Dec. 3, 2003

WESLACO -- A festive day featuring Christmas traditions of South Texas and an evening of information for Lower Rio Grande Valley parents interested in sending their children to Texas A&M University are offered to the public Dec. 10 at the Texas A&M University System Agricultural Research and Extension Center, FM 1015 and Business Highway 83 in Weslaco.

Texas Cooperative Extension will host "Christmas in the Valley," according to Yolanda Morado, Texas Cooperative Extension agent in Starr County.

"We'll take a nostalgic trip through the South Texas traditions of Christmas to give locals and winter visitors alike a glimpse of how our Mexican heritage has created a unique Christmas experience we've enjoyed here for hundreds of years," said Morado.

Admission is $10. The day of festivities will include music, folkloric dancing, a historian's presentation on the origins of Las Posadas and Pastorela, traditional holiday Mexican food demonstrations, exhibits and decorating ideas.

For more information, contact your county's Texas Cooperative Extension office.

Aggie Night will be held that evening from 6-8:30 p.m. at the agricultural research complex.

"Everybody in the family of a prospective student in invited," said Rick Margo, Texas A&M's admissions counselor in the Rio Grande Valley. "We'll provide information on how to get admitted, how much it costs, the safety of the campus, why a child should go to Texas A&M, any and all information parents and family members want to know when making this all-important decision."

Margo said speakers at Aggie Night will include financial aid experts and recruiters from the various colleges at Texas A&M, including business, liberal arts, education, and agriculture and life sciences.

He said Feb. 1 is the deadline for applying to admission for the fall 2004 semester, so he urges students to begin the application process as soon as possible. Margo can be contacted in Weslaco at (956) 969-5654, or e-mailrrmargo@tamu.edu.