By Agnes M. Abrau
Horizon news staff

The festive celebration of Christmas reverberated throughout Palau as early as last week and culminated yesterday, Christmas Day.
The Christmas 2006 at Bethlehem Park was again a hit as children eagerly awaited for Santa Claus who gave out candies and goodies and folks listened to Christmas hymns by children from different schools.
The Ekei Women’s Group kicked off on Dec. 17 the annual Christmas parade organized by the Ekei Women’s Group and participated in by various agencies.
Malls were filled with shoppers as others beat the holiday rush for Christmas gift giving.
The nightly Christmas presentations, organized by the Ministry of Community and Cultural Affairs and participated in by various government agencies, were jampacked with Christmas revelers. It also turned out to be a family gathering as parents with their children in tow came to watch the presentations. The Christmas program started on Dec. 18 and ended on Dec. 22.
Over at restaurants, hotels, bars and other commercial places came up with several holiday specials enticing everyone to celebrate the season away from home. Special promotions in the form of dinner, year-end holiday sale and other holiday offers abound. The holiday spirit spreads as company and private parties were held at these various venues.
And while Christmas was an intimate family affair for some, foreign residents on island whose families are not around opted to celebrate Christmas away from home. Over at Kramers Restaurant on Christmas Eve, Rene Menz prepared the traditional Christmas bash with regular clients and habitues. Menz prepared four turkeys plus a host of other dishes for a "family party for folks…with no family on island, the Palau orphans."