Tis the season to give, and there are plenty of opportunities to spread ones generous holiday cheer.

Today is the last day to purchase tickets for reserved events at the Tracy Hospital Foundations 13th Annual Festival of Trees. Those events are the Premier Night Soiree, a black tie event at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, and the Jingle Bell Jam ... Dancing in the Trees at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17.

Both feature dinner, live and silent auctions of elaborately decorated trees and wreaths and dancing. The difference is the ticket price: $125 for the former and $75 for the latter.

Tickets are also still available for the Teddy Bear Tea Parties held throughout the weekend. Adult tickets are $20 and childrens tickets are $15. The Silver Bells Social, however, is sold out.

The public is invited to view the trees, get pictures taken with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and visit a holiday cafe and gift shop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 17 and 18.

Proceeds from the fundraiser support childrens programs, including nutrition assistance and mental health services for teens, foundation spokeswoman Karen Mudd said.

That same weekend, at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16 at the Tracy Outlet Mall, one of six trees will be lit for the 19th Annual Hospice Tree of Lights, a fundraiser for the Hospice of San Joaquin. (A second tree will be lit at 6 p.m. Nov. 29 at Doctors Hospital in Manteca, as well as trees in Rio Vista on Dec. 1, Lockeford on Dec. 5 and Lodi on Dec. 6.)

The

biggest tree, topping off at 75 feet, will be lit from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 at Delta Colleges Pacific Avenue entrance.

The cost to purchase a light ranges from $5 to $250, and the money goes to caring for terminally ill patients, said the foundations Elsie Tarkong.

The San Joaquin AIDS Foundation will hold its Annual Christmas Home Tour from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7. This is the first year that retailers, such as Dillards and Macys, have decorated the tours homes, all located in Stockton.

A wine and hors doeuvres social held at Serventis with Flair, 349 Lincoln Center, comes with a $20 ticket. (Tickets are $25 at the door.)

About 500 people take the tour each year and help pay for medication, transportation and housing for those afflicted with AIDS, said the foundations Brenda Hagerman.

- For more information about Tracy Hospital Foundations Festival of Trees, call 209-832-6052 or visit the foundations office at 505 Beverly Place.

-To buy a light for the Hospice of San Joaquins Tree of Lights, call 209-922-0242 or print and mail the coupon found online at http://www.hospicesj.org.

- For tickets to the San Joaquin AIDS Foundations Annual Christmas Home Tour, call 209-476-8533.

To contact Cheryl Winkelman, call 209-832-6144 or cwinkelman@bayareanewsgroup.com.