holiday traditions in this issue around the globe · quarter 4 2005, issue #15 outpost houston...

QUARTER 4 2005, Issue #15 Outpost Houston Newsletter,

PLEASE TAKE

THIS NEWSLETTER HOME!!

QUARTER 4 2005 Issue #15

In this Issue

It’s that time of year again - a time of celebration. In the USA,

the Christmas holidays are the main focus where the birth of

Jesus Christ is celebrated by feasting and gift-giving. But even if

you are not Christian, the holiday season is a wonderful,

joyous time where friends and family join together

to welcome in the coming year.

Shell’s expatriate community is very diverse – we come from all

corners of the world and practice many religions. We all celebrate

the holiday season with our own traditions that are passed down

from generation to generation. This year, the Outpost Houston

Newsletter is pleased to showcase three countries’ traditions –

Brazil, Norway and Holland. They are all different and

some are a bit surprising!

Holiday TraditionsAround The Globe

Brazilian Christmas Celebration

Christmas celebrations in Brazil candisplay many different faces, as a

consequence of the extremely diversecultural composition that the Brazilianpeople are. Traditions will vary widelydepending on the region and evenhousehold, as families tend to stick tofamily traditions, i.e. culturaltraditions. In general it is very similarto the American way of celebratingthe holiday: a well-decoratedChristmas tree is a must, and thebigger the merrier! Lights, balls,Santas, chocolate and sometimescotton - snow you know - although I haven’t seen this habit for some yearsnow. Maybe it has fallen out of the “tradition” altogether. Most families celebrateChristmas on the evening of the 24th, although some families have theirChristmas gathering on the 25th for lunch. This depends on the family culturalbackground. Gifts are placed under the tree and are not opened until the eveningof the 24th, after the Christmas dinner. Music is always present in Brazilianhomes, and for Christmas we play Christmas carols. Due to historical reasons, the food served carries a more European flavor. Thestar of the table is always a big, fat, well roasted turkey, which must be juicyand well-stuffed (ingredients vary according to the cook, but usually comprises

Continued on page 2

Holiday Traditions Aroundthe Globe

Editor’s Note

UNA Holiday Concert

Globetrotter Ball

Medical/Legal & EstatePlanning Presentation

Discover HoustonProgram

Immigration Presentation

New Arrivals

InternationalConnections Houston

Holiday Brunch Invitation

Monthly Open House Info

What’s On for theHolidays

Calendar of Events

Brazilian children visit with Santa


HOLIDAY TRADITIONS AROUND THE GLOBE

Happy Holidays from theOutpost Houston Team! We’ve

been very busy here at OutpostHouston. Hurricane Katrina brought ourNew Orleans colleagues to Houston andthe Outpost office became HR’scommand center for employeeinformation for nearly 2 months. InOctober, we along with PrudentialRelocation Services put on a program,Discover Houston, for New Orleansexpatriates that addressed a varietyof topics such as driving regulations,local attractions, and Texas mythology.We enjoyed helping our new friendsand we hope that everyone is nowsettled and happy in their new city.November was even busier with ourannual presentations, Medical/Legal &

Estate Planning and Immigration plusan Open House. And who can forgetthe Globetrotter Ball? See page 5 forall the juicy pics. With Decembercomes our annual Holiday Open Houseand this year we are very honored tohave Mr. & Mrs. John Hofmeister as ourhosts. All the details are on page 9.To those of you who attended ourprograms this past year, we hope thatthey were helpful and informative.

The Outpost Houston Team has a newaddition! We are very pleased toannounce that our Team Leader,Nannette van Leeuwen has given birthto a bouncing baby boy. Hugo YanneckMeek arrived on November 9 th

weighing in at 3.1kg. Congratulationsto Nannette and her husband Harke –job well done!

The Outpost Houston Team would

like to thank all of you for yourcontinued support and we look

forward to continued success in2006. We wish you a safe and

happy holiday season!

[Traci Lennon]

Editor’s Note

plums, raisins, fresh apple, nuts etc.) Another must is pork, which is served withslices of canned pineapple. White rice and the traditional “farofa” must be presentas well. Dessert varies a lot from region to region and it reflects more of theBrazilian cuisine. Common desserts are coconut pudding (called “manjar branco”or “white pudding”) served with fresh plum sauce, condensed milk caramelpudding, walnut cakes and on and on.

