a Christmas tree is as easy as setting it on the curb. Solid Waste Services will pick up all trees with yard trimmings on regularly scheduled collection days. They are then recycled along with yard trimmings to make Dillo Dirt™. If the tree is taller than six feet, it should be cut in half.

For more information, call 3-1-1 or visit www.austinrecycles.com.

Pay-As-You Throw Customers - Curbside Collection
Convenient curbside collection of Christmas trees for recycling is available for Austin’s Pay-As-You-Throw customers. Beginning on December 26th, trees will be collected with yard trimmings. Please set your tree at the curb by 6:30am on your yard trimmings collection day. Be sure to remove all decorations and the stand. Trees 6ft. tall or taller must be cut in half.

City residents who do not have City of Austin garbage service can recycle their trees by dropping them off in Zilker Park at the designated times. The City will accept trees at Zilker Park on the following dates:

Zilker Park Christmas Tree Recycling Drop Off
City of Austin, Zilker Park: Drop off Christmas trees by the Polo Fields, (just follow the signs). from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 28th, 2008 and Saturday/Sunday, January 3rd and 4th 2009 and Saturday, January 10th. No businesses.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2008 (10 a.m. — 4 p.m.)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 3, 2009 (10 a.m. — 4 p.m.)
SUNDAY, JANUARY 4, 2009 (10 a.m. — 4 p.m.)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2009 (10 a.m. — 4 p.m.)

Map of Zilker Christmas Tree Drop-off Area:

→ ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS TREE DROP OFF SITES:

Other Travis County drop-off locations open from Dec. 28, 2006 – Jan. 6, 2009

• Del Valle Softball Complex, behind the Southwest Rural Center
• Manchaca Fire Hall, 1310 FM 1626
• RM 620 Low Water Crossing, Low Water Crossing Road
• TDS-Eco Depot, RM 620, east of Texas 71. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sundays
• Travis County Satellite Yard No. 1, Johnny Morris Road, one-half mile south of U.S. 290 East

Waste Management Landfill
9900 Giles Road, off of Highway
290 East

Dec. 26, 2008 – Jan. 6, 2009,
Mon. through Sat. with the exception of New Year’s Day.
Open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. weekdays

→ Mulch will be available from January 17, 2009 on a first come, first serve basis.

For those of you outside of Austin (Pflugerville, Georgetown, Leander…) click here.

There is a lot of great stuff going on this weekend at the Alamo:

Master Pancake Theatre CHRISTMAS SHOW
When: Fri, Dec 19 : Sat, Dec 20 :
Where: Alamo Ritz

After a 2-year absence, it’s the return of the famous Alamo Christmas Clip Show featuring Master Pancake Theater! Join us as we channel surf A.D.D.-style through a blizzard of clips from your favorite holiday TV specials and some weird holiday programs you never dreamed existed. Owen Egerton returns to team up with regulars John Erler and Joe Parsons for all the fun. We’ll also have an audience sing-along, some holiday snacks, and who knows, maybe even a little pudding and butter! Come join us at the Alamo this December as THE HOLIDAYS GET SLEIGHED!!

and Sunday: The CHRISTMAS POPS SING-ALONG!

This is the last Saturday to see these Adult shows:

X-Mas UnWrapped: A Holiday Burlesque ‘08
When: Thursdays - Saturday at 9:00pm
Where: Hyde Park Theatre, 511 W. 43rd Street
$$$: Tickets: $13 in advance, $18 at the door

Tis the Season! Once a year the Hyde Park Theatre turns into a naughty winter wonderland, and the guys and gals of Shrewd become your favorite Jingle Belles and Naughty Elves for a night of comedy, dance and classic burlesque. Shrewd Productions is proud to announce this year’s version of your favorite holiday treat, X-Mas UnWrapped: A Holiday Burlesque ‘08!

