Pittsburgh CLO presents two Holiday shows: Tickets for Pittsburgh CLO’s 16th annual holiday production of A Musical Christmas Carol at the Byham Theater and the highly-anticipated Pittsburgh premiere of Plaid Tidings at the CLO Cabaret will go on sale Friday, October 5, 2007.

Plaid Tidings > November 8, 2007 – January 13, 2008 > The very best of Forever Plaid wrapped up in a nifty package with a big bow on top! Pittsburgh’s original cast (J.D. Daw, Joe Domencic, Adam Halpin and Marcus Stevens) is back in town for their highly-anticipated Christmas Special, filled with “plaid-erized” holiday favorites. At first The Plaids aren’t sure why they’ve returned, but a phone call from the heavenly Rosemary Clooney tells them that they’re needed to add a little harmony to the world. Plaid Tidings is sponsored by TRACO.

Performances are Wednesday-Saturday evenings, 7:30PM; and Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2PM. Tickets ($50.50) are available online at www.PittsburghCLO.org, by calling 412-456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square. Groups of 10 or more can call the Group Sales Hotline at 412-325-1582 to learn more about special discounts and priority seating.

A Musical Christmas Carol > December 7-23, 2007 Byham Theater > Featuring classic characters and a wealth of yuletide melodies, this traditional holiday tale is a must see! Audiences are sure to enjoy Ebenezer Scrooge’s ghostly adventure through the past, present and future as he finds redemption from a life of loneliness and greed, and just in time to celebrate the season. Young and old alike will rejoice in this heartwarming musical production!

Performances are Fridays at 7:30PM; Saturdays at 12PM, 4PM & 8PM; Sundays at 2PM & 6PM; and Thursday December 20 at 7:30PM. Student Matinees are December 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 18 & 19 at 10AM

Pittsburgh CLO is proud to present eight specially priced 10AM Student Matinees. With an informative study guide, behind-the-scenes DVD and captivating musical performances, A Musical Christmas Carol is both an educational theater experience and wonderful holiday celebration!  Teachers who want to make A Musical Christmas Carol part of their lesson plans should call the Group Sales Hotline at (412) 263-2560.

Tickets to A Musical Christmas Carol are affordably priced for family entertainment from $26.50 to $42.50 with half-priced tickets for children 3-14.  Tickets are available online at www.PittsburghCLO.org or by calling (412) 456-6666 or at the Box Office at Theater Square.

Pittsburgh CLO has carefully designed special group discounts and corporate ticket programs to accommodate any size group!  Interested parties should call the Group Sales Hotline at (412) 263-2560 to learn more about these fantastic opportunities.     

Related Links > http://www.pittsburghclo.org

Christmas, of course, comes earlier every year. For retailers it starts earlier than most as they try to identify the year’s ‘must have’ gifts. In order to give them a bit of a hand, we’ve spent the last week analyzing search data in order to make some predictions as to what we think will be this year’s hot gadgets, entertainment, toys and fashions.

First a word on the methodology. Search term analysis provides great insight into people’s habits and desires, so we analysed the top 2,000 search terms that sent traffic to a Hitwise Custom Category consisting of the top 100 online retail websites in the UK during the four weeks ending 22nd September 2007. Gadgets are up first, and our defintion encompasses a range of consumer electronics products including mobile phones, computers and peripherals, games consoles, in car entertainment and navigation systems, and audio-visual equipment,

The Nintendo Wii is the most searched for gaming console in the UK, ranking as the sixth most popular gadget heading into Christmas, ahead of the Xbox 360 at number 7 and the Nintendo DS at number 8. There were 5 times as many searches for the Nintendo Wii as the Sony Playstation 3, which did not make the top 10 gadget list.