Brazilian Christmas Celebration (continued from page 1)

Brazilian New Year Celebration

In Brazil people use to say that the “party time” starts with Christmas and goeson until Carnival. Somewhat exaggerated but this atmosphere is definitely

present especially in the days between Christmas and New Year. New Year inBrazil is a huge holiday and, as such, very well-celebrated. Different fromChristmas, on New Year’sEve people tend to gettogether with friends andthe party goes on fromdusk to dawn. Again,tradition may vary a bitdepending on family/cultural traditions, but onething is common to absoluteall Brazilians: New Year iscelebrated in white. Justabout everybody dresses inwhite, which is supposed torepresent peace for theyear that is starting. If awell-decorated Christmastree is the must forChristmas, fireworks is itsequivalent for New Year andsome cities will organizesimply spectacular fireworkshows for the population.New Year also has a specialflavor when celebrated bythe sea, so Brazilians all over the country plan their escape to the coast well inadvance. In the evening of December 31st the beaches become crowded withpeople in white and the skies alight with fireworks displays. A peculiar, butnowadays widely spread custom that had its origin with the African slaves takento Brazil in the colonial times is to enter the seawater at midnight and jump thefirst seven waves that hit shore. Oftentimes this procedure is followed by offeringsto the saint Yemanja, the African religion’s mother of the sea. White flowers andsmall candles can be seen floating on the water’s surface for miles all night long.At midnight people greet one another and drink their glass of champagne, wishingall the best for the coming year. There are many different habits connected toNew Year. A couple of curious but not uncommon ones are: Women wearunderpants in certain colors, depending on what they expect “to attract” in thecoming year - red is of course the color used when the lady expects to find alover; and, eating lentils is expected to attract money or good fortune.

[Adriana Diesen]

New Year’s fireworks on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Jainero


I N V I T A T I O N


Christmas time is a time of traditions and luckily we live in the USA,where Christmas is huge. For me and my family, Christmas Day is a very

important religious holiday, while the gift-giving takes place onDecember 5th at the St. Nicholas celebration. All of you Dutch, feel freeto disagree: traditions are not the same for all of us. One thing that we

share - our love for sweets, teasing and singing.

St. Nicholas

In November, St. Nicholas is welcomed by thousands of children when he arrives in his steam

boat in Holland. This event is on television for hours, while children sing and anticipate the

arrival of the good St. Nic, his helpers and the loads and loads of candy that are given out and

strewn across the streets. (Yes, on the streets, and not a single child has ever caught a bad bug

from eating it.) Anticipating the arrival of St. Nic, the tension mounts. Will all his helpers have

made it? Has St. Nic forgotten something? Has anything gotten in the way of the kids receiving

presents? Over the course of three weeks, the tension mounts. Every day there is a “St.

Nicholas Newscast” with an update on the whereabouts of the big book of good (and bad) deeds

of all Dutch children that is crucial for determining if they are eligible for presents. Many kids

cannot sleep the days before December 5th, pondering over their behavior of the past weeks. Day

in and day out the children sing the St. Nicholas songs at school and at home, singing about

“sweets for the sweet, a bunch of twigs for the naughty” and the horse of St. Nic. On December

5th, our family would have an early dinner and sing, sing, sing until we would hear a loud bang

on the door. Piercing screams, candy strewn on the floor and the deafening excitement would

almost be more important than the gifts that St. Nic’s helpers left on the doorstep. Toys,

chocolate initials, a big “speculaaspop”, all the toys and tastes of the season. Each gift was

accompanied by a teasing little poem. The older you get, the more the poems and teasing gains

in importance. For teenagers and adults, the evening is usually passed with family or friends,

keeping up the anticipation with “surprises” - huge handmade paper mache wrappings. If you

want to get an idea of the celebration and you happen to be in Holland, take a train on

December 5th and laugh at the self-made surprises people carry with them to a party. Also, note

the silence when all of the travelers are writing last-minute poems. Yes, it’s a special time.