Christmas Belles
When: Thursday - Saturday 8:00 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m.
Where: The City Theatre Company, 3823 Airport Blvd. Suite D, 78722
$$$: General Seating $15 - $20

December in the Lone Star State - but the Futrelle sisters are not exactly in a festive mood. Frankie is overdue with twins, Twink’s in jail, and Honey Raye is trying to keep the Tabernacle of the Lamb’s Christmas pageant from spiraling out of control. Throw in a kidney-stone passing Santa, vengeful sheep, an Elvis impersonator, and a long- kept family secret and you’ve got “joy to the world” in true Texas fashion.

For my foodie friends out there, how about this one:

Central Market’s 5th Annual Christmas Extravaganza
When: Saturday, Dec 20
Where: Central Market North, 4001 N. Lamar
$$$: Free

Central Market and the Gospel According to Austin present the 5th Annual Charity Christmas Concert to Benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. Come here these artist play all your holiday favorites to raise money for the food bank. Monetary and food donation will be accepted at the concert. This concert will be held in the cafe area at Central Market North at 38th and Lamar.

12:00 – 1:30 Austin High School Jazz Big Band, performing Duke Ellington’s Nut Cracker Suite
2:00 – 3:00 First Baptist Church Choir & Handbells
3:30 – 4:00 Jon Ememry Band
4:15 – 4:45 George Ensle
5:00 – 5:30 Shinyribs
6:00 – 6:30 Olivier Gerraud’s Continental Graffiti
6:30 – 7:00 Donna Hightower with Continental Graffiti & Johnny Gimble
7:30 – 8:00 Johnny Gimble with Marshall Ford Swing Band
8:00 – 9:00 Marshall Ford Swing band

Get out, join the fun and support the Capital Area Food Bank!

>>>>>>Back to Page 1
>>>>>Page 2 - Last chances to see Santa in 2008

If you’re just getting around to taking the kids to see Santa and get pictures, you’re in luck, you still have just a couple of more opportunities:

Santa at Barton Creek Square
When: Daily 11/7/08 - 12/24/08
Where: Barton Creek Square, 2901 South Capital of Texas Highway
$$$: Free

Santa at Lakeline Mall
When: Daily 11/8/08 - 12/24/08
Where: Lakeline Mall, 11200 Lakeline Mall Drive, Cedar Park
$$$: Free

Santa at Highland Mall
When: Daily 11/22/08 - 12/24/08
Where: Highland Mall, 6001 Airport Boulevard, Austin
$$$: Free

Kids can visit with Santa in his village on the lower level near Men’s Dillard’s. Photo packages available for sale.

Cowboy Christmas at Enchanted Springs Ranch
When: 20 - 21 Dec 2008
Where: Enchanted Springs Ranch, 242 Hwy 46 W, Boerne, TX. 830-249-8222
$$$: $12 adults, $6 kids (ages 3-12), Kids under 3 are free

An active western town and movie set Shows, hayrides, caroling, petting zoo and a Cowboy Santa highlight this fun event!

Christmas Tidings at the French Legion
When: December 20, 2008, 10am-1pm
Where: The French Legation Museum, 802 San Marcos Street, Austin, TX
$$$: Free

The day will kick off with a visit from Pere Noel himself! Children of all ages are invited to visit from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. Professional pictures from SMB Photography (www.smbphotography.biz) will be available for purchase on site. Time with Pere Noel will be FREE of charge.

Free Photos with Santa
When: Dec. 20-21, Saturday 12-6p& Sunday 12-5p
Where: Mitchie Gallery, Lincoln Village Shopping Center, IH 35 N @ 290 Hwy W
$$$: FREE

Story Time for Kids, Refreshments & FREE Gift, Saturday, 1-2p. Mitchie’s Gallery specializes in
African & African American Fine Arts, Books, Cards, Calendars, Collectibles & Custom Framing

>>>>>>Back to Page 1
>>>>>Page 3 - Stuff for Big Kids (Adults) to do. Yeah, that means you…

Last weekend before Christmas. I am almost done with my shopping. Finally! If you still have shopping to do you might want to know that there are still a few holiday bazaars going on:

8th Annual Blue Genie Art Bazaar
When: December 3rd through December 24th, 2008
Open at 10:00am Daily
• Sunday through Thursday 10am to 10pm
• Friday through Saturday 10am to Midnight
• Sunday December 24th 10am to 6pm
Where: Monarch Events Center, 6406 North IH–35, Suite 3100
$$$: Free

Featuring over 80 artists and artisans, and running for 22 consecutive days, this year’s Art Bazaar will offer Holiday shoppers the opportunity to purchase unique, one-of-a-kind gifts in time for Christmas.