Mobile phones are the most popular gadgets in the UK, capturing 46% of all searches, followed by computers, iPods, satellite navigation systems and high definition televisions. The success for the TomTom brand of satellite navigation systems continues, with the number of searches for ‘tomtom’ double that for the generic term ’sat nav’. Searches for ‘external hard drive’ have increased by 15% year on year, reflecting a desire among UK consumers to back up their precious collections of digital music, photos and video.

The Nokia N95 multimedia phone captures almost one in ten searches for mobile phone models in the UK, making it the most popular handset. It is followed closely by the stylish Nokia 6300, with 8.7% of searches, and the Samsung G600 5 mega pixel camera phone, with 8.5%.

The top mobile phone manufacturer by share of UK Internet searches is Nokia, which receives 35% of searches across the top 5 brands, followed by Sony Ericsson with 29% and Samsung with 24%. Motorola is at number four with a 6% share, followed by LG with 5%.

There are 14 times as many searches for the Apple iPod as for all the other MP3 players combined. Two thirds of searches are for the generic iPod, while one in five searchers is looking specifically for the iPod Nano, which has seen searches increase by 67% year on year.

The new iPod Touch and the UK release of the iPhone were announced too late to have a significant impact on the retail search data, but there is a huge amount of internet buzz about both products. For example, the volume of searches for ‘iPhone’ sending traffic to News and Media websites has increased 5 fold over the last month. With Apple the most searched for gadget brand in the UK, it seems likely that both products will find eager fans amongst British consumers. Dell is the second most searched for brand, receiving almost four times as many searches as its nearest rival HP.

Via > DigitalMediaWire

Festive cheer will be in plentiful supply over Exmoor, UK, during the first two weekends of December as the local villagers at Dulverton and Dunster prepare for Christmas with two special events.

Dulverton by Starlight: Sunday 2 December > Amongst the many Christmas activities taking place between 12noon and 7pm at Dulverton by Starlight on Sunday, 2 December will be carol singing and street entertainment as well as a chance to enjoy some hot mince pies and buy gifts for family and friends from the local shops. Santa Claus will be making a visit bringing gifts for the children and there will carol singing around the sparkling Christmas tree in the town square.

For further information about Dulverton by Starlight visit www.exmoorevents.co.uk.

Dunster by Candlelight: Friday 7 - Saturday 8 December > At Dunster by Candlelight on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 December the remarkably preserved medieval village turns it’s back on the present and lights its streets with candles. At 5.30pm there is a Lantern Lighting Procession with traditional pipe and drum music and stilt walkers in amazing costumes who put up the lanterns. It continues through the village until all the lanterns have been lit.

Throughout both evenings until around 9.30pm there will be a variety of street entertainment with carol singers, Morris dancers, samba drums, Rattlebox Theatre, creepy crawly handling with Exmoor Zoo in the newly restored Tithe Barn; a march by Sutton Household, hand bell ringers and a brass band plus carol singing and concerts in the Parish Church. Dunster’s shops will be open for Christmas shopping while the local restaurants, inns and charity stalls will provide refreshments.

Admission is free but there is a small charge for the park and ride service since there is no parking in Dunster for the evening. Visitors will also be able to arrive at Dunster by Candlelight on a special Christmas train operated by the West Somerset Steam Railway, which runs from Bishop’s Lydeard, near Taunton to Minehead but pre-booking is essential.

For further details about Dunster by Candlelight visit www.dunsterbycandlelight.co.uk.

Details about other places to visit on Exmoor and accommodation suggestions can be found on www.visit-exmoor.co.uk.

Combine the capital of Copenhagen with Sweden’s third largest city, Malmö, for a true Scandinavian pre-Christmas experience. Copenhagen is especially wonderful at Christmas time and the historic city of Malmö in Sweden is another great Yuletide attraction.

Thanks to the Öresund Bridge which majestically links the two countries, it’s never been easier to enjoy the delights of being part of a Danish and Swedish build up to Christmas. With a convenient rail-link the cities are just 35 minutes apart.

