DECEMBER 13, 2023 www.wintertexantimes.com 16 WINTER TEXAN TIMES RAMBLINGS From pg. 1 about this time. It doesn’t feel like Christmas if it hasn’t cooled off at least a bit. And there are so many traditions this time of year as well. Jo’s column talks about tamales and posadas. Something that has mixed in with the culture of the Valley. My family loves having tamales for the holidays, but we also know, as we were without for Thanksgiving, that if we don’t get them early, we might not get any at all. So I think that is a stop we have planned for this week to make sure we have some tamales for Christmas Eve. What traditions do you have that you continue to celebrate while in the Valley? We would love to hear what makes your holidays special to you. You can send your story ideas, photos, and answers to my questions, to carina@wintertexantimes.com. can be found at www.hctvalleystars. org. Call (956) 412-7529 for more information. December 17 – TheWinter Texan Orchestra will present a Christmas Concert at 3 p.m. at Valley View Estates, 2100 Vernon, Mission. Admission is free and open to the public. December 17 – First United Methodist Church of La Feria, 331 S. Main St., will host a live Nativity from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Nativity will feature live people, live animals, and music. The event is free. December 19 – The Winter Texan Orchestra will present a Christmas Concert at 3 p.m. at the Top O’Texas RV Resort, 101 East Sioux Rd., Pharr. The program is free and open to the public. December 31 – Visit South Padre will host their New Year’s Eve Fireworks starting at 9:15 p.m. at 211 W. Whiting St. EVENTS From pg. 4 Rocket the Space Giraffe is embarking on a wild adventure in her brand-new book, Wish Upon a Star, written by Suzanne Shepard and illustrated by Tilia Rand-Bell. Rocket’s Wish Upon a Star is available for purchase on Amazon and at the Gladys Porter Zoo’s gift shop. Proceeds from the book go directly to the GPZ for the care and feeding of Rocket and her animal friends. C o m e along with Rocket the Space Giraffe and her best f r i e n d Cosmo, a ring-tailed lemur, as they visit the planets, meet new friends, and wish upon the stars. Join in on the fun as they dance on the moon, land on Mars, and skate Saturn’s rings. Along the way, they learn that as long as you have love in your heart no matter where you GPZ giraffe stars in her second book go you are home. Inspired by a real giraffe named Rocket at the Zoo, the new book launched on November 30 and was already listed as Amazon’s #1 New Release in Children’s Humorous Poetry. This rhyming book with its magical illustrations is sure to capture the hearts of many. Best-selling local author, Suzanne Shepard released the first book in the series, Rocket the Space Giraffe, last year and it quickly became the #1 New Release in Children’s Zoo Books on Amazon. “Rocket is such an incredible giraffe, and I’m excited to expand on the Rocket the Space Giraffe series. I hope that everyone enjoys the book and comes to the Zoo to meet the real Rocket,” says Shepard. Rocket is a 5-year-old giraffe at the Zoo in Brownsville. She is a friendly girl who is always the first to greet guests at the Giraffe Landing Feeding Experience and never turns down a leafy treat. Her outgoing nature is what first drew Shepard to her and where the idea for the books began. Rocket’s Wish Upon a Star is available on Amazon.com and at the Zoo gift shop. For more information, visit www. gpz.org. Rocket the giraffe. Courtesy photo the Museum of South Texas History to better reflect its regional scope. Today, the museum preserves and presents the borderland heritage of South Texas and northeastern Mexico through its permanent collection and the Margaret H. McAllen Memorial Archives and exhibits spanning prehistory through the 20th century. For more information about MOSTH, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like on Facebook and Instagram, follow on Twitter, find on YouTube or call (956) 383-6911. NATIVITY From pg. 3
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