Armadillo Christmas Bazaar –
When: Dec. 12-24, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Where: Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 2, 500 E. César Chávez St. Enter on Trinity near 2nd Street. 512-447-1605
$$$: $3 weekdays before 7 p.m., $6 evenings and weekends

The 33rd annual Armadillo Christmas Bazaar will once again be at the Austin Convention Center. It remains the same truly Austin honky-tonk bar shopping experience that has made the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar one of the region’s most beloved holiday traditions - just a bigger venue.

Keep Austin Bizarre
When: Dec. 12-23, 11am-11pm
Where: Palmer Event Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd.
$$$: Adults $5, 12 Day pass $25, Children under 12 Free

With an atmosphere true to Austin, the holiday shopping event will feature over 100 local artists and small businesses selling unique gifts and fine, hand crafted items at affordable prices. In addition, there will be tribal, improvisational and yogic dance performances, capoeira, circus acts, and resident musicians who play while patrons shop. This year more of the community has joined hands with Keep Austin Bizarre and will include performances by groups such as the JCC (Jewish Community Center), Girls School of Austin Orchestra, Mexican American Cultural Center, Amala Foundation, Lululemon Athletica, Crossfit Central Kids, and the Zilker Elementary School kid’s choir. In addition, the bazaar is supporting the non-profit Africa Bound Corporation. Food and drink, including a full bar, will be available.

Etsy Holiday Bazaar
When: Fri.-Sun., Dec. 19-21
Where: Broken Neck, 4701 Red Bluff Ste. B.
$$$: $5 ($3, children)

Local bands all weekend, a skate demo on Saturday, and handmade items perfect for gifting as far as the eye can see. Everyone likes something handmade under the tree, especially when your hands were spared the work.

These are all great craft shows and bazaars that you won’t want to miss.

>>>>>Page 2 - Last chances to see Santa in 2008
>>>>>Page 3 - Stuff for Big Kids (Adults) to do. Yeah, that means you…

Tip 2 - Dipping Your Sugar Cookies

This is one of the easiest and fun techniques for children. It can be a little bit messy but what’s the fun of making cookies with kids if there is no mess at all?

One again your take some of your royal icing and thin it down. I like to do this with shallow disposable bowls. Trust me, you’ll thank me when you’re tired and it’s time for cleaning up. Take about a quarter cup to a third a cup of icing, add in your colors and then water, just a drop at a time until your icing is just a little thinner than corn syrup. I like to color all my icing before starting so you’re all ready to go and don’t have to keep stopping to color more icing. For Christmas cookies I recommend red, green & white at a minimum. If you’re doing snowflakes then pale blue is nice and for variety you may like yellow for stars and perhaps a darker blue.

Take your cookie and just dip it into your color. Lift it out, give it a little shake to get rid of the excess and then flip it over and give it another little shake to help it settle and smooth it out. Set it down, icing side up, on wax or parchment paper. At this point you can sprinkle it with sanding sugars, dragees, sprinkles or any other toppings you like and then leave them alone to dry. Here are some cookies I made using this method:

The swirled snowflake was done by dropping tiny dots of blue onto the white and gently swirling the colors together using a toothpick. This is a technique kids never get tired of and yet it still makes adults go ooooh and ahhh.

