Happy holidays, fellow Hornets supporters! Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or the fact that Bruce Bowen retired from the NBA, I’d like to extend my warmest wishes to you and your family.

Lately I’ve been busy scouring the New Orleans metropolitan area, hoping to find the perfect gifts for Mrs. Hornet Henry and the rest of the clan. When I haven’t been knee-deep in holiday shopping, I’ve been updating my Facebook page with photos (add me as a friend on Facebook and check out the cool pictures of Hornets players relaxing in NOLA!). I’ve also started tweeting regularly (check it out at www.twitter.com/HornetHenry). Lately I’ve been celebrating my own personal version of “Festivus” on Twitter, airing several of the grievances I have with folks such as Mark Cuban, Kobe Bryant and the Spurs.

But I digress. I didn’t stop by Swarm City today to rehash the findings of my ground-breaking scientific study that indicates Dirk Nowitzki flops on at least three-fourths of the Mavericks’ possessions. I didn’t come here to expound on my theory that Kobe’s rise in popularity signifies a troubling decline in American parenting skills. No, because to do either of those things would certainly not be in the holiday spirit.

Instead, let’s get to the real reason why I’m here today. I’m here to explain why you should treat yourself to a splendid holiday gift and grace us with your presence at Wednesday’s home game in the Hive. Here are my top 10 reasons to attend “Holiday at the Hive” and witness the Western Conference grudge match between the Hornets and the Golden State Warriors:

10) Santa Claus is coming to town (and the concourse).

Let’s be honest, the jolly old fella could’ve picked anywhere in the world to be only two days before his big night. But for the third year in a row, Santa chose the New Orleans Arena concourse as his preferred destination. Yes, you read that correctly… Santa is attending Wednesday’s Hornets-Warriors game!

As you can imagine, Santa’s got a pretty busy ledger during this time of year, but he managed to carve out three hours of his hectic schedule just for us. You can get your picture taken with Santa from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. outside Section 118 before and during the game. And if you think of it, why not let your kids get their picture taken with Santa, too?

9) A chance to decorate your tree.

The first 8,000 fans entering the Hive will be given a free Hornets holiday ornament, courtesy of Peoples Health. I can’t wait to hang mine up next to my hand-made ornaments of Darren Collison and Marcus Thornton.

8) Tons and tons of holiday fun.

In keeping with the spirit of the season, the Hornets will be giving out hundreds of prizes to fans throughout the evening. Don’t miss your chance to catch a free T-shirt from the players, Hugo, the Honeybees or the Buzz Patrol, but make sure you stay on your toes: Honeybee Ginger has been clocked at 96 miles per hour when she’s given at least three days’ rest.

7) A great deal in the Hornets Nest.

My sources tell me that the adidas “Slam Dunk special” in the Hornets Nest team store during Wednesday’s game will be a red Hornets holiday T-shirt, for the low, low price of $12. I haven’t seen a deal like that since the Hornets traded for Darius Songaila!

6) The Honeybees and Used to Bees will be there.

As voted by NBA fans, the Honeybees were hands-down the most popular dance team in the Western Conference last season (*excluding dance teams ardently supported by the nation of China). They’ll be celebrating by performing a special holiday-themed routine. The Used to Bees will also be shaking what their mommas gave them way back when.

5) Hugo will be in the house.

And he’s got a few surprises up his Creole blue sleeves… you’ll have to come to the game to find out what I mean.

4) A halftime show featuring one of NOLA’s finest musicians.

New Orleans native Kermit Ruffins will be playing live at intermission for the enjoyment of fans. The esteemed New York Times newspaper once wrote of him that “Mr. Ruffins is an unabashed entertainer who plays trumpet with a bright, silvery tone, sings with off-the-cuff charm and never gets too abstruse in his material.”

What in tarnation does "abstruse" mean? I have no idea, but something tells me avoiding it has to be a good thing!

3) CP3 is playing.

You never know what Chris Paul could do on a given night. He might score 39 points and help beat the Mavericks in overtime. He might rack up 30 points, 19 assists and nine rebounds vs. Denver. He might score the game-winning layup against the Timberwolves on a backdoor cut. Come to Girod Street and find out for yourself what the World’s Greatest Point Guard has in store for the Warriors.

2) A chance to watch the Hornets continue their dominance in NOLA.

If you’re scoring at home, the Hornets are now 10-3 on their home floor this season, having already beaten formidable foes such as Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver – and much to Hornet Henry’s delight – Dallas. Come to the Hive and help root on the ballclub to its eighth home win over a Western Conference opponent in nine outings.

And the Number One reason to attend Holiday at the Hive is…

Kids 14 and under get in for free!

Do not adjust your laptop. All children ages 14 and younger – provided they are accompanied by an adult who has purchased a ticket to the ballgame – will gain free admission. All you have to do to redeem this offer is visit the New Orleans Arena box office.

What better way to make Christmas come early for your favorite youngster than to bring them to the arena for an NBA game? And unlike the exorbitant amount of money you spent on Junior’s other presents, this one won’t cost you a penny! Talk about an offer that’s perfect for anyone’s budget... I haven’t seen a steal like that since the Hornets traded two future second-round draft picks for Marcus Thornton!

Until next time, Geaux Hornets!

Your pal, Hornet Henry

www.twitter.com/HornetHenry