Holiday Bowl’s Poinsettia Ball Plays It Very Cool

At least two of the 800 participants in the Holiday Bowl’s annual Poinsettia Ball, held last week in the Pavilion Ballroom at the Hotel Inter-Continental, looked as if they would have welcomed an early visit from their dear buddy, St. Nick.

The two, John Cooper and Ken Hatfield, who are, respectively, the head coaches of the Arizona State University Sun Devils and the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, both would have gladly accepted a victory in Sunday’s Holiday Bowl as an early Christmas present. It was Hatfield’s luck to have his wish granted.

But from the Poinsettia Ball committee’s point of view, Christmas came a week early for everyone who joined in the jovial holiday fete, especially the San Diego Area Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, which walked off with a generous share of the evening’s proceeds. About $60,000 in net earnings were anticipated by Holiday Bowl President Dirk Broekema, who said: “We couldn’t be happier to be raising money for MS and to be having a good time as well.”

Having a good time seemed an easily achieved goal that evening. Guests were greeted by carolers and musicians who led the way into a reception hall flanked with the party’s signature poinsettias, all of which had been donated by poinsettia king Paul Ecke. The two universities’ homecoming queens were both on hand to lend a certain campus flavor to the atmosphere, which sparkled also with the scents of both Christmas trees and of a lengthy menu that included entrecote de boeuf dijonnaise and souffle norvegienne (known in its simpler moments as baked Alaska.)

Winter Carnival Theme

The ballroom had been given a winter carnival theme that was quite at odds with the day’s balmy weather, but was nonetheless quite cheerful. The stylish, seemingly ice-coated centerpieces looked as if they had been pried from a frozen forest, and massive silver snowflakes dangled from high.

If all this seemed rather too cool, however, it must be said that the temperature warmed considerably when comedienne Phyllis Diller took the stage to lavish her wit on the willing crowd. Also joining in the entertainment was singer Vicki McClure, who perhaps is best known as the vocalist who opened the ’84 Summer Olympics with her moody “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand.”

The guest list included San Diego State University President Tom Day and his wife, Anne; Leon and Barbara Parma; Clair and Marvia Burgener; Chuck and Linda Owen; Phyllis Brown; Al and Betty DeBakcsy; Dean and Susie Spanos; Red and Kathy Scott; Tom and Evelyn Page; Bill and Kay Rippee; Herb and Jane Stoecklein; Art and Jeannie Rivkin; Vinnie and Jean Vinson; Mike and Alice Cavanaugh; Walt and Betty Zable, and Ron and Linda Hahn.

Jill Brown chaired the ball. Joining her on the committee were Gina Zanotti, Bobby Schaefer, Bob Payne, Charlotte Hayes, Roger Young, Valerie Saint-Gaudens, Gary Powers, Debbie Lash, Rob Menifee, Ellen Choisser, and Dave Duea.

The jingling bells were nearly silenced Sunday, when the mysterious absence of Santa Claus caused great consternation at the San Diego Opera Assn.’s annual family holiday party. The drama, or the “Claus Caper,” as it came to be called, unfolded throughout the afternoon before the eyes of the 450 party guests, more than half of whom were too young to apply for drivers licenses, who had gathered in the Town & Country Hotel’s Mission Ballroom.

Witnesses who arrived on the scene early said that event chairman Leonor Craig, whom one source described as “usually a rather elfin, Mrs. Claus-like sort of person,” was put quite out of countenance by Claus’ unexplained failure to arrive at the party. Piecing the schedule of events together, it seems that Claus had been expected at 1:45 p.m., or 15 minutes before the first guests were anticipated. At 3 p.m., Craig reportedly looked first at her watch, then at the old elf’s empty chair, and exclaimed, “Where is that Santa?”

A reporter who arrived at that point discovered that the children, who were scrubbed and dressed until they glowed like heirloom tree ornaments, seemed generally undisturbed by the absence of the alleged patron of Christmas gifting. They seemed mostly occupied with games of hide-and-seek (the rows of cloth-covered banquet tables made great hiding spots) and other childish pursuits. Their parents and grandparents looked on with what appeared to be proud indulgence; one observant source said that these pillars of the community were showing themselves “in their most human and vulnerable” aspects. The youngsters frequently diverted themselves with visits to the buffets, which offered such nursery rations as miniature hot dogs, sundaes and popcorn. Adults also were observed in the vicinity of the food tables.

