Christmas will be celebrated Tuesday, as Southland residents mark the anniversary of Jesus’ birth with gift-giving, church services and efforts to help the homeless and poor. Three Masses will be celebrated at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Cardinal Roger Mahony will lead the 10 a.m. English-language service and be present for the 12:30 p.m. Spanish-language Mass. An English-language Mass also will be celebrated at 8 a.m.
Tuesday’s charitable events will include celebrity host Dick Van Dyke and 200 volunteers serving 2,000 homeless and near-homeless men, women and children a Christmas brunch at the Midnight Mission. A Santa’s Village will also be set up where toys will be given to children. The Catholic priest known as Father Dollar Bill will continue his tradition of more than 20 years of handing out $15,000 in dollar bills and larger denominations to Skid Row residents. The Rev.
Maurice Chase will be giving out the money in front of the Fred Jordan Mission beginning at 9 a.m., with the first 10 people in wheelchairs each receiving $100, Chase said. In Hollywood, 110-year-old Ronnie Fairbanks, described as the nation’s third-oldest man, will be among the more than 650 homeless men, women and children, seniors and the disabled receiving a chicken dinner, healthy snacks and a new sleeping bag at Food on Foot’s annual Christmas Day program.
The Laugh Factory will conduct its 29th annual free Christmas dinner, providing Christmas dinner to members of the entertainment industry or anyone finding themselves alone on Christmas Day. Comedians will perform during each meal and volunteers will give each child a toy. Comedians Dane Cook, Jamie Kennedy, Jon Lovitz and Paul Rodriguez are expected to be volunteer servers.