Entertainment, gifts for kids at borough president’s annual X’mas party

On Saturday, Dec. 11, 3,000 children from low-income housing and shelters throughout Brooklyn received toys and books at the borough president’s Best of Brooklyn Annual Holiday Spectacular.

Borough President Marty Markowitz and a team of 250 volunteers were joined by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Congressman Anthony Weiner to greet the children at the Christian Cultural Center.

This year’s colorful and lively stage show, “All I Want for Christmas,” included merry mayhem as the happy and hapless elves ran the big show, which featured the dance and step team Nubian Gents and the Feminine Fire; the Brooklyn Ballet with a scene from “The Nutcracker”; the Berean Baptist Church drumline; Brooklyn’s own DEEP (seven-time winners at the Apollo Theater); contortionist Yogi Laser; balance artist LI LU; the Core Acrobats; guest appearances by Snowman; Gingerbread Man; Chrissmissy the talking Christmas Tree; the Grinch; and others.

Following the program, each child selected a new toy and new book from the gift rooms. The toys and books were generously contributed by great corporate citizens and toy drives across the borough.