One of the warmest welcomings for the Christmas holidays is gingerbread. The Island Hotel celebrates the season annually with a gingerbread village that makes people feel fuzzy inside...and provides the backdrop for Toys for Tots gift collection drive for needy kids.

The Island Hotel, adjacent to the shopping destination Fashion Island in Newport Beach, celebrates the holidays with a menorah and a gingerbread village. Recognizing the diversity of travelers, the luxury spa hotel offers something for everyone--especially children.

People of all ages light up when they see a delightful lobby display of gingerbread houses made with sweet icing, colorful gum drops, gummy bears, red hots, M&M's, candy canes, licorice and Lifesavers. More than 400 pounds of white and dark chocolate and red and green cocoa butter, 150 pounds of fondant, 300 pounds of sugar, 40 pounds of jelly beans and 200 pounds of icing are needed to sifted, melted and baked to make the masterpiece fantasyland. Created by The Island Hotel’s Executive Pastry Chef Michael Owens and his team, the award-winning crew present a 6-foot high, 2-dimensional candy holiday greeting card and a Santa and reindeer edible sculpture as the centerpiece of the lobby toy drop display. Next to it, there's a red sleigh filled with toys.

Part of the drive, "Toys for Tots", guests and local visitors can drop by and place gifts in the sleigh to provide kids a special holiday to remember. It's hard to believe that in the land of wealth there are youth in homeless situations, foster kids, and many disadvantaged children.

The Island Hotel gives to deserving children during the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots annual holiday campaign by asking the public and hotel guests to bring new, unwrapped toys, valued at $10 or more, to display in The Island Hotel’s festive lobby, or purchase personalized chocolate display stamps: Bulk Mail $50; First Class Mail $100; Priority Mail $250; and Overnight Mail $500. Sponsorships are also available at $5,000 for Santa Sponsorship and $2,500 for Reindeer Sponsorship. For stamp and sponsorship information, call (949) 759-0808 and ask for the Holiday Desk. Donations are accepted through Thursday, December 13, 2007. All toys and proceeds are donated to Toys For Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve special holiday event since 1947.

On display annually from Thanksgiving to December 31, The Island Hotel Newport Beach welcomes you to drop by and drop off a present. Location: 690 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach , California 92660. www.theislandhotel.com
For holiday package information and reservations, call toll-free 1-888-321-4752.

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