>>>>>Page 1 - The last sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever need
>>>>>Page 2 - Penny’s Royal Icing
>>>>>Page 3 - Tips & Techniques for Icing your Cookies (Flood Filling)

Tip 1 - Outlining and Flood Filling your cookies:

One of the very neatest things I learned from Penny McConell that I love to do is to outline my cookies with watered down, colored cookie dough before baking. What I love about this technique is that when the cookies cool you already have your flood dam in place for your royal icing and it adds a beautiful border without additional work or for that matter, additional sugar. Baked in cookie dams never break, either!

A little bit goes a long way with this and you’ll only need a fat dollop of dough for your batch. I did red & green for mine and that was plenty. The red was mostly for the candy canes and I used the green mostly for Christmas trees. Add your water just a little bit at a time until it’s thin enough to pipe through a piping bag. You can use a size 3 writing tip or just cut the end off of the piping bag like I did. This is what your cookies will look like with the dough piped on:

To flood fill your cookies you will also water down your icing. Adding just a tiny bit of water at a time, thin your icing down to where it is the consistency of corn syrup. If you’ve chosen to outline your cookies in your royal icing, use it full strength to outline, allow to dry, and then flood fill with your thinned icing.

Once you are ready to ice your cookies you’ll hold your bag at an angle and gently squeeze your bag, allowing the thinned icing to “flood” into the open areas and fill the space. Set your cookies aside and allow to dry thoroughly. I usually let mine dry overnight. The icing will be shiny and beautiful. Here is a look at a flood filled cookie with a cookie dough border:

Isn’t that great?

>>>>>Page 1 - The last sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever need
>>>>>Page 2 - Penny’s Royal Icing
>>>>>Page 4 - More Tips & Techniques (Dipping method)

Obviously, you don’t have to ice your sugar cookies but they sure are pretty when you do and if you’re going to make them for gifts then I’d highly recommend you take the time to ice them.

1. Put water in mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients.
2. Put the mixing speed on low. Mix ingredients untill they form a thick frosting. Depending on the freshness of the sugar, you may need to add additional water. The frosting at this point should resembel thick cookie glaze.
3. When the icing is smooth, put the mixer on it’s highest setting an process until the icing goes from shiny to dull and will stand in stiff peaks.

Note: After you make the icing, keep it covered with a damp cloth at all times (including when you have tinted it and put it into the pastry bags) or it will crust over. This icing is not a “keeper”. It does not have a long shelf-life so make just as much as you need for the day of decorating.

There are many techniques for icing your cookies. Here are a few common ones:

• Flood filling, where you outline your cookie and then fill in the outlined areas.
• Dipping, where you dip cookies in thinned royal icing
• Painting, where you paint on your royal icing, or paint over dried royal icing.

Whichever method you use just remember to have fun and not put too much pressure on yourself. As I told my niece, no matter how messy your cookies come out they are still cookies and they will get eaten!

>>>>>Page 1 - The last sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever need
>>>>>Page 3 - Tips & Techniques for Icing your Cookies (Flood Filling)
>>>>>Page 4 - More Tips & Techniques (Dipping method)

Sugar cookies can be a little fussy. They can get dry and crumbly. You generally have to refrigerate them for 2-3 hours before using and often the more you roll it out, the more useless the dough becomes. That is why I love this recipe. You can roll and re-roll this dough and every cookie will be be great. I rolled it out until all I had left was a pea size bit of dough. I ate it. What? You know you’d have eaten it, too!

This recipe comes from local cookie diva, Penny McConnell. Because of it’s versatility, it’s a great recipe to use with children and it requires no refrigeration! Needless to say, these would make great holiday gifts or hostess gifts for parties and everyone loved them at my cookie exchange!

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets with kitchen parchment.
2. In mixer bowl, mix butter with sugar until smooth. Remember to just incorporate these ingredients, do not cream until light.
3. Add all liquid ingredients to bowl. This mixture will probably curdle but the finished dough will be just fine.
4. In a separate bowl, mix flour with baking powder.
5. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the mixer bowl and process until heavy dough forms.

