By
the Light of the Moon Hey, pussycat, grab your owl, dust off the tiara, strap on a cummerbund, and
get ready to cut a rug at Project Transitions annual Holiday
Swing, Fri, Dec 6, 8pm-12:30am at the Ben Hur Shrine Ballroom. Here’s a
chance to live out those George and Mary Bailey fantasies. It is a
wonderful life, ain’t it? At $20 in advance, the tickets won’t even break your
bank. Get there early (7pm) and learn something which might prevent future
embarrassment: Dance lessons are 7-8pm. 454-8646. Big Hearts Beware This holiday season, the busiest charitable season of the year, the Council
of Better Business Bureaus (BBB) is giving away free issues of their
1996 Holiday Edition of the Give But Give Wisely Newsletter. The
newsletter guides potential donors through the maze of the many national and
international charities which hit the solicitation circuit during this time of
year. The BBB rates each organization using 23 standards. Send a
self-addressed, stamped envelope to: “Give Wisely,” Council of Better
Business Bureaus, 4200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 800, Arlington, VA 22203-1838. http://www.bbb.org Spin & Party Here are two chances to take a few spins on the dance floor for the folks who
spin some of the best sounds in town. KOOP Radio’s Lounge Show goes live
with the Jingle Ball, Sun, Dec 1, 7pm at the Carousel Lounge, 1110 E.
52nd, and Orville Glockmeyer’s Banana rings in the New Year with a
Carmen Miranda New Year’s Party at Cafe Armageddon, 2015 Manor, New
Year’s Eve, 9pm. Both wild shindigs benefit our benevolent community radio
station. 472-1369. Puck & Party Austin’s pro hockey squad, the Ice Bats, will be checking their sticks and
pucks at the door and joining in the fun for the American Cancer
Society‘s latest fundraiser. New Directions is an after-work
gathering of folks dedicated to supporting the society’s efforts. Party With
a Purpose at the Top of the Marc, Wed, Dec 4, 5-7pm. Bring either a $5
donation or a wrapped new gift or toy for a child with cancer (bring a note
describing the item and appropriate age or size of recipient). 928-1144. Dalmania 101 What’s black & white and sheds all over? Every time a damn Disney movie
comes out, there’s a rush on whatever animal happens to be the featured star.
Don’t go puppy-happy. Dalmatians aren’t for everyone. They take a lot of care
and attention. In fact, pets as gifts are generally a bad idea. Call the
Humane Society before the rush on the pups leads to 101 abandoned dogs
at their doorstep. Learn about holiday pet-giving (like gift certificates or
pet kits). And while you’re at it, ask them about their Chow Cheques gift program, so you can help feed the population they are currently
supporting. 837-7985, ext. 226. PAWS That Refresh Pet food donations are also being accepted until Fri, Dec 27 by PAWS
Shelter for Animals, which serves the Kyle, San Marcos, and Wimberley
areas. Call for drop-off locations and preferred style of pet food.
268-1611. Peace on Earth; Good Coats to All Kids Coats for Kids, the annual community-wide coat collection and
distribution sponsored by Goodwill, is in full swing. Coats will be
collected until Fri, Dec 6 and will be given to kids Sat, Dec 7. Please donate
any child-sized coats in good condition to any Jack Brown Cleaners location.
472-6224, ext 115. Hear the Angels Voices The new season of Capital City Men’s Chorus launches with its seasonal
music program Home for the Holidays, Sun, Dec 8, 4:30pm at St. Martin’s
Lutheran, 606 W. 15th. Under the direction of Jeffrey Jones, the chorus rings
in the many holidays of the season with music from Christmas, Hanukkah, and
Kwaanza. 477-SING. Blue Lights Anonymous Clip this section and use it as a holiday buying guideline. Yule be so ahead
of the reindeer game.
* What can’t be found at the Wheatsville Arts Festival?
High-priced techno gadgets, this week’s fashion flavor which’ll be
embarrassingly out of fashion by New Year’s anyway, and copycat corporate crap
that can be found at any mall or CrudMart. And believe it or not, that leaves
quite a bit that can be found: one-of-a-kind woodworking, pottery,
textiles, jewelry, paintings, metalwork, handmade soap and herbal gifts, and
more. Go Sat-Sun, Dec 7-8, 10am-dusk to the free fest and don’t forget your
stockings! 478-2667.
* Texas Memorial Museum‘s annual popular Holiday Museum Market is
a great place to take care of the children and young adults on your list. They
have kewl kids’ educational toys, books, art, and more, Thu, Dec 5, 4-9pm at
2400 Trinity. 471-1604.
* More great kids’ gifts are available at the Austin Waldorf School’s Winter
Fair, Sat, Dec 7. All purchases the day of the fair are tax-free and
proceeds benefit the school, 8702 South View, two miles past the “Y” in Oak
Hill, off Hwy290 W. 288-5942.
* One of this past year’s most edifying community events has been preserved for
posterity. The Foundation for a Compassionate Society‘s forum featuring
Angela Davis and Gloria Steinem, Feminist Family Values, is now
available on video and as a book. The Foundation presents an evening of
readings from the book, Mon, Dec 2, 7pm at Book People. 447-6222.
* Saint Theresa’s Church has released a moving CD of their choral
program He Came Down — Songs of Christmas. The $15 CD, which can be purchased
at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Blockbuster, is an eclectic journey through
the world’s holiday music, ranging from traditional chamber ensembles through
arrangements featuring Afro-Caribe rhythms. 343-0520.
* You can never give or get too many calendars. Humane Society–SPCA offers the 1997 Animal Attraction Datebook Calendar. Photos feature
local celebs and their pets (out of respect for the holidays, the authors of
this column have agreed to a moratorium on smartass remarks about the Barbara
& Laura Bush page). Check out the Humane Society Gift Boutique, or
pick one up at Callahan’s, Borders, Book People, Tomlinson’s Pets and Leading
Rein. 837-7985, ext. 226.
* Those wild kids at the Octopus Club are doing their part to make
holiday shopping a little less frenzied. The Holiday Bizarre Bazaar,
Sat, Dec 7, 11am-3pm, at City Grill is a veritable smorgasbord of gift
selections. Here’s the deal: Hundreds of local merchants have donated gift
certificates for terrific services and goods around the town. Buyers pay 20%
off the retail value. For example: Pay $80 and your gift recipient gets $100
worth of stuff. All proceeds go to the Paul Kirby Fund for emergency
AIDS services. 479-0817. n
Email: pnotice@auschron.com Mail to: “Public Notice,” The
Austin Chronicle, P0 Box 49066, Austin, TX 78765. Deadline: Wednesday, 6pm,
eight days prior to publication. Phone calls have a .001% chance of being
returned.
This article appears in November 29 • 1996 and November 29 • 1996 (Cover).