Kerstmis in Holland

On December 6th, the city will have transformed into a Christmas-wonderland (except forsome St. Nicholas, party-pooping stores that start Christmas in October or November). Gifts

for Christmas Day? Oh yes, but mainly luxury items for the adults and a little chocolate something

for the kids. In my family, Christmas is celebrated as a religious holiday. We gather at mymother’s house for Christmas Eve, when a simple meal is eaten before going to the late mass.The candlelit country church is decorated every year with a full-sized manger scene and adorable

Christmas trees. My mother sings in the choir and the whole community enjoys singing the old,

old carols together. After coming home, we prepare the best part of Christmas - the midnightcandlelight breakfast with local specialties (“worstenbrood”), braided buns and traditional foodsfrom both sides of the family: cooked, sliced liver that was always served in my Dutch-German

mother’s side of the family, a sugar-dusted Bundt-cake that would just scream “Christmas” at my

father’s side. My daughter has taken it as her Christmas duty to further decorate that cake withchocolate holly, and so, traditions stay in the family. On First Christmas Day (December 25), wewatch the “Urbi et Orbi” of the Pope after mass and spend the rest of the day outside, if the

weather permits, and preparing dinner. The next day, Second Christmas Day (December 26), weusually visit other families.

Living in Houston just adds more to the traditions. The lights on the houses, the parties, thewhole cookie-exchange custom here, the new songs, the Christmas outfits and the tons and

tons of Christmas performances make it “the most wonderful time of the year”. [Flora Ijlstra]

Got a great idea foran article?

Have you mets o m e o n einteresting, ordone somethingfun and want tolet everyone inon ‘the secret’?

Contributionsare welcome!

Don’t worry, youdon’t have to be

a professional writer. If youneed help putting yourthoughts into words, we canbe of help.

For more information, pleasecontact Traci or Nannette [email protected].

CALLING ALL

VOLUNTEERS!

Outpost Houston to

hold Global Conference

Outpost Houston has been given thehonor of holding the Global OutpostConference in April 2006. Attendeeswill come from all over the worldrepresenting their Outpostinstallation. We need your help! Weneed people to help with the overallorganization as well as smaller jobsduring the conference. This is a greatopportunity for you to get involvedwith Outpost and to meet new andinteresting people.

Interested?

Please contact Traci [email protected] formore information.

‘Tis The Season -

Also In Holland



Amidst frozen waters and a snow-covered landscape with only a few

hours of daylight, Norwegians startpreparing for their celebration ofChristmas. Norway has a long traditionof celebrating Christmas or Jul. Fromancient times when mid-winter was apagan festival celebrated with asacrificial feast, until the 900s whenKing Haakon I ordered that the Vikingdrinking festival, Jul (Yule) was movedto December 25th, in honour of the birthof Jesus Christ. Over time the paganfeast was Christianized, and the nameJul was kept for Christmas.

The celebrations start with Advent,when on the four Sundays inDecember a candle is lit while readinga poem called Advent. On December13th children celebrate Santa Lucia,who symbolise light and love. Thechildren walk in procession all wearinglong white robes and with candles intheir hands singing songs led by Luciawho dons a crown of lights on her head.The night is called Lussinatten, which

Christmas in Norwayis the longest night of the year. For awhole month, families are busy bakingcookies (seven different types!),cleaning and decorating their houses.

One decoration is the Julebukk, the goatthat pulled the cart of Thor – the God ofThunder in Norse mythology. OnDecember 23rd, ‘Little Christmas Eve’ thetree is brought indoors to be decorated.

Christmas is celebrated on December24th, with a lunch of rice porridge inwhich one lucky almond is placed. Abowl of porridge is set outside the frontdoor for the elf, so that he will watchover the animals and not turnmischievous. Christmas mass iscelebrated in the early evening. Aftermass, famil ies return home forChristmas Dinner. Traditional farevaries from region to region, andcommonly includes Turkey, Cod,Reindeer or Lamb ribs washed downwith a traditional drink, Aquavit. Afterdinner we join hands to walk aroundthe Christmas tree, and sing traditionalcarols. But what’s missing? Someonesuddenly knocks on the door, and theJulenisse (Santa) comes to visit. Ournisse lives in a barn or in the forest,and brings gifts to all good children.After the presents are opened and theexcitement subsides, the family sitsdown to enjoy the rest of the evening.Merry Christmas to you all or God jul

til dere alle![Mette H. Willoughby]

Bright is the SeasonPeace and good will for people of all cultures, religions and nationalities

Capture the holiday spirit with carols from around the worldsung in Italian, French, German, English, Spanish, Latvian, Dutch and Hindi.

After the concert, meet the world at the International Food Fest!

December 10, 7.30 p.m.St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church6800 Buffalo Speedway, Houston, Texas 77025, Free Parking

Presale ticket prices: $15 adults ($20 at the door), $5 children andstudents, $10 groups (call for details). Order online atwww.unahouston.org/unachoir, or call 281-498-7562.