This is quite a soft dough so don’t be afraid to use plenty of flour rolling it out, or roll it out on parchment paper and tear away the excess dough. Then just place the parchment on your cookie sheet and pop it straight in the oven. This makes for easy clean-up!

Penny mentioned that if your cookies come out inconsistent then you’re probably not thoroughly mixing your dough. She said your cookies should look almost uncooked with the bottoms being a slightly darker blond. I rolled mine out approximately 1/4 thick and cooked them for 12 minutes a pan.

>>>>>Page 2 - Penny’s Royal Icing
>>>>>Page 3 - Tips & Techniques for Icing your Cookies (Flood Filling)
>>>>>Page 4 - More Tips & Techniques (Dipping method)

I don’t think there is anything nicer than homemade gifts. A homemade gift says that a person has spent more than money on you, they’ve spent time and we all know how precious time can be these days.

It’s easy these days to either shove money in your child’s hands and let them buy gifts for family members but it’s a lot more rewarding to help them make something. Here is one suggestion that will bring joy for years to come. Make a set of these fragrant ornaments and give them to Grandma’s and Auntie’s who will be sure to treasure them. Of course you don’t need a child to make these ornaments, they also make lovely hostess gifts and they look great tied to the front of your wrapped packages!

Cinnamon Christmas Ornaments (NOT edible!!)

Ingredients

1 cup ground cinnamon
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup craft glue
1 drinking straw

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup applesauce using a rubber spatula.

Stir in 1/2 cup craft glue. Stir the dough until consistency is smooth and dry. Let stand 1 hour. Applesauce gives the dough pliability, glue makes it firm, and cinnamon imparts a lovely fragrance and a gingerbread color.

Turn out one-quarter of dough onto a cool, flat surface; flatten with your hands.

Flatten with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick. If dough becomes too dry, spritz with water. If it sticks to rolling pin or work surface, sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Cut shapes out with cookie cutters, templates or a butter knife.

With a straw, poke a hole in dough (for hanging). Air-dry ornaments on a wire rack lined with paper towels for 24 hours, turning them over every 6 hours or so to keep them flat. Alternatively, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer ornaments to a baking sheet; bake, flipping once, until dry, about 2 hours. Once the dough has dried completely, you can decorate the finest embellishment to the coarsest, adding glitter, sequins, beads or whatever else you like. Or you can leave them naked and simply thread some red or green ribbon through the holes.

Of course, if you’re the Martha Stewart type you can make beautiful elaborate birds.

This is the last weekend for:

Pioneer Farm’s Candlelight Christmas Tours
When: December 5, 6, 12, and 13 6pm-10pm
Where: Pioneer Farms, 10621 Pioneer Farms Drive, Austin, Texas
$$$: Tickets $10 (over the age of 2)

Time travel to the 19th century. Hayrides will transport visitors to each of the historic home sites for an evening of entertainment, crafts, and games. At the German Immigrant’s cabin you’ll hear stories around the fire, sing carols around the pump organ in the Homestead parlor and string popcorn around the kitchen table, by the warmth of the wood stove, and enjoy the ambiance and hospitality of the Commercial Cotton Farm as the ladies welcome visitors to play parlor games as was the custom during holidays in the 1880’s.

Enjoy gardens lighted with more than 3,000 luminarias, 5,000 twinkle lights and hammered copper torches and to listen to music of the season from local bands, quarters and choirs. Admission is free with two canned food items for the Capital Area Food Bank or a gift for Blue Santa.

TCA will host its seventh annual Gingerbread House Competition and Open House on Saturday, December 13. Everyone, from children to seasoned chefs, is encouraged to participate in both the Open House and the competition.

Judging will be based on overall appearance, creativity, difficulty, execution and consistency of theme. Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place as well as “Favorite in Show.” Winners of the Gingerbread House Contest will be announced during the Open House. Winning entries will be on display through December 19 at TCA.

The Open House will include caroling, holiday cookie decorating for kids, holiday dessert demonstrations, a life size Gingerbread Santa House where visitors can have their photo taken with “Chef Santa,” and much more.