COPENHAGEN > In Copenhagen, serious shoppers head for Ströget, northern Europe’s longest pedestrian shopping street. From mid November onwards, shopkeepers try to outdo each other in creating the most attractive window displays. Many look for exclusive designs or perhaps special quality decorations for the Christmas tree, if so, head straight for Illums Bolighus, a centre for Danish and international design. Next door at Amagertorv Square stands the Royal Copenhagen flagship shore, a wonderful 17th century building filled with fine porcelain, crystal and collectable Christmas plates as well has Georg Jensen silverware.

Royal Copenhagen is also famous for its display of Christmas tables. They have a different theme each year and are decorated with the best of Royal Copenhagen finery. Be prepared to queue for this annual visual highlight!

Another must do, is a visit to the annual Christmas Market at Tivoli Gardens. Tivoli Gardens is the most popular attraction in Denmark, and this time of the year they put on a fabulous display of the best illuminated trees you will ever see in Europe. Some sixty stalls sell Danish handicrafts, seasonal foods and gifts. The market is this year will open on 16 November.

MALMÖ > Just over the Öresund Bridge, Malmö is another great place for shopping. The big department store, Hansakompaniet, is the place to go when in need of inspiration for last-minute Christmas gifts. Here you’ll find trendy clothes, restaurants, beauty products and household goods. Then move on to Saluhallen, at the picturesque Lilla Torg Square, a true mecca for gourmets with several small shops selling tea, chocolates and seasonal delicacies. There are several copy bars and restaurants surrounding Lilla Square, where locals and visitors alike meet up for a traditional warm ‘glogg’. From 25 November the City of Malmö puts on its Christmas market, attracting more and more visitors each year.

A good time to be in Malmö is on the 13th December for Lucia! This tradition takes place each year on the 13th of December, when Lucia, ‘The Queen of Light’ wearing candles in hair, together with her attendants, travel through the city in a horse drawn carriages up to the Stortorget Square where locals will have gathered to sing traditional carols and watch the official crowning of Lucia.

Getting there > With flight times around two hours you can be there in no time at all. SAS Scandinavian Airlines operate regular direct services out of London Heathrow and City airports, Dublin, Aberdeen, Manchester and Birmingham. For latest offers www.flysas.co.uk

For further information go to www.visitdenmark.com

Maritime Greenwich, London’s Christmas Village, has an exciting programme of festive activities, exhibitions and events running through December into New Year 2008.

This beautiful corner of south east London will take on a special festive atmosphere with open-air ice skating, shopping, twinkling fairy lights and decorations, a giant Christmas tree and visit by Santa Claus and his helpers. Visitors will be able to soak up the unique ambiance and join in a variety of events.

Festivities will kick off with the Switch On of Greenwich Market’s Christmas lights on Friday, 30 November with a huge programme of family entertainment running from 3-7pm. Father Christmas will be there from 3pm and the lights will be turned on at 5pm by the cast of Greenwich Theatre’s pantomime ‘Dick Whittington’.

The famous, indoor Greenwich market, www.greenwichmarket.net, is home to a quirky collection of interesting and unusual shops. In addition from Thursday, 6 December there will be a special Christmas Market trading everyday until 7pm right up to Christmas Eve. Festive shopping in Greenwich Town Centre is also a breath of fresh air for those tired with the lack of choice offered by crowded, cloned high streets across the country. The historic town is packed with unique shopping opportunities stretching from Royal Hill to Creek Road. Many of the restaurants and bars will also be offering special Christmas party menus.

Greenwich Ice Rink > The Greenwich ice rink, www.greenwichicerink.com, will be open from Saturday, 8 December to Sunday, 13 January (10am - 10pm) in the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College. This year the CaféIce, serving hot chocolate, mulled wine and mince pies, will be re-sited in the colonnades giving skaters uninterrupted views across the Thames to Canary Wharf in one direction and Queen’s House and the Royal Observatory in the other. Other events at the College will include a Christmas evening concert with supper in the beautiful Painted Hall and a family festive craft workshop, www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org.

