The Lakers thrilling win over their rival Boston Celtics was only part of Christmas Day celebration at The STAPLES Center. Before the game, the Lakers brought their annual "A Season of Giving" to a festive close with two very special events.

The first event was a holiday reception for a local boys home. The Lakers continued their tradition of hosting 50 guests from Its Time For Kids, at a pre-game holiday reception in the Wachovia Room of the STAPLES Center. Each guest was treated to a catered lunch, and a bag of Lakers goodies. Best of all, each guest received a ticket to the Christmas Day game, where they were given the ultimate holiday gift: a Lakers victory.

Holiday gifts were also the theme of the other special event, the on-court gift exchange. During the pre-game activities, 30 members of the Boys and Girls Club of East Los Angeles were invited on to the court to exchange gifts with all members of the Lakers and Boston Celtics. The children gave each player a Boys and Girls Club button, along with a hand-made necklace. The players returned the favor and handed each child a gift bag filled with Lakers gear and school supplies. The children were all very excited for the opportunity to meet the players, even the ones who had to settle for meeting the Celtics!