Want something worthwhile to do this weekend? Here ya go:

Stuff Stockings with Elgin’s Angels
When: Sunday, Dec. 14th, 2-5pm.
Where: Elgin Public Library, 404 N. Main, Elgin, Tx

Volunteer to help fill stockings for abandoned, neglected, or abused children. Stocking stuff will be supplied, all they need are some holiday helping hands.

Wassail Event
When: Sunday, December 14th, 6pm
Where: Sri Atmananda Memorial School, 4100 Red River, Austin, 78751
$$$: Donation: $10. Children 12 and under, free

Enjoy a magic evening of stories, carols, magic, mummers and morris dancing. Wassail 2008 1.pdf. Performers: Pratts Bottom Mummers, Thom the World Poet, magician John Maverick, Chuck Freeman, Rita Ricardo, Jenifer Thyssen, Jim Carpetas, Occasional Terpsichore Morris Dancers, Bucolics Anonymous Christmastyme Band, Jacobs IV and Aimee Zivin.

There is so much going on this weekend I barely no where to start. First off a couple of big holiday markets kick off this weekend. One of my faves:

Armadillo Christmas Bazaar –
When: Dec. 12-24, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
Where: Austin Convention Center, Exhibit Hall 2, 500 E. César Chávez St. Enter on Trinity near 2nd Street. 512-447-1605
$$$: $3 weekdays before 7 p.m., $6 evenings and weekends

The 33rd annual Armadillo Christmas Bazaar will once again be at the Austin Convention Center. It remains the same truly Austin honky-tonk bar shopping experience that has made the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar one of the region’s most beloved holiday traditions - just a bigger venue.

Keep Austin Bizarre
When: Dec. 12-23, 11am-11pm
Where: Palmer Event Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd.
$$$: Adults $5, 12 Day pass $25, Children under 12 Free

With an atmosphere true to Austin, the holiday shopping event will feature over 100 local artists and small businesses selling unique gifts and fine, hand crafted items at affordable prices. In addition, there will be tribal, improvisational and yogic dance performances, capoeira, circus acts, and resident musicians who play while patrons shop. This year more of the community has joined hands with Keep Austin Bizarre and will include performances by groups such as the JCC (Jewish Community Center), Girls School of Austin Orchestra, Mexican American Cultural Center, Amala Foundation, Lululemon Athletica, Crossfit Central Kids, and the Zilker Elementary School kid’s choir. In addition, the bazaar is supporting the non-profit Africa Bound Corporation. Food and drink, including a full bar, will be available.

Cherrywood Art Fair
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 13, noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 14;
Where: Maplewood Elementary School, 3808 Maplewood Ave. (at East 38th Street)
$$$: Free

This totally groovy, totally cool holiday art event gathers some of the best local artisans, jewelry- and handbag-makers, ceramists and artists. All-day live music, children’s activities, food and nonstop fun. Free.

>>>>>>>Page 2: Even more things to do!

Looking for places offering breakfast with Santa? Here are a few I’ve found:

The Driskill
604 Brazos
Austin, TX 78701
When: Saturday, Dec. 13, 2008, 9-11 am
Where: Victorian Room
$$$: $16 Children; parents accompanying a child, $8
Reservations Required: 512-391-7121

Children, and their parents, enjoy an exciting buffet breakfast with Santa himself! (Santa will arrive aboard a vintage fire truck). Storytelling and games will be provided, as well as decorating a gingerbread house. (Service will be provided by the Banquets Department.) Menu includes:

Georgetown Breakfast with Santa
When: Saturday, December 13 2008, 8:00am - 11:00am
Where: New Central Fire Station 1, 301 Industrial Ave., Georgetown, TX
$$$: $6 (Free for disadvantaged families)
Contact: 930-3473

Enjoy a pancake and sausage breakfast prepared and served by Firefighters and Rotarians. Children explore fire trucks, visit with firefighters, and have their pictures taken with Santa. This event benefits the disadvantaged children in our community.

