St. Nick’s Knacks

Best Ornaments

Stringing the tree with popcorn and paper cutouts made by the kids is fun (and cheap), but a new creativity by ornament designers this year hold some fun as well. The Flower Fashion Christmas Shop, 5014 McKinney, offers Venetian glass, real and artificial garlands, Italian-made twinkle and bubble lights. Of special interest is the country-like rafia and corn husk garlands and figures. R. V. Goodman, 2918 N. Henderson, also has a good selection of handmade ornaments, including unusual tartan plaid tree skirts. Three other shops, The Market, 2923 N. Henderson and The Market and the Wicker Market, Willow Creek, each display a different Christmas theme worth seeing. They will custom decorate a tree for you or show you a variety of neat ornaments, perhaps the best in town. It’s not a bad idea to check the Original Christmas Store, 131 Meadow Central Mall. Another shop worth visiting is Arnold’s of Dallas, Inc., 13410 Preston Road.

Best Christmas Dinner

You really have a couple of choices that can’t be beaten. The Highland Park Cafeteria, 4611 Cole, offers a complete carry-out dinner. Pick it up the day before and Christmas Day will be twice as pleasant. The other best bet is the Fairmont’s Pyramid Room.

Best Baking

The Cakery in the Quadrangle has a huge assortment of fruit and nut breads, Santa Claus cakes to order and foot-tall gingerbread boys and sugar cookie Santas. Christmas morning will have a special flair if you stop by Superior Bakery, 3502 Oak Lawn, for one of their special coffee cakes. They are 18 inches long, baked in the shape of a tree and decorated with glazed fruit. You can order ahead at 526-9048.

Best Wrapping

St. Michael’s Women’s Exchange, 5 Highland Park Village, will wrap anything that doesn’t creep, crawl or wiggle. Profits go to charity and that’s a Yule plus for everybody. Prices depend on the size of the box they use.

Best Poinsettias

Every nursery in town will have a supply, but there are a couple of places offering something unique. Lambert Landscape Co. will have a limited number of the traditional Christmas plants up to three feet tall, some with as many as 150 blossoms. R. V. Goodman, on the other hand, will carry the new miniature variety, “Marble.” It has a creamy white blossom with subtle shades of pink.

Best Food

Hands down winner is a smoked turkey from Greenberg’s in Tyler. People swear they can take a bite of a Greenberg and any other and tell the difference. If you order early (P.O. Box 329, 214/592-5337) they’ll bring it to your door. Once the turkey’s in the house, buy some El’s thin-sliced bread, a jar of Fisher’s own mayonnaise (Fisher’s Food Store, 4260 Oak Lawn) and the feast is on.

Best Brunch

Fairmont Hotel’s Venetian Room wins the kudos. Monday through Friday and Sunday, Dec. 15-31, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The tab runs $8.50 a person, but it would be tough to beat at any price.

Best Yule Log

A cord of wood, delivered and stacked (half green and half cured) is $75, plus tax. Lewis Fields, 6901 Maple Ave., is the woodsman and he’ll custom cut logs if you have an odd sized fireplace.

Best Party Booster

A last minute bartender for a Christmas party is hard to find. Give the Bartending Academy of Texas a call (350-5741). They have a small army of men and women available to stir a party in your home at $5 an hour.

Best Sights

If a moratorium can be declared in the energy shortage, take the family along Armstrong Parkway from Preston Road to Arcady for a look at the famous Highland Park pecan tree at its breath-taking Christmas tree best. It’s a sight you won’t forget. If there’s no moratorium, there’s always that nice star in the east.

Best Santa Suit (To Buy)

Double knits they are not, but they’ll charm the youngsters. The two-piece suits, with hat, come in corduroy at $24.95; plush, $47.50, and heavy plush, $99.95. You’ll need a beard and wig ($11.98 to $65). Or you can opt for a super set of yak (yah, yak) for $129.50. It’s at Magicland. 409 N. Ervay.

Best Santa Suit (To Rent)

For $25, you can have corduroy or flannel. Ten bucks more will get you velveteen or satin and both prices include a beard, wig and a pad if the family Santa is a weight-watcher. Rental period is 24 hours. Texas Costume Co., 2125 N. Harwood.

Best Left-over Recipes

It may be an apocryphal, but the story goes that Mack Lingo once said to Helen Corbitt, “OK, Helen, you tell me what to do with the three smoked turkeys I got for Christmas.” She did and it’s on page 33 of her latest cookbook, Helen Corbitt Cooks for Company.

Best Christinas Tree

As happens every year about this time, every vacant lot in the city turns into a mini-forest. The selection will be better than last year, we are told, but the prices will be a bit higher. Our best advice is to shop around. After all, the tree is going to be an honored guest in your home for at least a couple of weeks so keep looking until you spot the tree. For openers, try the lots at Greenville and Lovers and Preston and Forest.

Best Living Tree

If you hate the idea of buying a tree only to throw it away on the 12th night, buy and decorate a living tree. Norfolk Island pine in all sizes looks right and lives to become a nice house plant. Casa Verde, Lamberts and R. V. Goodman will have a nice selection. In addition, Goodman’s will carry potted dwarf Alberta Spruce (decorated or plain) you can plant outside after the season. Lambert’s plans to sell pompom and pyramid lygust-rums that are pretty neat.

Best Package Deal

Two Dallas florists, Harry Bullard (4614 Travis) and Ardens (2207 Cedar Spring), specialize in custom Christmas decoration for your home. The package can include the tree, ornaments, flowers, wreaths, garlands, peartrees and partridges, all coordinated to your home. Prices on request.

Best Midnight Mass

Monks of the Cistercian Abbey at the University of Dallas will celebrate the Office of Christmas, beginning at 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve. The service will include the Gregorian chant and the Mass sung in Latin. Services will be in English. These services always attract a large crowd so plan to go early.