IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK FROM THE BUSTLE.

Byline: -- Mark Kellam

The holiday season is upon us. Everyone's in a hurry, racing to the mall, rushing to make it to their children's holiday performances and trying to squeeze in time for parties with family, friends and co-workers.

Now, perhaps more than any other time of the year, you need a break. Why not take a few minutes to sit down, put on a CD of holiday music and read about what's happening in your neighborhood?

On page 6, read Jenifer Johnson's heart-warming story about the greatest gift she's ever received. You can also let us know about the best gift you've ever gotten by posting it to valleynews.com. We can then share your story with our readers. Post some photos of the special gift, too.

Johnson also blogs about her ongoing training for the AIDS/

Lifecycle Ride this summer. She's working hard to get ready for the event, which raises funds for a great cause. You can read her latest entry on page 14.

To celebrate the holidays, the Studio City Hand Car Wash was transformed into an outdoor theater recently and students from three area schools performed. Read about their holiday show on page 12.

If you're looking for something different to do this holiday season, you might want to check out Dickens Radio Carol, featured on page 8. The play is designed for adults and takes a zany look at how Christmas was celebrated during Dickens' time compared to the way it's celebrated today.

Perhaps visual art is more your cup of tea. At Left Coast Galleries in Studio City you'll get to see some truly unique art. Featured this month is the work of an artist who mixes real-life models -- whose bodies are painted -- into his paintings. Look at the lady bug in a photo on page 13 to see how his unique approach works.