Leader of the opposition, Portia Simpson Miller also stopped by to spend time with the children. - Contributed
Happy birthday greetings to Nubian prince Dennis Lee, who celebrates his special day today, Christmas Eve.
Also, happy birthday to the fabulous clothier, Sophia Max-Brown; hotelier, the lovely Carol Bourke; the charming Thelma Johill; Gary Gunning; and Grace Vanriel (in New York), who all celebrate their birthdays tomorrow, Christmas Day.
The lovely Candace Dujon Buchannan, in New York; the ultra-hot Diana Johnson of Hedonism III and the lovely Karlene Craig all celebrate on Boxing Day. On December 27, musician extraordinaire Capt Rupert Bent, the lovely Damali Little-White and the fab Gina Jarrett-Adler (in Florida), all celebrate their special day.
Hotelier and gentleman, John Issa, celebrates next Monday, the celebrations being at an undisclosed location, restricted to immediate family and very close friends! Also celebrating on Monday is Opposition MP Dr Peter Phillips, architect Eran Spiro, the lovely Simone Harris and Ricky Douglas, who will be celebrating at home in New Orleans. Dr David Lambert-Brown of Ocho Rios will celebrate on December 29; as will model Rohan Cole, who will be celebrating in Atlanta, Georgia. The lovely Carol Rose-McNeill celebrates on Wednesday, December 30.
Belated wishes to cabaret star Sabrina Williams; media personalities Michael-Anthony Cuffe and Dave Rodney (New York); international model, now a resident of Balboa, Spain, Kurt Hentley; the charming Terri-Ann Creary; and the lovely Ingrid Hamilton, who all celebrated on Wednesday, December 23. The lovely Jodi Munn-Barrow, Odessa Chambers and Renée Robinson (in Toronto, Canada) all celebrated on December 22. The lovely Kamla Forbes celebrated on the 20th. Lloyd Stanbury (in Florida) and Barrington Burke Green (in New York) both celebrated on the 19th. Jennifer Nunes-Grey, (in New York); former model and NDTC dancer, now with the World Bank, Roland Pryce (home for the holidays) and the lovely Leslie-Ann Rose, all celebrated on the 18th.
Meanwhile, Gilou Bauer, Natalie Thompson, songstress Ashley Martin, the lovely Nancy Martin, and the ultra fab Sibblies twin, Raihn Sibblies and her sister Shana Sibblies Shayegan, all celebrated on the 17th. 'A-crowder' Anthony Watson, the quiet mogul Ian Levy and filmmaker and producer, Lennie Little-White, all celebrated on the 14th. Happy birthday all around with champagne toasts and beluga treats!
Home for christmas
Then, former head of the European Union, the beloved Ambassador Gerd Jarchow and his wife, Mara Mandara Jarchow, jetted in over the weekend from their home in Brussels, to spend their Christmas and New Year with relatives and friends.
And the lovely Desirée Dawkins-Chue jetted in from Florida to spend the holidays here in Jamaica, also with family and friends. Also jetting in from London via New York, is international socialite Paul Windle, whom we will see in Christmas and the New Year in Port Antonio.
And, congrats to John March and his fab wife Simone Walters-March, who celebrated their 24th wedding anniversary on Monday at their Florida home, with good wishes pouring in from all over the globe! Kingston is also still abuzz over last Friday's Rattary Patterson Rattary Christmas do, hosted at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel at the Talk of The Town Restaurant. The buzz is it was 'all that'!
Now, in the spirit of the season, mobile giant, Digicel, hosted a Christmas Village for some 700 children between the ages of five and 14, from some 70 child care facilities across the island, that was truly inspirational. It was a warm departure from the practice of corporate entities using Christmas to reward their high-profile and well-off clients, and instead providing Christmas cheers for those who need it most, reminding us of the true nature of Christmas which is the act of giving and caring for others!
Instead of being shut in for the holidays and confined to the daily humdrum of institutional life, these children were hosted and feted royally, in a setting created especially for them. It was a blessing to witness their happiness, as they truly immersed themselves in the joys of the outing and all the goodies that came with it!
Many activities
There was lots to do including art and craft, a games arcade, ring games, celeb fun races and face-painting, lots to eat, like popcorn, snow cones, cotton candy, ice cream, and burgers; plus that personal touch of an age-appropriate gift for each child.
Among those out sharing with Digicel's Mark Linehan and his complement of staff were Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller, PNP Chairman Bobby Pickersgill, Senator Basil Waite, Ann-Marie Vaz and her children Christopher and Gabrielle Wood and Victoria Vaz, the lovely Neadene Tufton, PNP VP Angela Brown-Burke, PNPYO President Damion Crawford, Dr Carl Bruce, Jean Lowrie-Chin, MVP Track Club's Bruce James and his daughter, and Nicholas Sutherland, plus a number of others. Congrats to Digicel duo Trisha Thompson and Jacqueline Burrell-Clarke and all the others who made the event happen!
Now, party responsibly as y'all celebrate the season, and in the spirit of the occasion, share your good fortune with someone a little less fortunate. And, as we close this season, this column wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy and prosperous New Year, despite the obvious challenges!
Prime Minister Bruce Golding was surrounded by happy children the minute he showed up.
Trisha Thompson (left) and Jacqueline Burrell-Clarke (second left) from Digicel, are having a great time with Neadene Tufton (second right) and Miss Kitty during the Digicel Christmas Village at Lady Musgrave Road last Saturday.
Send in the clowns! Digicel's CEO, Mark Linehan may be up to funny business (but in a good way) with these comical performers at the Christmas Village.