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Over 115 Merchants Offer Unique Items for Holiday Gifts At The Christmas Company Shopping Extravaganza, the Junior League of Orange County Annual Fundraiser

This Year's Event to be Held at the OC Fair & Event Center

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Oct. 2, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- More than 115 merchants from Orange County and around the country will offer unique items for holiday gifts at The Christmas Company, the Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc., (JLOCC) shopping extravaganza to be held November 13-16 at the OC Fair & Event Center. The specialty merchandisers at the fundraising event, themed "A Holiday to Remember," offer wares that are often unavailable through traditional stores.

Over 40 percent of the 2008 exhibitors are new. Great gift selections ranging from products used every day to holiday-themed items will be on display. Everything from women's fashions to children's clothing and books, home decor, gardening items and gourmet foods will be presented. Clothing, jewelry and accessories will be available from Slater and Sloane, Sassy Stars, Shelley's Fashions, Accessor Eyes, Hippie Chix Studio, Little Miss Bling Bling, The Cherished Accessory, Lu Ping Pearls, Cookie Lee Fine Fashion Jewelry, Ronelle Designs, Safia, Kate Joiner, and Paco Soler, to name just a few. A Whale of a Tale, Pizzazzing You, Dollites, Baby Ally, Bellas Dream, Hopscotch Designs, and Prima Collections, among others, will offer children's books, clothing, furnishings, and toys. Frontier Soups, Addington Confections, A Store For Cooks, Cherchies Specialty Foods, Cafe D'Amore, Diamond Valley Gourmet, Gourmet Blends, and Charter Oak Preserving Company will present gourmet foods, dishes and cookware. Designer Details, A Room to View, and English Gardenstone are among the household and garden item vendors. For a complete list of participants, go to www.jlocc.org.

Many special events also will be included in The Christmas Company, which will kick off with a Preferred Shopping Breakfast sponsored by Panera Bread ($35) 8-11 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 13. The first night will feature a "Girls Night Out" ($20) sponsored by Gallo Family Vineyards, Panera Bread, Patti Bakes, and Mars Snackfoods, to be held 6-10 p.m.

An "Evening of Food & Wine" ($75) will be held 6-10 p.m., Friday, Nov. 14. Gallo Family Vineyard wines will be available along with small plate dishes provided by local restaurants and bakeries including Five Crowns, Bluewater Grill, Ovations, RA Sushi, Newport Rib Company, Five Sweets Bakery, and Pure Bliss.

Additional special occasions include a luncheon celebrating Red Hat Society members at Noon, Saturday, Nov. 15 (sold out). Book readings for children will be held Noon-2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16.

Early Bird "Grab and Go" Shopping ($20) on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday begins at 8 a.m. Guests will enjoy a continental breakfast sponsored by Panera Bread and shop before the event opens to the public. No baby strollers are allowed at the Preferred Breakfast and Early Bird events.

The Christmas Company general admission is $10 per person, which includes entrance to the shopping extravaganza and parking. General admission show hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 13; 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday, Nov. 14; 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 15; and 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.jlocc.org or by calling (949) 263-3785.

Top sponsors of the event to-date include Gallo Family Vineyards; Panera Bread; Tigo Gifts, Inc.; Winchell Chiropractic; and Orange Coast Magazine.

Funds raised annually by the JLOCC directly impact the community through collaborative projects with partner organizations and support JLOCC's mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community. This year's projects include the Kinship Project and Bridges to Higher Education, both offered through Orangewood Children's Foundation; Higher Education Mentoring Program (in partnership with the Orange County Bar Foundation); Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Emancipated Youth Program; and Bear Hugs, a JLOCC project supporting emancipated teens in Orange County.

About the Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc.

The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and the leadership of trained volunteers. JLOCC has contributed to Orange County by helping found organizations such as Orangewood Children's Home and the Volunteer Center of Orange County. As a solely educational and charitable organization, the JLOCC's trained volunteers actively support the community through collaboration with organizations that promote and support the health, safety and education of women and children. A 501(c)(3) organization, the JLOCC reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins. Originally founded in 1956 as the Newport Harbor Service League, the JLOCC is a member organization of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. To learn more about the JLOCC, call (949) 261-0823 or visit www.jlocc.org.

CONTACT:  Ballou Communications
          Susan Ballou
          (949) 477-3070
          susanballou@att.net