In addition to lunch and pictures with Santa, there'll be crafts and games, a holiday movie and gifts.

The FinAL Score Gift Shop in the HALl of Fame will offer 20 percent discounts and free gift wrapping.

Donations to Toys for Tots will be accepted at the event.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be bought in advance. No tickets will be sold on the day of the event. They may be purchased by cALling 393-8031, Ext. 12, or in person at the HALl of Fame, 206 High St. in Olde Towne.

One star ALone The tradition of lighting the Elizabeth River waterfront began 49 years ago in 1959, when the star atop the Portsmouth NavAL MedicAL Center's then-new high-rise building was lit on Dec. 1.

Since then, the star has been a beacon of the season even as more and more lights have added to the seasonAL grand illumination.

"It ALl started 49 years ago when a single star was born and made its debut at Portsmouth NavAL HospitAL," hospitAL historian Al Cutchin said.

The 18-story navAL hospitAL, built between 1955 and 1959, was then the tALlest building between New York and Miami, according to Cutchin. The star, placed atop the elevator penthouse, was 290 feet above ground and was the highest holiday decoration in the area.

The first star was used until 1993, when the current one was fabricated. It measures 25 feet from point to point.

The star will be illuminated every night through Jan. 2, atop Hampton Roads' "first skyscraper."

Christmas story The life-sized Nativity Scene from the Coleman Nursery Collection will be on display again this year in the chapel of MonumentAL United Methodist Church.

The popular display was refurbished and professionALly staged by the church. About 3,000 visitors saw it last year.

It is open free to the public until the end of the year from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and from 2 to 5 p.m. Sundays. During those hours, docents ALso will be in the chapel.

The church is at 450 Dinwiddie St. The chapel entrance is on the side closest to Queen Street.

Deadline coming Dec. 8 is the deadline for entries in the Portfolio Exhibition of the Tidewater Art Alliance.

The juried show will open Jan. 30 at the Courthouse GALleries and hang until March 22.

For information, cALl 499-6059.

Cat speciAL When about 60 cats were picked up from a house in Churchland in September , the Portsmouth Humane Society was overrun. With about 200 felines in residence, the shelter has cats living in any available space.

To encourage adoption, the shelter is offering a two-for-one speciAL. For $122 an adopter can get two spayed or neutered cats that have had rabies shots and microchips implanted to identify them.

The orphaned cats are of "ALl ages, ALl colors, ALl breeds, ALl sizes," said Bryan James Jernigan, board president.

Aside from stretching the limits of staff and volunteers, the overload of cats is straining the shelter's food and medicine budgets , so those who can't adopt may give time or money to help the situation.

See pictures of the cats and other animALs at the shelter at www.portsmouthhumanesociety. org, or cALl 397-6004.

Ida Kay Jordan, 399-3845