[Archived] Weekly Event Announcements for the City of Alexandria: December 19 - 25, 2009

Sunday, December 20 – Colonial Handbell Ringers Performance
Enjoy your favorite holiday tunes with the Colonial Handbell Ringers! They have two free performances scheduled at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at The Lyceum, 201 South Washington St. Their new show, “Merry Medleys,” features ten ringers in period costume playing a full five-octave set of nearly 80 handbells from the world-famous White Chapel Foundry in England. The performance includes children’s classics, an audience sing-along of holiday favorites, and unique visual experiences with original works. For more information, please visit www.alexandriahistory.org or call 703.838.4994.

Monday, December 21 – Duncan Book Discussion Group
The Duncan Book Discussion Group invites residents to come and discuss Empire of the Sun by J.G. Ballard. Every month, the group gathers to talk about a book, then they vote on the book (or the books) to be read the following month(s). They meet from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Duncan Branch Library. For more information on the group, call Ruth at 703.838.4566. Duncan Branch Library, 2501 Commonwealth Avenue.

Tuesday, December 22 – Santa’s Winter Wonderland Holiday Celebration
The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) and the Charles Houston Recreation Center will host a Santa’s Winter Wonderland holiday celebration and distribute presents to the children who live in ARHA’s housing developments. The celebration will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St. For more information, call Yuletta M. Mitchell at 703.549.7115 ext. 231.

Coming Soon!

Saturday, December 26 – Silhouette Artist
Anne Leslie, a silhouette-cutting artist, will demonstrate her talent in this timeless portrait art at History Center & Museum Store, 101 North Union Street, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Request a personal work of shadow portrait art—a one-of-a-kind holiday gift that is sure to become a family treasure! While you’re there, choose from a great selection of gifts and stock up on beautiful household goods to add that extra special touch to your holiday home. For more information, please call 703.706.5262.

Thursday, December 31 – First Night Alexandria
Don't miss the best New Year's Eve party in the region! Alexandria will host 25 indoor venues with multiple stages featuring performances from 6 p.m. to fireworks at midnight! Tickets and additional information are available at www.firstnightalexandria.org.

Ongoing!

Through Thursday, December 24 – Alexandria Fire Department Toys for Tots Drive
The Alexandria Fire Department (AFD) is collecting toys for needy families and underprivileged children during the 2009 holiday season. For many years, AFD has partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps to support its Toys for Tots Campaign. Residents can drop off new, unwrapped toys at any Alexandria fire station through December 24. Donated toys may not be used as weapons or considered to be weapons (i.e., toy guns or knives of any kind). The toys are intended to go to children ages 0-17 years of age. For more information, visit www.dctoysfortots.org.

Open through Saturday, January 9, 2010 – Spirits in a Bottle Exhibition
Artist Barbara Hardaway decorated more than a hundred Arizona Tea bottles for this exhibition of decorative expressions of an ancient African tradition. This whimsical show at the Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe St., pays homage to the 9th- and 10th-century Congolese tradition of adorning the ends of tree branches with colorful bottles that would catch the sunlight. Hardaway updated this ritual by festooning her bottles with feathers, fabric, beads, netting, ribbons and seashells. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Suggested admission is $2. For more information, please visit www.alexblackhistory.org or call 703.838.4356.

Open Through Saturday, May 31, 2010 – “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts” Exhibition
A new exhibition at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington St., blends historical photographs, artifacts and reflections to tell the story of Girl Scouting in Washington metropolitan area. “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts” features a collection of Girl Scout uniforms from the 1910s, 1930s and 1960s; Brownie items from as early as 1937; a display of cookie fundraising materials; extensive camping and hiking exhibits; and official Girl Scout gear including a canteen, collapsible cup, pocket knife, compass and more. Suggested admission is $2 and the exhibition is open through May 31, 2010. The Lyceum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.alexandriahistory.org or call 703.838.4994.