In the spirit of the holiday festivities, the newly-formed theater group Molcajete is presenting its Christmas play titled "La Pastorela Mechicana."

The title refers to the Chicano features of the traditional Mexican play representing the nativity. As with all pastorelas, the story is about a group of shepherds in search of the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Despite being tempted by the devil, known as Leviathan, and his two evil female companions to commit sins and stop their journey, the shepherds resist all the temptations and find Jesus Christ.

"This pastorela is based in the San Diego area during the 16th century instead of 2,000 years ago," said Carlos von Son, a Cal State San Marcos professor and sub-adviser for the group. "It's the traditional play plus humor and current events."

Teatro Molcajete is made up of CAMP (College Assistance to Migrants Program) students from Cal State San Marcos.

Performances will take place 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at CSUSM in the Arts Building, Room 111. The genre of the play is comedy and it's about 45 minutes long.

The cost for admission is $3 for high school students, $5 for CSUSM students and $6 for the general public.

For more information, send an e-mail to achavez4@msn.com.

A modern drive for older kids: Continuing with the spirit of the season, the Comerciantes Latinos Asociados or Latino Merchants Association is holding a computer drive.

"We're collecting computers for AVID students who are seniors in high school so that when they go to college, they have a computer," said Bill de la Fuente, president of the group.

The computers will be given to students who are members of the AVID program, which prepares and helps first-generation, low-income students go to college.

The local group is accepting good, working computers to help the future college students be ready for their college course work. The project benefits students in Escondido, San Marcos, Vista, Oceanside and Fallbrook.

For more information and/or to donate a computer, call (760) 414-9661.

Put a smile on a child's face: The Palomar College MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan or Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan) Club is still collecting toys for its 35th Annual Toy Drive.

Toys donated should be new and unwrapped for children between the ages of 3 and 12. These can be dropped off until Thursday in boxes located in the library, admissions office, and classrooms SU 17 and SU 28A at the San Marcos campus located at 1140 W. Mission Rd.

For more information, call (760) 613-9695.

Martha Sarabia, a Cal State San Marcos graduate, lives in San Marcos. Contact her at sarabiamartha@yahoo.com.