Well, it took a little longer than usual, but we finally got the Christmas tree in the Ram Pasture lit up for the season last Friday. The music and singing was great as usual, and the tree looked great this year. It was nice to see that Santa and Mrs Claus put off their Christmas prep another week to attend the event.

The Clauses hung around in town until Saturday morning for a Breakfast with Santa. Later in the day, Mrs Claus put on a Marie Walker costume and led a gingerbread house workshop at the library that afternoon.

While at the police station this week, I was heartened to see a bright Christmas display at the main entrance, bearing the festive green and red colors of the season. The display was recently put in place by a local civic group interested in brightening up the façade of the battleship-gray structure.

Inside the building, in the squad room, the police’s “mitten tree” has attracted many donations of new hats, scarves and mittens for the local needy.

While at the town land use office at 31 Peck’s Lane this week I encountered a colorful display of Christmas poinsettias. Those deep, rich brilliantly red plants really dress up the area. It put me in a really good mood as I was applying a side-setback zoning variance needed in order to install a garden shed on my lot.

Who wouldn’t purr to see my whiskers on a set of stamps? Local resident and photographer Gene Rosen is willing to photograph pets during the holiday season as a fund-raiser for Canine Advocates of Newtown (CAN), and have the photographs made into US postage stamps. CAN is raising money to build a sorely needed new pound in town. Twenty dollars buys a 20-stamp sheet of 39-cent stamps adorned with the family pet. Contact Gene at erosen2@earthlink.net.

Newtown’s loss will be Virginia Beach’s gain. I am, of course, referring to the impending relocation of Angelica Miller and her husband John from Newtown to that southerly city on the shore. The town will not only be losing good neighbors — but a fantastic staff member of the town’s land use office at Peck’s Lane. Her departure will be bittersweet, however, because she will not only be relocating to an area where she will be surrounded with family members, but she will also enjoy the benefits of John’s new engineering job at an area firm. Best wishes to both of you — and don’t forget to visit once in awhile!

Mary Gantnier was looking lovely and Bob Sharpe was looking, well, … sharp… at the Newtown Senior Center annual holiday party held Wednesday, December 13, at the Waterview in Monroe. Mary and Bob were the winners last month of the “Feeling Good From The Outside In” senior makeover contest sponsored by Home Instead Senior Care. Haircuts from Ricci’s Academy and a complete outfit from Kohl’s, as well as a consultation from Mary Kay Cosmetics representative, Caren Corbett, on Tuesday added up to a dazzling new holiday look for the two senior center members.

Walt Schneider’s new Designer Bodies facility on Pecks Lane is an attractive place. A basketball hoop has been installed, complete with chain link fence along the wall to give it the feel of a city park court. He even hired an artist to paint fitness related graffiti on the wall behind the hoop.

Stop by the middle school and check out the wonderful artwork done in the style of the master, Leonardo da Vinci. Eighth grade art students selected their favorite staff member and drew them in the style of the Mona Lisa, right down to signing their names backwards as da Vinci himself did.

C.H. Booth Library director Janet Woycik has laid aside her responsibilities with the Newtown Tercentennial Committee just in time to take on a new celebration: the library’s 75th anniversary, which will be celebrated in 2007. She’s not divulging the details quite yet, but Newtown can look forward to some fun and creative events revolving around — what else — books and media.

Town Historian Dan Cruson stopped by this week to get a Bee calendar for 2007. I’m not sure what he’s going to do with it. It seems he spends most of his time contemplating the past. I would think Dan would be more interested in a calendar from 1907, or 1807. But, what the heck, we don’t ask questions. We just give the calendars away to whoever wants them for whatever reason. The supply is limited, however, so don’t forget to pick yours up soon.

Even though we’re coming up on the shortest day of the year, I’ll be out there braving the darkness gathering what news I can, so be sure to…

Read me again.