By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

The delicious anticipation begins today. Thanksgiving marks the start of perhaps the most joyous season of the year and the pleasures — simple and otherwise — that it brings.

In the spirit of the season, campuses of the far-flung University of Hawai'i system are offering a variety of sales and fairs and even beauty and de-stressing treatments to get you in the mood. And it's all to benefit the students, the schools and the public.

At the cosmetology and aesthetician programs at Honolulu Community College, you'll be doing yourself and the students a favor by calling 845-9150 or 845-9131 for an appointment for a European facial, a perm, a manicure with hot paraffin or a pedicure. Those are just a few of the 52 treatments available at prices that sound like what you'd pay for a latte or two. You can walk in, but it's better to call a day ahead.

"We'd like to see at least 30-35 appointments for hair during the day," said instructor Jessica M. Kaniho. "And for facials, we have 12 students, so that's at least 12 customers in the evening. And we can do more. A European facial, for instance, would be about an hour and 15 minutes and it's $22."

The last facial of the day is booked at 6:15 p.m. and finishes at 8. Facials are done in a dim, scented room with soft music. Students in training even rub your feet.

Beauty services are available Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with facials in the evening starting at 4:30 p.m. There are no Wednesday appointments. And sorry, no gift certificates.

"We're taking our last appointment on Dec. 12 so they can take their exams," said Kaniho. The program will be open again Jan. 14.

Meanwhile, to give you a taste of what's available on the campuses, here's a sampling of holiday sales on three campuses that show off work by student artists:

• At Manoa, a sale runs Dec. 6, 7 and 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the ceramic studio of the Art Building. Park in the parking structure or in the visitor lot behind Kennedy Theater.

Also at Manoa, the Graduate Student Show will be unveiled in the Art Gallery from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday and then run through Dec. 20, open Mondays through Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Some of the work is for sale.

• At Leeward Community College, the Ceramics Club's one-day sale will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday in the Eucalyptus Courtyard. The pots are mostly under $20, with some as inexpensive as a few dollars, said art professor Kay Mura. Plants also will be sold.

• At Windward Community College, a Christmas Fantasy will be unveiled beginning Saturday and running through Dec. 14 in the lobby of the new Arts and Humanities Building, Hale Palanakila. It's open from Tuesday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m., with paintings, wood carvings, prints, jewelry and stained glass for sale.

Pottery will be on sale in the same building's new ceramics lab from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7 .

Proceeds from the sales are divided between the gallery and the student artists.

For inventive and inexpensive art, there is truly nothing like a student show. Go and enjoy your taxpayer dollars at work, find something to treasure and discover up-and-coming artists. Such a deal.

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.