2005 GLOBETROTTER BALL

2005 Globetrotter Ball:An Evening to Remember

Over 150 Globetrotters came oftheir shell on Saturday night for

a fantastic evening at thedowntown Shell Plaza Club in OneShell Square. The dramaticallyspectacular backdrop from the 49th

floor did not disappoint and thebuzzing party went on until the weesmall hours. Colorful national dresswas the order of the day for someof the 24 nationalities that wererepresented…truly a reflection of ourdiverse community. The evening waskicked off by Helen Goodchild, whowarmly welcomed John Hofmeister,President, Shell Oil Company, asguest of honor.

Mr. Hofmeister, despite his hecticbusiness agenda, was eager tosupport the Outpost Houston eventand took the opportunity to talkabout cultural diversity and thesignificance of the Holidays. Ofcourse, the main purpose of theevening was to dress up and havea Ball, but we also hoped to raisemoney and awareness for CARE.Over $3000 was raised through theraffle and we hope to raise evenmore through donation envelopes.It was a beautiful night and afantastic result. The GlobetrotterBall Committee, Outpost HoustonSteering Committee and OutpostHouston Staff want to thankeveryone who attended, partiedand contributed.

The Globetrotter Ball Committee

Photos by Ed Barsingerhorn

Donation Table for CAREHouston skyline from the Shell Plaza Club

Selling raffle tickets

Dancing the night away...

Karen Hofmeister, Yvonne Smitskamp& John Hofmeister

Welcome drinks

Beautiful Nigerian national dress

The Globetrotter Ball Committee: HettyBarsingerhorn, Yvonne Smitskamp, MartaRodriguez-Casson, Ben Boyd-Gorst, Stella

Osaigbovo, Helen Goodchild & Lamia El Sawy


OUTPOST NEWS

On November 3, 2005, OutpostHouston was pleased to host our

annual Medical / Legal Benefits & EstatePlanning Presentation. The programwas presented in three parts:Understanding Your MedicalBenefits Plan, Understanding YourLegal Benefits Plan andUnderstanding Expatriate EstatePlanning.

Understanding Your MedicalBenefits was presented by AliciaSlater, Manager, Health & Welfare Plans.Alicia discussed in detail the GlobalExpatriate Medical Scheme (GEMS)including the summary of benefits,changes in coverage for dependentchildren and tips on how to locate aphysician. She also discussed the twochoices within Cigna Dental benefits(Cigna Dental Plan or Cigna DentalPPO) and their differences. Alsocovered was a summary of benefits forVSP (Vision Service Plan).

Understanding Your Legal Benefits

Plan was presented by Ted Holcomb ofHyatt Legal Plans. Ted discussed indetail Hyatt Legal Plan costs andservices provided to Shell employeesand how much money one can save byusing the plan. Also discussed werehow easy the plan is to use and thequality of the attorneys within the plan.

Understanding Expatriate EstatePlanning was presented by GusVlahadamis and Anne M. Sumner,Attorneys at Law. Gus and Annediscussed how important it is to planyour estate (while in the U.S) in caseof death including the importance ofmaintaining a current will as foreignwills are generally not valid in the U.S.or the state of Texas. They describedin detail U.S. estate taxes regardingexpatriates including residencydetermination, assets, gifting, methodsfor reducing U.S. estate tax anddocuments to be executed for U.S.estate planning.

If you missed this informative

presentation but would like to

view the information discussed, go

to www.outposthouston.com and

click on News / Recent

Presentations where you can

download the PowerPoint

presentations in PDF.

Medical / Legal Benefits & Estate Planning PresentationNovember 3, 2005

Discover Houston!Program for New Orleans Expats

October 17, 2005

In mid-October, after the rush of yetanother hurricane, Shell Expatriate

Services, Outpost Houston, andPrudential Relocation came together topresent a half-day program calledDiscover Houston! for those Shellexpatriate families that had beendisplaced from New Orleans to Houstondue to Hurricane Katrina. Twenty fivepeople attended this open invitationprogram to learn more about theirtemporary, or perhaps permanent, newhome. It was another example of therole that Shell Outpost has played inmeeting the needs of the expatriatecommunity.

A number of topics were coveredincluding a historical overview ofHouston, an identification of the maintransportation routes, a look at safetyin the city and suburbs, guidance onhow to get new Texas driver’s licensesand register cars, and a sampler of thefun and exciting activities for adults andchildren to be found in the Bayou City.

