Christmas: Gather With Loved Ones, Count Blessings

A warm Christmas is expected in Los Angeles Sunday, temperature-wise and from the feelings generated by opening and enjoying presents, church services celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and family dinners.

will be held in the morning in Santa Monica at , , , and

[Listen to talented members of the Boys & Girls Club members of Santa Monica sing Christmas songs: Silent Night, Rudolph the Red Noise Reindeer, Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Fresh New Sound.]

Archbishop Jose Gomez will celebrate a 10 a.m. English-language Christmas Day Mass and a 12:30 p.m. Spanish-language Christmas Day Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
  
Actor Dick Van Dyke will lead hundreds of volunteers in serving a Christmas brunch to thousands of homeless and near-homeless men, women and children at The Midnight Mission on Skid Row.   

A Santa's Village will be set up for homeless children to select toys of their choice and meet Santa Claus.

The Laugh Factory in Hollywood will conduct its 32nd annual free Christmas Dinner and Toy Giveaway for the underprivileged, homeless and anyone alone.

Comedians including Arsenio Hall, Dane Cook, Dom Irrera, Kevin Nealon, Tom Arnold, Paul Mooney, Paul Rodriguez and Tom Dreesen will greet and help serve guests and perform live shows following meals served at 1 p.m, 3, p.m.,  p.m. and 7 p.m.

Because the eight-day Jewish festival of Hanukkah overlaps with
Christmas, have been added to the menu, club owner Jamie Masada said.
  
The National Weather Service is forecasting a warm, sunny day in Santa Monica with a high of 74 degrees.

"Christmas is a time for us to gather and spend time with our loved ones, but it is also a time to count our blessings and give back to those who may not be as fortunate," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said.

In his Christmas message to the community, Archbishop Gomez wrote, "I pray that this Christmas we will all open ourselves to God's gift and allow a new spirit of generous love to be born in our hearts."

"Jesus told us to give our love in a special way to those who have nothing they can offer us in return," Gomez wrote. "So in this new year, let us try to have a more compassionate love for the poor, the unborn, the prisoner, the immigrant and the sick."

Gomez also asked Catholics "to be more generous with our time, more present to others, less distracted."

"One thing that would help—let's try to turn off our phones and computers more often so we can really pay attention to the people we love," Gomez said.

— City News Service