A police representative at the scene said that there was no point in reporting Claus as missing at that time, because regulations specify that a person must be missing for at least 24 hours before action can be taken. He added, however, that Santa Claus would receive priority listing on the missing persons list, right behind Santa Ana and Santa Barbara.

Sound of Bells

This discouraging comment had barely left his lips when a strident sound, rather like that made by a string of bells set in motion by a plump, jolly hand (as events developed, the sound proved to have been produced in just such a manner) announced the arrival of the tardy St. Nick. This provoked a general stampede of youthful feet in the direction of the bearded, red-suited figure who seemed unsuitably dressed for the San Diego climate. Asked why he was late, Claus said his only for-the-record comment was, “Ho, ho, ho.” (A source who requested anonymity reported that he had overheard the Johnny-come-lately elf explain that he had had difficulties getting his sleigh revved up that morning.)

Claus made up for lost time by leading the children on a parade that stopped first at his throne, where red balloons were liberally passed out, and then to the bandstand, where a pair of singers led the crowd through a medley of Christmas songs and carols. Claus and kids then retreated to the throne, where the elf inquired into the relative niceness and naughtiness of the juvenile petitioners and promised delivery of gifts no later that dawn on the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 25. It was reported that 5-year-old Anne Arnhym requested a replacement for the front tooth she recently surrendered to a person she alleged to be the “tooth fairy,” while 2-year-old Margaret Nelson, granddaughter of Opera Assn. President Bill Nelson and his wife, Lollie, reportedly found meeting Claus to be a new and exciting experience.

Spirit of Harmony

The committee viewed the scene from the vicinity of the punch bowl. One renegade faction demanded that a certain number of cookies be deducted from Claus’ pay envelope, but when it was pointed out that the elf had in fact donated his services, the demand was dropped and the day ended in an apparent spirit of harmony.

This committee included a number of notables drawn from opera circles, including honorary chairman Carma Luce, and honorary hostesses Eileen Jackson and Marian Trevor. Others were Lalita Armour, Mary Fadem, Vicki Mogilner, Pam Palisoul, Stephanie Starks, Canice Ciruzzi, Rita Neeper, Sandra Pay, Barbara Radcliffe, Margaret Hilbish, JoAnn Knutson, Diane Metzler, Rose Mary Taylor, Pat DeMarce and Connie Hedges.

One of San Diego’s oldest institutions, the U.S. Grant Hotel, helped the fledgling San Diego League on Dec. 17 to launch what the philanthropic organization hopes will become the city’s newest social institution: the New Year’s Eve “Masked Ball” that will be given by the league at Horton Plaza.

Billed as a pre-party, the league’s early-evening cocktail social was held in the newly refurbished hotel’s ballroom. The hotel, which had opened for business just two days earlier after a five-year hiatus, proved quite a draw; organizers had hoped for 1,000 guests, but found their expectations exceeded by perhaps 50%. Guests paid a token admission of $5 each for the privilege of wandering around to view the sights and sample the assorted munchies that had been set out by the hotel. The staff, for its part, seemed to be delighted to be serving real, flesh-and-blood guests after having to practice waiting on one another for seven weeks.

Explains Group’s Goal

League President Don McVay was on hand to explain his group’s goal for the Masked Ball and to model some of the massive but clever masks that had been designed for the event by local artists. McVay predicts a turnout of thousands for the event, which he said he would like to become a local New Year’s Eve tradition comparable to New York’s habit of gathering in Times Square. Among the charities that will benefit are the San Diego Rescue Mission and Voices for Children.

Tickets to the event cost $30 per person in advance, or $35 at the door. The evening will begin at 8:30 p.m. and continue until 1:30 a.m., and will include dancing to two bands, entertainment, and a buffet supper. A midnight countdown is expected to be held in front of the landmark Jessop’s clock, which was relocated to Horton Plaza this summer. Horton Plaza will provide party-goers with complimentary parking in its 4th Avenue garage. For further information, call Don McVay at 236-1551, or Martha Hall at 297-0616.