Towards the end of the program, therewas plenty of time for questions andanswers. Outpost Houston graciouslyprovided lunch and the program wasled by Ms. Theresa Sewell, a nativeHoustonian who has been both aSettling-In mentor and InterculturalTrainer with Prudential RelocationServices for a number of years.

We hope our New Orleans colleaguesare feeling more acclimated now!

Beverly Zimmerman

Prudential Relocation Services

Upcoming

Presentations

for 2006

Accent Reduction Tips

Voluntary WorkOpportunities in

Houston

Spouse Educational

Opportunities & SVA

Discover Dutch Culture

…and many more are

in the works!


OUTPOST NEWS

Portrait of a Young Woman byRembrandt van Rijn

Coming up in the nextNewsletter…

NEW ARRIVALS

Riana & Brett van der Mescht &

Family

Penny & Ian Lim

Becky Watson & David Owen

Louisa Jane Evans & Keith

Fletcher

Mathieu Darnet

Ann Louise & Mike McGuinness

Janet & Thomas Nyanat &

Family

Tracy Bousfield & Shaun

Wakefield & Family

Hala & Mohamed Soliman &Family

Ingrid & Adrian Karter

Boudewien Feit & Koen Sisselaar& Family

Margot Verheyen & Heine

Gerretsen & Family

Nike Olafimihan

Antonella & Laurent Spring &

Family

Azelia Tan & Wayne Doddridge &

Family

Debora Purwin

Inge Martens & Willy Hack &Family

Richard Romero & Erica Cheung

Mariet & Martin Nieskens

Shelley & Rob Shelton

Rita Tagan & David

Pritchard & Family

Henk Mooiweer

Gail Connell Sheaser & ChrisConnell & Family

Turid & Brian McGahey & Family

Deborah Taylor & Andrew Axon& Family

On November 16, Outpost Houstonwas pleased to host our annual

Immigration Presentation. Theprogram was presented by SusanBaialer-Sullivan, Immigration TeamLead, in three parts: Who We(Expatriate Services,Immigration) are and What Wedo; What Is New in the World ofImmigration; and, Non US-parented Immigration Highlights.

Who We Are and What We Dohighlighted Expatriate Services-Americas Immigration Team and theirspecific duties in regards to employeeexpatriation including explanation ofthe different Visas available in the US.

What is New in the World of

Immigration highlighted new entrydocument requirements, changes in

the visa waiver program, andimmigration documents expats shouldcarry.

During Non US-parentedImmigration Highlights, Susanreviewed how Expatriate Servicesstrives to keep every one legal andwhat the employee can do to help. Alsodiscussed was I-94 Extension process,Spousal Employment (EAD) and phonenumbers of who to contact if you havea problem.

If you missed this informative

presentation but would like to

view the information discussed, go

to www.outposthouston.com and

click on News / Recent

Presentations where you can

download the PowerPoint

documents in PDF.

Immigration PresentationNovember 16, 2005

Our Ironman Journey

Holiday Brunch Pics

Meet the Outpost SteeringCommittee

Outpost Houston Services– What Do We Do?

Cruising Alaska


OUTPOST NEWS

International Connections of Houston (ICH) is a non-profit organization whichserves as a meeting point for networking through informative programs,

activities and discussion groups. ICH invites members to share their globalexperiences. If you are living in the United States as an expatriate or haverepatriated to the United States after living abroad and you desire to connectwith others who have had similar experiences, ICH welcomes you. ICH alsoaffords opportunities to get to know Houston, its history, culture and environment.

ICH reaches out to people who are living in the United States for the first time,repatriating to the United States, interested in connecting with an internationallydiverse group through monthly meetings, activities and special interests, lookingfor opportunities to network for educational, cultural and social purposes orinterested in exploring Houston and its environs. Their vision is to provide aneducational, and social forum for people in Houston who are interested in globaland intercultural issues, to promote involvement in the local community, to providescholarship funds to students who are pursuing an education with an internationalorientation and to foster global friendships. ICH also seeks to impact the familythrough focus on issues concerning mobile families in the 21st century, culturalsensitivities and language issues, common reactions to relocating anddevelopment of career and voluntary opportunities.

ICH impacts the community by working with area multi-national corporations toprovide financial support for local charities and community service projects andby awarding ICH Scholarships to assist students interested in studying abroador foreign students who wish to study in the United States. ICH currently awardsscholarships to international students at the University of Houston Clear Lake.

