Christmas Party

British troops on duty in Afghanistan joined their American counterparts in celebrating Christmas. The advance 200-strong British deployment, made up mainly of Royal Marines, marked Christmas Day with a party at Bagram airbase near the capital, Kabul. In a derelict aircraft hangar they joined American troops in tucking into a U.S.-style Christmas dinner of turkey, mash and pumpkin pie. There was no alcohol however, as all the troops were still on duty. Royal Marines on peacekeeping duty in Kabul told reporters they were missing having Christmas at home.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has canceled this year's palace Christmas party because of the current economic climate, a spokesman said Thursday. More than 600 people usually attend the Christmas party, which used to be an annual event until two years ago, when the queen announced it would be biennial. The party was paid for by the queen's private fund, said the spokesman, who by custom refused to be named. "The queen is acutely aware of the difficult economic circumstances facing the country and, given the current economic climate, it was thought that it was appropriate for the royal household to show restraint," the spokesman said.

Police spokesman Bala Naidoo told Kaya FM radio that two men unknown to the hosts demanded to gatecrash the party at a family home in the Indian Ocean coastal town of Margate. ;Subsequently the suspects opened fire when they were refused entry, Naidoo said.;Fort Shepstone police said the seven men and one women killed were between 18 and 43 years old. Two partygoers were wounded and seven escaped unhurt.; Police were searching for the suspects. They said it was unclear if the attack was politically linked.

A small town in Luxembourg once destroyed by fierce fighting remembers one of the bright moments in the dark of World War II -- a visit from Saint Nick. For Dick Brookins, a U.S. soldier standing in for an absent Saint Nicholas, it was to change his life also and help him find some meaning for the war in Europe. Sixty five years after he first donned the flowing robe, the miter hat, and the white fluffy beard to become St. Nicholas, Brookins chuckles as he remembers his reluctance to assume his now memorable role.

A lightning strike killed seven people -- including a 4-year-old child -- at a nursery school Christmas party in South Africa, a government spokeswoman said Saturday. Forty others were injured when the lightning struck in KwaZulu-Natal Friday afternoon, said Mashu Cele, a spokeswoman for the province's social development department. "It happened so suddenly. ... They were inside enjoying their Christmas party, and the lightning came through the window into the room that they were in," Cele said.

Testimony Tuesday from Scott Peterson's former lover revealed he told her a string of lies as their relationship progressed, including denying he was married and saying he celebrated New Year's 2003 near the Eiffel Tower. On her first day of testimony, Amber Frey said Peterson also told her he lived in Sacramento; had a condo in San Diego; went on a fishing trip to Alaska over Thanksgiving 2002; and planned to join his parents in Kennebunkport, Maine, at Christmas. Peterson and his wife, Laci, lived in Modesto.

A numerical guide to the festive season around the world. 12 Days of Christmas: The popular Christmas song involving leaping lords, milk maids, pipers and partridges. The European song dates back to the 16th century. 8: The number of Santa's original reindeer, according to the 1823 poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas. " Their names were: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph --the star of a 20th century American song -- came later. $848,600: The cost (100 million yen)

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Bulgaria's government has declared Sunday a national day of mourning for seven teenagers who died in a stampede at a nightclub in Sofia. "In a difficult moment like this society should show solidarity," Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg said in a statement on Saturday. He appealed to all Bulgarians to light a candle in their windows on Saturday evening. Six girls and a boy aged between 11 and 15 died late on Friday in a stampede on an icy stairway as hundreds of youngsters tried to get into a Christmas party at Club Indigo.

Though I can't remember his name, I can still recall the face of the guest who whipped out a handful of Ziploc bags as a long ago Christmas party was winding down. "Do you mind if I take some of these cheese puffs home with me?" he half-asked, shoving the leftover snacks into a bag. "What about these tortilla chips?" Too shocked to do anything but nod, my acquaintance left with a stash of snacks and a permanent place on my own personal Do Not Call list. When I first started writing this piece, I figured it would be about not making a fool of yourself at the company holiday party.

