Twelve Lake Tahoe-area ski resorts are offering two free Alpine or Nordic tickets for every purchase of a California or Nevada Lake Tahoe license plate between Dec. 12 and April 15.

More than 96 percent of Lake Tahoe license plate fees go directly to Tahoe recreation and restoration projects of the California Tahoe Conservancy, the Nevada Division of State Lands, and the Tahoe Fund. Lake Tahoe specialty plates generate about $1.5 million annually.

The special resort ticket deal is available only through the Tahoe Fund website, where buyers can receive their two free tickets by purchasing a new California Tahoe plate for $50 or a new Nevada Tahoe plate for $61.

Participating resorts include: Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Homewood, Heavenly, Northstar, Kirkwood, Sugar Bowl, Boreal, Tahoe Donner, Royal Gorge, Tahoe Cross Country, and Sierra-at-Tahoe.

Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News is looking for gift ideas that are less than $20. Find out how to make a suggestion.

Make your own unique necklaces and key rings as gifts at Gaia-Licious Global Gifts in South Lake Tahoe.

With many words and sayings to choose from, these pewter charms make a great budget gift. Each piece of the necklace or key ring is only $2.50, so you can make a nice necklace with three charms for only $10 or make a key ring with four charms for $12.50.

It’s a fun way to make a unique gift that is great for everyone in the family and the price is up to you.

Gaia-Licious is at 987 Tallac Ave.

— Kelly Brosch

• Dec. 18 is World Snowboard Day.

• Diamond Peak and Alpine Meadows open Dec. 10.

• Read about seven foods experts won’t eat.

• Wanderlust returns to Squaw Valley July 26-29. Tickets and lineup will be released in January.

• Based on vacation rental inquiry data for the winter months TripAdvisor ranked South Lake Tahoe No. 3 in the U.S. for ski vacation rental getaway destinations for 2011.

Here is the schedule for the Lake Valley Fire Department’s Christmas engine:

Dec. 11 – Echo View Estates, Tahoe Mountain Road, Mule Deer Circle

Dec. 12 – Lake Tahoe Boulevard from Boulder Mountain Drive to Grizzly Mountain Drive

Dec. 13 – West side of North Upper Truckee from Zuni Street, to Highway 50, Chiapa Drive

Dec. 14 – East side of North Upper Truckee from Grizzly Mountain to West San Bernardino Avenue

Dec. 15 – Christmas Valley from Highway 50 to Grass Lake Road

Dec. 16 – North side of Highway 50 in Meyers (lower Apache, Magnet School), behind Station 7 (Cornelian Drive, Navahoe Drive, Cheyenne Drive)

Dece. 17 – North of Pioneer Trail from Highway 50 to Elks Club (Southern Pines Drive, Tionontati Street, Meadow Vale Drive), Player Drive

Dec. 18 – Upper Apache Drive and Mandan Street

Dec. 19 – Pioneer Trail from Busch Way to Washoan Boulevard (Glen Eagles Drive, Hekpa Drive)

Dec. 20 – Pioneer Trail from Washoan Boulevard to Jicarilla Drive (Apalachee Drive, Nadowa Street, Susquehana Drive)

Dec. 21 – Kokanee Estates (Marshall Trail, High Meadow Trail)

Dec. 22 – Golden Bear Trail, Meadow View Estates (Plateau Circle, Cattleman’s Trail)

Dec. 23 – Cold Creek Trail, Del Norte Street, Black Bart from Pioneer Trail to Meadow Crest Drive.

Publisher’s note: Lake Tahoe News is looking for gift ideas that are less than $20. Find out how to make a suggestion.

Is there a mountain biker on your holiday list of people to shop for? If the answer is yes, then consider giving them a membership to TAMBA — Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association.

The cost through the rest of 2011 is $10 for an individual membership.

More details are online.

Ann Thennes is hosting the 8th annual Holiday Home Show Dec. 10 from 10am-4pm.

This festive gathering featuring sales of gift items from local artists and crafters. Everyone is welcome.

Artists include Ann Thennes (gourd creations), Don Hodgkin (fine wood furniture), RearView Miracles (crystal hangings and healing jewelry), Rex Perschnik (carved wooden ornaments), and Tahoe Mountain Soap.

Ten percent of all sales will be donated to community organizations.

Follow signs to 940 Sunset Drive, on the river, near the old amusement park off Lodi Street in South Lake Tahoe.

For more info, call (530) 542.9553.

Learn to fold your own origami figures using traditional paper folding techniques on Jan. 5 at 2pm at the South Lake Tahoe branch of the El Dorado County Library.

Friends of the Library will supply the materials.

The library is at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

For more information, call (530) 573.3185.

The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department holiday truck leaves Station 2 at 5pm to make its rounds.

Here is the schedule:

Dec. 10 – Tahoe Keys-Venice

Dec. 11 — Glenwood

Dec. 12 – Tahoe Keys-State Streets

Dec. 13 – Barton-Tahoe Island

Dec. 14 – South Y-Tata

Dec. 15 – Al Tahoe Boulevard

Dec. 16 – Springwood-Tahoe Pines

Dec. 17 – Main areas-Highway 50

Dec. 18 – Ski Run area

Dec. 19 – Heavenly Valley

Dec. 20 – Stateline-Pioneer Trail

Dec. 21 – Gardner Mountain

Dec. 22 – Stateline-hotels

Dec. 23 – Sierra Boulevard.

Award-winning director Christian Calderon has launched a new concept in real estate videos — the industry’s first short film featuring a Hollywood actress.

And according to Calderon, the whole concept of producing shorts for real estate using an actress with a platform, rather than a real estate agent, also increases the chance of the piece going viral and gaining more exposure.

In this case, actress Melissa Biggs, formerly of “Baywatch”, was chosen for her international appeal to expand the Incline Village property’s exposure to places like Australia where according to reports, Australians are the largest foreign tourists traveling to California and making real estate purchases.

In the video, Biggs makes a cameo appearance and stays the weekend at an exclusive home that happens to be on the market and gives the audience a personal guided tour.

A visit to Lake Tahoe Chocolate Factory is a good place to find a great (and sweet) gift for less than $20.

Doug, the chocolatier, will help you find the perfect gift.

Imagine your friends opening a tin of his special Peppermint Bark, Pecan Turtles, Rocky Road, Chocolate Mints or having the fun Tahoe S’mores or the specialty Marshmallows on a Stick.

Lake Tahoe Chocolates is located between Dart and Lakeside Inn in Stateline, in the back.