For an annual membership fee of $20, ICH connects you to the internationalcommunity through:

• Monthly meetings with informative speakers• Monthly newsletter• Guided tours around Houston• Participation in group activities such as book club, golf lessons, dinner

club, tennis, dancing, sports activities, playgroups etc.• Volunteering in the local community• Nurturing friendships with other expatriates and Americans who have

lived overseas and who understand your lifestyle.

If you are interested in more information on International Connectionsof Houston, please see www.internationalconnectionshouston.org orcontact them via email on [email protected].

You may be aware of the fact that CITI bank isissuing a Shell CITI credit card that will provide a5% discount on all purchases at Shell retail stations as well as JiffyLubes stations. This, at current prices, could give you a 10-15ct pergallon discount at the pump. In fact during an initial period thepercentage discount will be even higher. Shell Expats that havedifficulties getting accepted to this program because of a limitedcredit history can contact our Retail organization, Elizabeth Hudson(281 874 3923) for assistance.

Want To Get A 5% DiscountOn Your Gasoline?

A lady was shoppingfor a turkey at the

grocery store, but shecouldn’t find one big

enough for her family.She asked a stock

boy, “Do these turkeysget any bigger?” The

stock boy replied,“No, ma’am, they’re

dead.”

Need ideasfor the Kids’Christmaspresents?

Here are some greatwebsites to help you out.

For arts & crafts kits:www.warmbiscuit.com

For European toys:www.compatoys.com

For the budding scientist:www.speedydog.com

For the junior builder:www.kidbuilt.com

For the architecturallyminded girl:

www.zebrahall.com


OUTPOST NEWS

MONTHLYOPEN HOUSE

You’re Invited! You will have theopportunity to meet with newand recent arrivals, settledspouses, our Meet & Greet Teamas well as Outpost Staff. Wehave a lovely children’s play-room, so feel free to bring thekids along.

Coffee with a Twist! Periodicallythroughout the year we will in-vite a special guest who willspeak during the Open Houseabout his/her life’s passion orwork that is relative to expatri-ate life in Houston. The next Cof-fee with a Twist will be held inJanuary and February. Look outfor details in upcoming email an-nouncements.

The next Open House will beTuesday, January 24, 2006.

Time: 10:00 am onwardsPlace: Outpost office, ShellWoodcreek (next to Starbucks)

2006 Open House Schedule

Tuesday, January 24Tuesday, February 28Thursday, March 23Wednesday, May 3

Thursday, September 21Tuesday, October 24

Monday, November 13

You’re Invited!

Mr. John Hofmeister, President, Shell Oil Company andMrs. Karen Hofmeister request the pleasure of your company for a

Holiday Brunch to celebrate this festive season.

Please join us on Monday, December 12, 2005 from 10:00 am – Noonat The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Cullinan Hall,

Caroline Wiess Law Building, 1001 Bissonnet. You will also havethe opportunity to view several of the Museum’s special

exhibitions including “Brought to Light: Recent Acquisitionsin Latin American Art”.

Free parking is available in the First Presbyterian Church lot acrossthe street from the Caroline Wiess Law Building or you may park in

the Museum Garage free of charge by having your parking ticketvalidated by the Garage Lobby Cashier.

Please R.S.V.P. before December 7, 2005 to [email protected] more information on the Museum of Fine Art, Houston see

www.mfah.org.

(Expatriate Employees & Spouses only)

An accent is essentially speaking onelanguage while applying at least

some of the rules of pronunciation ofanother language. However, althoughaccents can be quite beautiful and aworld without them would be gray andboring, a heavy accent can hinder clearcommunication. To be fair, English canbe especially difficult to pronounce wellbecause some of the sounds of thelanguage can be spelled in so manydifferent ways.

Please join us on Tuesday, January 24th

for Coffee with a Twist featuring JamesHaygood, Accent Reduction Counselor.James will explain Accent Reductionand give us tips on improving generalAmerican English pronunciation.

JANUARY OPEN HOUSE – Coffee with a TwistWhat Is An Accent?

Date: Tuesday, January 24th

Time: 10:00 am – Noon

Place: Outpost OfficeWoodcreek, Room 6115

If you would like to find out moreinformation on Accent Reduction, callJames Haygood at 832 758 2455.


