Liles' Family Christmas At THe Elks 2012

"I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit in jars and open a jar of it every month."

Off And Running November 30th 2012

It was the night before December when all through the house not a creature (except Flower) was stirring, not even the mouse... OK, it was rainy and instead of golf we did the museum.

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Not our picture.... It was rainy and dreary so I captured one from the internet

Tangata For Lunch!

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
We headed for Tangata for lunch first

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
It was a rainy day

The Albright Pin Collection

The Albright collection consists of pins that Secretary Madeleine K. Albright, America's ambassador to the United Nations (1993-1997) and the first woman to occupy the position of U.S. Secretary of State (1997-2001), wore before, during and after her years of public service. Shortly after becoming a diplomat, Albright discovered the power of jewelry to convey a foreign policy message. Before long, she began selecting appropriate pins to wear to particular meetings, visually expressing her high hopes, determination, impatience, or warm feelings. The brooches soon became her diplomatic signature.

The collection includes examples of fine art, but most are of the costume variety. Many are by anonymous designers and were selected for the signals they send and the spirit they convey. Sometimes demure and understated, sometimes outlandish and outspoken, these pins were used as gentle implements of statecraft. Their stories and messages reflect the Secretary's sense of humor and her humanity, and are shared here for the first time in a public museum setting.

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
"I'd wear this bee when I felt like I should float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, like Muhammad Ali," Albright said. "I had it on when I was talking to [former Palestinian leader] Yasser Arafat, who I felt needed to be prodded along a bit in terms of some aspects of negotiations with the Israelis. I'm sure he felt stung, but he didn't make the decisions he needed to in the end."

Off To The Santa Ana Elks For The Christmas Tree Lane Preview Event

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Larry Fresch was playing this evening.... With Bill Maloot

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Santa and his reindeer were watching the activities

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Trees were everywhere... A musical theme

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
I is watching you

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Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Sue and Frosty

Did You Know? - "Frosty the Snowman" is a popular song written by Walter "Jack" Rollins and Steve Nelson, and first recorded by Gene Autry and the Cass County Boys in 1950.

It was written after the success of Autry's recording of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" the previous year; Rollins and Nelson shipped the new song to Autry, who recorded "Frosty" in search of another seasonal hit.

Like "Rudolph", "Frosty" was subsequently adapted to other media including a popular television special. The song was originally titled "Frosty the Snow Man".

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Sam and Brenda joined us for the evening.... Great young people

Let's Bid On A Tree

Did You Know? - Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane is an annual event. Each tree is decorated with a theme and associated presents then donated to the Elks. We buy raffle tickets and put then inside the boxes associated with each tree. The boxes are opened and a name is pulled! If they are home when the call comes in, they win! The profits go to the lodge and that enables the Elks to continue giving to the charities and activities of their choice! Have fun and provide assistance to people.... Elks Care... Elks Give

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
The decorators are really amazing

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Every color scheme imaginable

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Blue and white & red and green...

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
The raffle box is actually a plastic container

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
One third of the total number of trees

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Off road Christmas... Clever

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Just amazing to look at

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
The raffle is closing in a few minutes

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Last chance to make a selection or two

Back To The Dance

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Larry and Bill are getting the dancers on the floor

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Gayle is leading the line dance

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Moving too fast for the camera

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Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
The ladies are on the move

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Cat woman strikes again! Donna and Bob always make for a special evening

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Nita and Neal joined this evening... Always a nice surprise!

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
With these two ... Romance is always in the air

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
We just taught Neal how to "Patty-Cake"

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
We advised Neal NOT to try this at home....

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Guess who???

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Donna wanted to see what Bob would look like with a Paul-like haircut....

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
Leon was under the weather so Marcia and Paul hit the dance floor and demonstrated the East Coast Swing, West Coast Swing, some waltz, and a Cha Cha... All during the same song!

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
The place was nicely decorated for the Christmas Tree Lane Preview

Did You Know? - A sconce is a type of light fixture affixed to a wall in such a way that it uses only the wall for support, and the light is usually directed upwards. It does not have a base on the ground. The word applies both to traditional forms of torch lighting, but also to modern gas and electric light sources affixed in the same way.

The etymology of sconce is from the Latin absconsus, and the French esconce. It is a word of many meanings, mostly signifying a covering or protection, or, by extension, that which is covered or protected.

Modern electric light fixture sconces are often used in hallways or corridors to provide both lighting and a point of interest in a long passage. Sconce height in a passageway is generally 3/4 of the distance up the wall as measured from the floor to the ceiling, and the distance between sconces on the wall is generally equal to the distance of the sconces from the floor, often alternating sides of the passageway.

Santa Ana Elks Christmas Tree Lane Preview 11/30/2012
The Liles and Zaitz concur on this old saying