The party season begins

Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer

Happy birthday wishes to Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett, who celebrates the big Six-O today, and to celebrated artist Judy-Ann MacMillan, also celebrating a birthday!

Tomorrow, former director of tourism, Fay Pickersgill; Carrie 'Quiz' Sigurdson; Ron Burke; Wayne Freeman of Hedonism II ('Fifty' to friends and fans); Gerald Belnavis in Hollywood, Florida; and entertainer King Jasim, in Bangalore, India, all celebrate their birthday.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding; Lasco's founder, Lascelles Chin; PR and advertising doyenne Jean Lowrie-Chin; acclaimed performer and singer Richie Stephens; the ultra-gorgeous Shelly McBean, formerly of Hedonism III, now a resident of fabulous Las Vegas; and entertainer Junior Wellington, all celebrate on Sunday.

On Monday, the lovely Eroleen Anderson; former European Union diplomat, Felice Zac, now in Belgium; Aubyn Lewis in Ocho Rios; and Triguel Goulbourne of Hedonism II, Negril, all make it their very special day.

On Tuesday, it's the turn of the lovely Winsome Smith-Barker; the fab Sonja Simms; the affable Dalton Spence; and the lovely Sonia Jay in Queens, New York, to celebrate birthdays!

Celebrate

The beautiful Daphne Simmonds; the lovely Michelle Campbell; the charming Courtney White; and the lovely Carolyn Soutar in Florida, all celebrate on Wednesday.

Belated birthday wishes to Kingston's mayor, Desmond McKenzie, who celebrated on Wednesday.

Best wishes to Cecil Benson, and his lovely wife, Beryl Burke Benson, of Bath, St Thomas, who celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary on Wednesday.

Plus, the fabulous Jamaican international modelling sensation, Tessa Henry, is back home from assignments across the globe for the holiday.

Then, my darlings, it's starting to feel and look like the festive season is here, as corporate Jamaica and leading members of haute-society are indeed rolling out their Christmas parties and receptions as if to sweep away the recession doldrums!

JPS is promising an evening of fun, food and frolic later today at The Ruins in Mona. The annual PROComm fab-fest is on tomorrow night at their offices near Devon House and, needless to say, it's an invite only do!

Performance

And all this weekend it's a musical feast at the Little Theatre, where patrons will be treated to one fabulous musical cantata, sponsored by Jamaica National, dubbed 'A Chance To Sing'. Getting underway this evening through Sunday, when the last performance will get underway at 5 p.m., it will feature the acclaimed Carl Bliss and Dawn Fuller-Phillips, plus a host of others.

Then, on Sunday, it's all about the gardens of the Hotel Mockingbird Hill in salubrious Port Antonio for a Country Christmas Fair that promises to be all that!

Scheduled to start at 11 a.m., the all-day affair represents a simply fabulous opportunity to stock up on unique and authentic Christmas presents for friends, family, relatives and colleagues. It's also a fabulous outing for Kingstonians and other non-Portlanders, who can use the drive to indulge in some of the island's finest delicacies!

Then the American Chamber of Commerce has changed the time of their annual christmas luncheon to an evening affair, from 5 p.m.to 8 p.m., next Friday, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Now, for the fun-loving, thrill-seeking, party-hopper, the place to be this weekend is definitely Hedonism II in Negril.

As the acknowledged party capital of the Caribbean, the resort is hosting a bevy of North American beauties and beefcakes, who jet in for the annual Men of Steele magazine competition, which pits hunks from across the globe in fierce competition for the cash prizes and bragging rights that the title brings!

For the socially conscious, however, the preferred outing is definitely the inaugural staging of the Rose Hall Holiday Ball, under the chair of philanthropist and socialite, Michele Rollins of Rose Hall Development Limited.

This replaces the annual Pineapple Ball, that is no longer on Montego Bay's social calendar.

Scheduled for tomorrow evening at the fab Iberostar Suites and Spa, the gala affair is set to be the calendar opener for Montego Bay's social season, and there are a number of international and national celebs confirmed for the do.

This is a party for a cause, with proceeds going to funding the operations of the SOS Children's Village in Barrett Town.

Dubbed an Evening of Celebration, the much-talked-about do gets underway at 6:30 p.m., with cocktails and a silent auction, before moving into an elaborate entertainment offering.

It's definitely shaping up to be a sizzler of Christmas!!!