A lightning strike killed seven people -- including a 4-year-old child -- at a nursery school Christmas party in South Africa, a government spokeswoman said Saturday. Forty others were injured when the lightning struck in KwaZulu-Natal Friday afternoon, said Mashu Cele, a spokeswoman for the province's social development department. "It happened so suddenly. ... They were inside enjoying their Christmas party, and the lightning came through the window into the room that they were in," Cele said.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has canceled this year's palace Christmas party because of the current economic climate, a spokesman said Thursday. More than 600 people usually attend the Christmas party, which used to be an annual event until two years ago, when the queen announced it would be biennial. The party was paid for by the queen's private fund, said the spokesman, who by custom refused to be named. "The queen is acutely aware of the difficult economic circumstances facing the country and, given the current economic climate, it was thought that it was appropriate for the royal household to show restraint," the spokesman said.

A small town in Luxembourg once destroyed by fierce fighting remembers one of the bright moments in the dark of World War II -- a visit from Saint Nick. For Dick Brookins, a U.S. soldier standing in for an absent Saint Nicholas, it was to change his life also and help him find some meaning for the war in Europe. Sixty five years after he first donned the flowing robe, the miter hat, and the white fluffy beard to become St. Nicholas, Brookins chuckles as he remembers his reluctance to assume his now memorable role.

Though I can't remember his name, I can still recall the face of the guest who whipped out a handful of Ziploc bags as a long ago Christmas party was winding down. "Do you mind if I take some of these cheese puffs home with me?" he half-asked, shoving the leftover snacks into a bag. "What about these tortilla chips?" Too shocked to do anything but nod, my acquaintance left with a stash of snacks and a permanent place on my own personal Do Not Call list. When I first started writing this piece, I figured it would be about not making a fool of yourself at the company holiday party.

A numerical guide to the festive season around the world. 12 Days of Christmas: The popular Christmas song involving leaping lords, milk maids, pipers and partridges. The European song dates back to the 16th century. 8: The number of Santa's original reindeer, according to the 1823 poem, "A Visit from St. Nicholas. " Their names were: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. Rudolph --the star of a 20th century American song -- came later. $848,600: The cost (100 million yen)

Testimony Tuesday from Scott Peterson's former lover revealed he told her a string of lies as their relationship progressed, including denying he was married and saying he celebrated New Year's 2003 near the Eiffel Tower. On her first day of testimony, Amber Frey said Peterson also told her he lived in Sacramento; had a condo in San Diego; went on a fishing trip to Alaska over Thanksgiving 2002; and planned to join his parents in Kennebunkport, Maine, at Christmas. Peterson and his wife, Laci, lived in Modesto.

Embattled domestic diva Martha Stewart predicted this Christmas would be "the saddest holiday ever," and ruminated on her legal woes, whether she will remarry and her wealth, during an interview to be aired Monday night on CNN's "Larry King Live. " Stewart has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy, securities fraud, obstruction of justice and making false statements in connection with her sale of 3,900 shares of ImClone stock. Her trial is slated to begin next month. "It's the saddest holiday ever," Stewart said in an interview that was taped Saturday.

British troops on duty in Afghanistan joined their American counterparts in celebrating Christmas. The advance 200-strong British deployment, made up mainly of Royal Marines, marked Christmas Day with a party at Bagram airbase near the capital, Kabul. In a derelict aircraft hangar they joined American troops in tucking into a U.S.-style Christmas dinner of turkey, mash and pumpkin pie. There was no alcohol however, as all the troops were still on duty. Royal Marines on peacekeeping duty in Kabul told reporters they were missing having Christmas at home.

Bulgaria's government has declared Sunday a national day of mourning for seven teenagers who died in a stampede at a nightclub in Sofia. "In a difficult moment like this society should show solidarity," Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg said in a statement on Saturday. He appealed to all Bulgarians to light a candle in their windows on Saturday evening. Six girls and a boy aged between 11 and 15 died late on Friday in a stampede on an icy stairway as hundreds of youngsters tried to get into a Christmas party at Club Indigo.

Police spokesman Bala Naidoo told Kaya FM radio that two men unknown to the hosts demanded to gatecrash the party at a family home in the Indian Ocean coastal town of Margate. ;Subsequently the suspects opened fire when they were refused entry, Naidoo said.;Fort Shepstone police said the seven men and one women killed were between 18 and 43 years old. Two partygoers were wounded and seven escaped unhurt.; Police were searching for the suspects. They said it was unclear if the attack was politically linked.