Lakeway Resort & Spa, Brunch with Santa
When: Sunday, December 7th, 2008 from10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Where: Travis Restaurant, 101 Lakeway Dr, Lakeway, TX 78734
$$$: $29 per person (adults), $14 per person (kids 6-11), Kids under 6 free
Reservations: 512.261.7323

A bit pricier than the others but the menu looks fabulous.

In Austin, Santa seems to come in a variety of colors. Blue, Brown and Orange, at least! If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities this Christmas you might just lend Santa a hand. Here are two ways you can help:

Orange Santa

Orange Santa began in 1994 as a program designed to foster a more caring university environment by providing help for members of the university community who have special needs during the holiday season. In December 2007 Orange Santa served 485 families, including 1,750 children.

We’re a bit too late to get involved with Orange Santa this year but please do keep them in mind for next year!

Operation Blue Santa
4101 S. Industrial Blvd, Suite 260
Phone: 220-BLUE (220-2583)

Established in 1972 by the Austin Police Department, Blue Santa started small, helping about 20 people and distributing gifts from the trunk of a patrol car. That program now serves thousands and has grown to include the Texas National Guard, the Austin Fire Department, the Austin Parks and Recreation and Austin Energy.

Of course an operation of that scale needs plenty of elves!

All deliveries for 2008 will be made on December 20th. Starting at 8am volunteers from the Austin Police Dept, the Austin Fire Dept, Austin Parks & Recreation Dept, the Texas National Guard and the local community transform into elves and deliver to the families.

Click here for locations to drop off toys.

Brown Santa
15400 Long Vista Drive, Suite 101
Phone: 247-2682

Like it’s predecessor, Blue Santa, Brown Santa started small with 25 families back in 1981. This year the operation hopes to serve 1200 families.

Brown Santa will need help wrapping presents, sorting food, making food boxes and loading our trucks for delivery. Loading of the trucks will be on Thursday December 18 from 2pm until done, and also loading on Friday December 19, after 5pm until done, we need adults for this task.

Brown Santa will be open thru December 20th, 2008.

Mon-Thurs 10am-8pm
Fri- Sat 9am-6pm
Sundays 12pm-6pm

If you would like to volunteer you will need to call to see what dates/times through the week are still available.

For more information visit their website.

It’s at this time of year when we stop to give thanks for all we have and how very lucky we are to be warm and safe and have a roof over our heads that feel the need to give a little something back to those less fortunate.

There are many ways in which we can do just that but I personally think there are few quite as rewarding as reaching out directly to another family in your own backyard.

The Christmas Bureau works as intermediaries to hook you up with families who need your help. Here is how you can sponsor a family in need:

SPONSOR A FAMILY: Sponsoring a family means providing a suitable uncooked holiday meal and toys for the children. We ask for you to contact the family within 24-48 hours and share with them the date and time you plan on delivering during the week before Christmas. You can sponsor a family three ways:

1. Visit our office at 7301 Burnet Road #105 (Burnet Rd/Greenlawn Pkwy. Tuesday Morning is the anchor tenant) and select a family;
2. Call our office at 453-3950 and a volunteer will select a family for you; or
3. Register as a sponsor online! Any individual or group interested in sponsoring a family will be able to register themselves as a sponsor, and search through the families still needing sponsors by zip code, family size, language spoken, or a combination of the three. (Note: you won’t see the list of families in need until you’ve registered.)

Once you have decided on a family or families to sponsor, call them at 453-3950 with the family number(s), and they will immediately assign you as the sponsor for those families. At that time, you can click on “Families I’m Sponsoring” to see the detailed contact information in order to arrange for delivery of the food and gifts.

A few more ways you can help out The Christmas Bureau:

ANSWER TELEPHONE CALLS: The Bureau will receive many calls from people wanting to sponsor a family. You can assist in answering their basic questions and match them with a family in need.

FILE APPLICATIONS: You can assist in filing the application numerically and alphabetically at our office.

>>>>>Page 2, click here for more volunteer opportunities for 2008