Briefly in the news

Christmas might still be eight months away, but folks at the Four

Seasons Hotel Newport Beach will help Toys for Tots start getting ready

when they hand over a $25,000 check today.

Toys for Tots is an organization that gives toys to underprivileged

children during the holiday season and will use the money to stock up its

supplies.

The money comes from proceeds from the hotel’s Winter Wonderland, a

gingerbread village that’s on display throughout the holidays. The

hotel’s pastry cooks construct the gingerbread homes with sugar, flour

and candy.

Anyone can buy the houses, which range in price from $100 to $5,000.

Once purchased, the hotel’s pastry chef adds a personal touch to the

building’s roof by writing the buyer’s name on it.

Hotel officials said the final donation amount far exceeded their

expectations of raising $10,000.

“Suddenly we realized it was spring and the donations were still

coming in,” said Mehdi Eftekari, the hotel’s general manager.

For information on the 2001 gingerbread village, call (949) 760-4951.

The hotel also installs a giant sleigh in the lobby during November and

December, where anyone can drop off new, unwrapped toys for the charity.