HOUSTON FOR THE HOLIDAYS

WHAT’S ON FOR THE HOLIDAYS

This annual celebration features thehonorable Mayor Bill White welcoming the

equally honorable Santa Claus to downtown(where did he park the sleigh?) and thelighting of the official Christmas tree at CityHall. Traditionally, the plaza is festivelydecorated and ringed with booths offeringrefreshments and holiday arts and crafts.There will be live entertainment, photo opswith Santa and a huge fireworks display tocap off the evening. Begins at 5:00 p.m.

w w w . h o u s t o n t x . g o v / s p e c i a l e v e n t s

THE MAYOR’S OFFICIAL HOLIDAY CELEBRATION

December 1

HOLIDAY EVENTS

MOODY GARDENS FESTIVAL OF

LIGHTS

Nov 19 – Jan 7

Moody Gardens “Festival of Lights” isone of the largest presentations ofChristmas lights in Southeast Texas.Guests will journey through MoodyGardens to Santa’s Workshop, aGingerbread House, the Nativity andmany more places reminiscent of theholiday season. Entertainment by localchoirs, dance troops and bell choirs willalso greet visitors. November 19th-December 11th open Thursday-Sunday,December 15th-January 1st open daily.www.moodygardens.com

JINGLE JAUNTS

Nov 25 - Dec 31Discover Houston Tours’ 2005 JingleJaunts feature a guided stroll indowntown Houston to admire sparklingholiday lights, window displays, andfantastic fountains; a short ride onMetroRail; and Hot Apple Cider withHoliday Cookies by the Bank JeanGeorges restaurant in the Hotel Icon’slobby. Count the reindeer, snowflakes,and Christmas trees as you strollthrough downtown Houston onDiscover Houston Tours’ 2005 JingleJaunts. From November 25-December31, 2005, Sandra Claus and her Elveslead walkers on a two-and-a-half-hournight-time adventure featuringspectacular building decorations, the

city’s Christmas Tree, and a jolly rideon MetroRail downtown.www.discoverhoustontours.com

HOLIDAY LIGHTS IN HERMAN PARK

Nov 25 – Dec 25

FRI, SAT, SUN from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00p.m. November 25 - December 11 andnightly from FRI, December 16 - SUN,December 25. Transforming Houstoninto a holiday wonderland, Holiday

Lights in Hermann Park illuminates aone-mile stretch of the park around therecently renovated Mary Gibbs andJesse H. Jones Reflection Pool and theeight-acre McGovern Lake.w w w . h e r m a n n p a r k . o r g /special_events.html

32ND ANNUAL DICKENS ON THE

STRAND

Dec 2 – 4Galveston’s historic downtown strandis transformed into Victorian London.The lamp-lit streets are filled withVictorian-clad vendors sell ingtraditional food and drink and Victorian-inspired crafts. There are parades, aknighting ceremony, candlelight tours,bagpipers, magicians and musicians.Best of all, Mark Charles Dickens, thegreat-great grandson of author CharlesDickens arrives in Galveston each yearto read from his ancestor’s famousbook, A Christmas Carol. For ticketinformation, seewww.galvestonhistory.org.

HERITAGE SOCIETY CANDLELIGHT

TOURS

Dec 9 – 10

The Heritage Society of Houston treatsvisitors to special tours of the historicalhomes in Sam Houston Park, eachdecked out with seasonal decorationsreminiscent of a century ago, whilecostumed carolers and musicians offera serenade for the season. Historic SamHouston Park, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. Forticket information seew w w . h e r i t a g e s o c i e t y . o r g /

calendar.html

44TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BOAT

PARADE ON CLEAR LAKE

December 10More than 100 beautifully lighted andextravagantly decorated boats travelleisurely through the Lake and up ClearCreek Channel to Galveston Bay,beginning at 6:00 p.m. The parade canbe viewed along the shoreline inSeabrook and Kemah Boardwalk.


