Dance show: ‘Aires navideños'
By DanSing Centro de Danza, jazz, belly dancing, ballet, hip-hop, mime, Dec. 15, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., National Auditorium, Children's Museum. Info: 2225-2576, 2225-3042.

SINEM Concerts
By National Music Education System students.
In Limón: 6 p.m., Banco Nacional. In Moravia : 3 p.m., National Music Institute. In Desamparados: 6 p.m., CINAI.

Youth Orchestra in concert
Dec. 15, 7 p.m., church, San Antonio de Belén, Heredia.

Concert by Cantares
6 p.m., Parque Central, San José.

Christmas came early for hundreds of homeless in San José as an international brigade of Santas distributed parcels of food and clothing this weekend throughout the city's poorest areas.

Forty-five self-proclaimed “Santa en las calles,” or “Street Santa,” traveling in the back of 12 pick-ups and one truck, handed out more than 200 bowls of spaghetti, 500 cartons of juice and hundreds of parcels containing clothing and blankets to those living on the capital's streets.

Eighteen cities, including London, Miami and Madrid also participate in the Christmas hand-out.

“It went extremely well. We started the convoy at 6 p.m. on Sunday and finished at 1 a.m. on Monday morning,” said organizer Jesús Palacios, a 22-year-old Venezuelan who lives and works in San José.

“We gave away all of the food, all of the blankets and all of the men's clothing. We were still left with a few parcels of children's clothing, which we will donate to orphanages this week,” Palacios said.

It is the second year that San José has taken part in the charitable event.

The idea originated in Venezuela in 2006 when a group of friends decided to bring a little festive cheer to the less fortunate. Since then companies and individuals have donated food, clothing and money to the cause.

The 45 volunteers started the operation at 7 a.m. on Saturday from the main playground of Colegio Don Bosco de Altamira, where they organized and packaged the food and clothing donations, before setting out in the back of the trucks wearing Santa hats

The convoy's route encompassed the south side of the city, the Coca-Cola district and Barrio La California, stopping traffic and bringing cheers and smiles not only from the homeless, but also drivers and pedestrians impressed by the kind-hearted gesture of the Street Santas.

Volunteer Jorge Solano, a 17-year-old student at Colegio Don Bosco de Altamira, said, “I read about the project in a Sunday paper and decided I wanted to help. I've worked in an orphanage before and enjoy volunteering. It's a great cause.”

As word spread among the homeless community, scores of homeless men and women emerged from their cardboard shelters and chased the fleet of trucks as it snaked through the busy streets of the capital, desperate to get their hands on a clothing parcel and food container.

The clothing packages included two pairs of trousers, a jacket and two shirts and were split into three categories to cater to men, women and children.

Volunteer Ester Porras, a San José accountant, said, “It makes you want to cry seeing the smile on these people's face when they receive their gifts. It's nice to give something back.”

Anyone interested in more information can visit the group's blog at http://santaenlascalles.blogspot.com.

The Finance Ministry has closed 30 businesses around the country and plans to shutter more for failure to comply with financial obligations to the state.

Of the 30 businesses shut down last week, 12 were located in San José, nine in Guanacaste, five in Alajuela, two in Limón and two in Heredia. The businesses included hotels, restaurants, night clubs, auto repair shops, electrical appliance stores, hardware stores, accessory stores and a real estate and architecture firm.

According to the Finance Ministry, the businesses failed to turn in receipts for sales, failed to present a tax return within an established time frame or neglected to pay taxes.

An estimated 50 more closures are expected before the end of the year, many of which could occur this week, as the deadline to pay income taxes in Costa Rica is Tuesday, Dec. 15.

To date, 214 businesses have been closed in Costa Rica this year for failure to comply with financial obligations.

The Vice Minister of Income for the Finance Ministry Loretta Rodríguez indicated that the government body has increased efforts to collect tax payments from businesses during a year of economic hardship.

“The economic crisis has caused a significant decrease in the payment of income taxes,” Rodríguez said. “The Finance Ministry has strengthened information services and attention to taxpayers to facilitate voluntary fulfillment of tax obligations. The closing of businesses is a tool that demonstrates how we can be effective in decreasing companies' failure to pay. We will keep using it through the end of the year so that taxpayers improve their behavior and correct their offenses.”

The Finance Ministry said delinquent businesses are given five days to pay outstanding fees. If taxes remain unpaid after the five day deadline, a member of the National Police and two tax collectors arrive at the site of each of the companies to shut down operations.

“This is one of the most serious sanctions we have,” Rodriguez said. “It is as damaging in terms of the economic cost to the owner, who loses sales and employees, as well as because of the bad image that it projects to clients and suppliers.”

The Health Ministry has issued a warning against 4Life, a drug that purports to “change lives” by boosting the immune system.

According to the ministry, none of the products has been registered with Costa Rica health officials and could pose a health risk.

“The Health Ministry has not evaluated (the product) for safety or effectiveness … and for these reasons the products could be potentially dangerous by masking illnesses and leading the chronically ill to substitute (the product) for treatment indispensable for their health,” read a statement from the Health Ministry.

According to the pharmaceutical company's Web site, the products are currently being sold in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, India and other countries.

“These products are being marketed in (Costa Rica) illegally and do not comply with national laws requiring registration for the importation and selling of products,” read the Health Ministry's statement.

Representatives from 4Life did not return requests for comment before press time.