The Celestial Stars Performing Arts Children’s Company presents The Christmas Angel Dance

The Celestial Stars Performing Arts Children’s Company will present the original four act lyrical ballet, The Christmas Angel on December 11 at 8 pm and the 12th at 3 pm. The Christmas Angel will be performed at Keenan Auditorium. This is a fundraiser performance for the We Care Center, Chapin Inter Faith Outreach. 939–1129

The Greater Columbia Chapter of the U.S. Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association will hold their annual semi-formal Holiday Ball, December 11, 7:30–10:30 pm, at the Hugh Dimmery Memorial Center (The Barn), 680 Cherokee Lane, West Columbia. Refreshments will be available, door prizes will be awarded, and a complimentary dance lesson will be offered from 7:40—8:30 pm. Toys for the Toys for Tots campaign will be accepted. www.usabda.net or call 796–8488.

Charity

This Holiday Season, donate your car to the National Kidney Foundation. Call 1–800–488–CARS (2277).

WLTX–TV, Clear Channel, CMRTA, Wal–Mart, The Salvation Army and Harvest Hope Food Bank are teaming up for the for the 2nd Annual Stuff–A–Bus, a holiday project that will benefit underprivileged children and families in the Midlands. Residents are urged to fill a bus with new toys and non–perishable food items. The dates, locations and hours for Stuff–A–Bus are as follows: December 10 – Wal–Mart, Forest Drive – 5 am–7:30 pm, Wal–Mart, Harbison – 5 am–7:30 pm. 647–0278

The Village Idiot Pizza will be a donation site for Harvest Hope Food Bank December 13–17. Non–perishables and donations will be taken during business hours–11:30 am–12 am. A post food drive will be held December 17, 4 pm–12 am. The staff of the Village Idiot will donate all their gratuities for that evening to Epworth Children’s Home. The Village Idiot will match that donation.252–8646

Holidays

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden will have a limited engagement of the holiday film A Tinkerdoodle Christmas. Zoo admission is required prior to admission rates (including those for the Lights Before Christmas). A Tinkerdoodle Christmas is $1.50. 779-8717 or www.riverbanks.org.

SC State Museum, the Cotton Mill Exchange, the museum’s store, is bursting with unique and unusual gift ideas for the holidays. Just for the holidays, the Cotton Mill Exchange will be open seven days a week through December 23, Mondays through Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm, and Sundays from 1 to 5 pm. 898–4968 or shop online at www.museum.state.sc.us.

Music

The String Project at USC’s School of Music invites third and fourth grade students, home–schooled children, and adults to register for spring semester. Classes for the 12–week session will be 5:30–6:30 pm. Tuesdays and Fridays for beginning third and fourth graders; 10:30–11:30 am. Thursdays for home–schooled students who are at the third grade level or above; and 11:30 am–12:30 pm Thursdays for adults. 777–9568.

Sing–Along Messiah will be at Washington Street UMC at the corner of Washington and Marion Streets December 20 at 7 pm. Singers and soloists will be accompanied by the SC Philharmonic and conducted by Dr. Lillian Quackenbush. 256–2417

The First Presbyterian Church’s Chancel Choir will present A Joyful Christmas December 19 at 6 pm in the sanctuary. 799–9062, ext. 261

Meetings/Lectures

The Columbia Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) will be hosting a Business Expo, 10 am–7 pm, January 5, at the Columbiana Hotel and Conference Center. The Jaycees will be accepting donations at the door to benefit Jaycee Camp Hope. Camp hope is a statewide residential camp for mentally challenged persons, located in Clemson, SC. 600–1382 or www.columbiajaycees.org

Palmetto Health’s PrimeTimes will sponsor A Grand Affair, a Celebration of Life, an exposition of products and services for older adults 8:30 am–3:30 pm, January 13 at the Cantey Building on the State Fairgrounds. Admission and parking are free. Enter the fair grounds through Gate 6 off Assembly Street. 296–5978