HOUSTON FOR THE HOLIDAYS

THEATER

A CHRISTMAS CAROL – A GhostStory of ChristmasNov 22 – Dec 28Houston receives a holiday gift whenthe Alley Theatre introduces a newproduction of the popular holiday storyA Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story ofChristmas. Adapted and directed byMichael Wilson, artistic director ofHartford Stage Company, this newversion will be an amusing and musicalre-telling of Charles Dickens’ “ghostlylittle book” about Ebenezer Scroogeand the three ghosts who visit him onChristmas Eve. Save 20% on ticketsduring the Red Ribbon Toy Drive. Formore information see

www.alleytheatre.org

MUSIC

HOLIDAY TRADITIONS FROM

AROUND THE WORLD

Dec 10

Conductor Carlos Miguel Prieto with theHouston Symphony bring the joyoussounds of the season will fill Jones Hall,and visions of faraway places will comealive on the stage. Let holidaytraditions from near and far put you ina festive mood.www.houstonsymphony.org

A VERY MERRY POPS

Dec 9 - 12Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pops at Jones

Hall; A Houston Symphony tradition!Michael Krajewski rings in the holidaywith a heartwarming celebration of theseason, complete with the HoustonSymphony Chorus, dancers, and thecharming Houston Children’s Chorus!Submit your family photos and see

them projected above the Jones Hallstage! This year’s performance willinclude a piece in which images of

children enjoying the holidays will be

projected on two large screens. Formore information seewww.houstonsymphony.org

TRANS SIBERIAN ORCHESTRADEC 18

The hottest ticket for the ChristmasSeason is the coolest show this winter.Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), one ofrock music’s most exhilarating livebands, returns for a massive NorthAmerican holiday concert tour that willhit Houston for 2 shows. One dollar fromevery ticket sold wil l go to localcharities. Venue: Toyota Center; ShowTimes: 2:30 PM & 7:30PM; TicketPrices: $30.50, $40.50, $50.50.www.toyotacentertix.com

DANCE

THE NUTCRACKER

Nov 25 – Dec 26

Brown Theater 2; From the giantChristmas tree to dancing snowflakesto flying cooks, The Nutcracker is abreath-taking vision from beginning toend. Join Clara on her unforgettablejourney to the Land of Snow and theKingdom of Sweets, and marvel as theSugar Plum Fairy and the Prince dancea pas de deux of crystalline beauty. TheNutcracker is a magical spectacle todelight the entire family.www.houstonballet.org

FOR THE KIDS

FESTIVALS OF LIGHTDec 10 - Jan 8, 2006Festivals of Light at The Children’sMuseum of Houston is the city’s onlymulticultural holiday exhibit spotlightingeight cultural celebrations: Ramadan,Diwali, Santa Lucia, Los Posadas,Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa andChinese New Year. www.cmh.org

SNOW FLURRY

December 10

Noon – 4pm; Experience a winterwonderland of snow at the HoustonMuseum of Natural Science’s 2nd

Annual Snow Flurry. Kids up to 13years old are invited to play in over40,000 pounds of real snow, have theirphotos taken with Santa on his sleigh,see live reindeer, frolic with live animalsin the yuletide petting corral and enjoyholiday music by Crockett Elementary.This event is FREE, however, ticketrequired for Santa vs. The Snowmanin the IMAX® Theatre.www.hmns.org

BAYOU BEND FAMILY DAY –

YULETIDE CHEER

Dec 18Families with young children are invitedto take guided tours of selected roomsof the House. Guests can register for achance to win great giveaways fromKUHF 88.7 FM and the MFAH. Drawingsare held at 2:30 and 4:00 p.m.Additionally, Bayou Bend´s Family Daysoffer a variety of activities that are funfor children and adults. Admission isFREE from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. withthe last admission at 4:30 p.m.www.mfah.org

ART & EXHIBITIONS

BASQUIAT

Nov 20 – Feb 12, 2006

During the tragically brief life of Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960—1988), hecreated a distinct style of painting thatinvolved language, a set of repeatedpersonal symbols, and a rhythmicharmony of surface based on a looselygridded picture plane. This exhibitionmarks the first serious examination ofBasquiat´s work by an Americanmuseum. Basquiat comprises 67paintings, many drawn from European

collections, and 36 drawings, all ofwhich examine the artists’ work in thecontext of his role as the lastModernist. Located in the CarolineWiess Law Building. www.mfah.org


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MARK YOUR CALENDARS!December

• Holiday Brunch hosted by Mr. & Mrs. John Hofmeister -December 12 (see page 9 for details)

January

• Coffee with a Twist: Accent Reduction Tips - January 24

February

• Coffee with a Twist: Voluntary Work Opportunities inHouston - February 28

Outpost Houston Holiday Hours:

Monday, December 12: Office Closed (Holiday Brunch)

December 19 – 22: Reduced Office Hours (10am – Noon)

December 26 – January 3, 2006: Office Closed

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holiday traditions in this issue around the globe · quarter 4 2005, issue #15 outpost houston...

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