The Greenwich Theatre annual pantomime production of ‘Dick Whittington’ will run from Tuesday, 4 December to Saturday, 5 January with Andrew Pollard writing the script and joining the cast as the dame, returning after his record-breaking success in ‘Sleeping Beauty’ last year. The show will be packed with comedy, magic, music and adventure entertaining an audience across all ages, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk.

Mince Pounds > Maritime Greenwich will also have its own currency, Mince Pounds, available during the festive season. Every time visitors spend £10 in a local shop or market displaying a Mince Pound sign, they will receive one Mince Pound, which can be put towards either tickets to the pantomime, skating at the ice rink or a visit to the new Peter Harrison Planetarium.

Maritime Greenwich’s many attractions will be open to visitors over the festive period including the Chapel and Painted Hall within the Old Royal Naval College; the National Maritime Museum, which also takes in the Queen’s House, Royal Observatory with its new Time and Space Galleries and the Peter Harrison Planetarium; the Fan Museum, St Alfege Church and Wernher Collection at the Ranger’s House.

This year also marks the tenth anniversary since the centre of Greenwich was awarded World Heritage Site status for its architectural, scientific, maritime and royal associations.

Christmas events at Maritime Greenwich will vary from day to day; for full details and to check Christmas opening times for local attractions and accommodation suggestions visit Christmasingreenwich.com. Local information can also be found on www.greenwichwhs.org.uk.

Maritime Greenwich is easily reached via the Docklands Light Railway alighting at Cutty Sark, or by main line train from four central London stations, namely Charing Cross, Cannon Street, Waterloo East and London Bridge. Alternatively there are several bus services coming through Greenwich or visitors can arrive by passenger boat at Greenwich Pier.

Rochdale business Craft Delights is kick starting the Countdown to Christmas on Thursday 4 October from 7pm – 9pm with a Christmas Craft Evening at the Urban Gallery, Meadowcroft Mill, Bury Road, Bamford, UK.

There will be craft materials on sale for card makers and scrapbookers as well as ceramic crafts to decorate and personalise as gifts.  There will be plenty of craft project ideas for stocking fillers and for children and for the not as creative, ready made gifts and cards.  All are welcome, entry is free and there will be refreshments. 

Anyone wanting to have a go at making their own cards for the first time is also encouraged to come along and will be sure of a warm welcome with plenty of tips of how to get started.

Craft Delights, run by Castleton based Ruth Percy, will also be celebrating its first birthday after a year of successful trading.  Ruth decided to set the business up after working in marketing for ten years.  She has a permanent display at the Urban Gallery and also sells on the internet.  As well as the business, she still works part-time for Sure Start in Rochdale. 

Ms Percy said: “On the day of the fair, it will be only 79 days to Christmas.  Card makers usually start around now to make enough cards for Christmas, so we are offering the opportunity to stock up on this year’s festive craft delights!  Christmas is my favourite time of the year, so I am looking forward to kick starting the season early with follow crafters.”

If you are looking to do some early Christmas shopping, you might consider getting an ornament from a North Dakota artist.

Jon Offut of Fargo is working with the North Dakota Council on the Arts to grow the North Dakota Cultural Endowment Fund. A special edition, hand-made ornament is for sale, and the Council says proceeds go to the Endowment Fund. It says the money provides artistic opportunities for people across the state. The Fund was created by the state legislature in 1979.

“One of the suggestions was to sell a handmade ornament created by a North Dakota artist,” says Amy Schmidt of the ND Council on the Arts. “So we decided to do that and for this we commissioned John Offut who is the owner and operator of the House of Mulciber Glass Studio in Fargo.”

For more information on the Special Edition Ornament, log onto www.nd.gov/arts. Or you can e-mail comserv@nd.gov, or call 701-328-7590.