Happy holidays to all our readers, well-wishers and advertisers.

As millions gear up to celebrate Christmas, at least 2 million people of the Islamic faith around the world are preparing to go on a Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. We thank Dr. Husain Nagamia of Tampa for excellent and informative article on Hajj Also, we are introducing a new column on immigration by Gail Seeram of the Orlando area.

Despite the holiday festivities, keep in mind that there are still events you can attend such as the Dec. 2-3 second annual convention (AACSA) at India Cultural Center in Tampa; the �Traditional Textiles of India� exhibit in Melbourne through Feb. 19, 2007; or the annual Music Dinner and Dance Evening on Dec. 9 in Tallahassee.

Also, in our Out & About in Florida column we have spotlight on Adi Khorsandian, a good friend of Khaas Baat, who through State Farm continues to serve customers throughout the Sunshine State. You could say the same about the Caribbean Supercenter � foodwise � in the Orlando area, which in its 30,000-square-foot building caters to all your grocery needs.

We welcome your comments or suggestions. To send us information about events in your town, e-mail [email protected] by the 20th of each month.

If you would like to receive a copy of our newspaper every month, please e-mail us at [email protected]. Thanks for your support.

We would like to once again extend our sincere gratitude to all advertisers and well-wishers. Do e-mail us at [email protected] with any ideas and suggestions or send in a letter to the editor.