Santa Claus will be arriving Thursday, Dec. 7 in downtown Princeton at the annual Christmas tree lighting. (File photo)

As December rolls in with full force so do myriad Holiday events around Princeton and the DFW metroplex.

Princeton

Snow is in the forecast for Thursday night in Princeton as the community Christmas tree lighting celebration takes place.

The event will be held Thursday, Dec. 7 in Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Princeton.

Accompanying the snow dusting, provided by snow making machines, is an early visit from Santa Claus who will take gift requests from area children.

Christmas tree lighting activities are sponsored by the city of Princeton and take place from 4:30 p.m. until 8 p.m.

Activities start with a community dinner of hotdogs, chips and drinks served by city employees. Churches and businesses will provide water and cookies.

Toys for Tots volunteers will be on hand to collect toys for distribution to less fortunate children in the area. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve sponsors the project annually.

Providing holiday music will be the Princeton High School band and choir.

After offering remarks about the Christmas season, Mayor John-Mark Caldwell will flip the switch to light the community tree standing in the middle of the park.

Santa is slated to arrive at 6 p.m., driven in a special sleigh by an elf. Parents are encouraged to bring their cameras to take pictures of their children with Santa.

Farmersville

A whole slew of activities are scheduled to take place in Farmersville this weekend.

Breakfast with Santa will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at Farmersville High School.

The fundraiser is being held by the Farmersville Farmerettes and the Southern Bells.

Admission is $5 which includes all events such as cookie and ornament decorating. There will also be a guest appearance from Anna and Elsa from Frozen.

The Farmersville Historical Society will have its Christmas open house and bake shop open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Bain-Honaker House.

Admission to the museum is free to the public, though baked goods will be available for purchase.

The Farmersville Times will be providing Photos with Santa at their downtown office located at 101 S. Main St. from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Photos will be available online starting at $2 and Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be there for photo opportunities.

One of the premiere events in Farmersville will be the dedication of the National Registry marker for the downtown commercial district. Ceremonies and the unveiling of the marker will take place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 in the downtown area.

All residents are encouraged to attend the dedication and celebrate the culmination of a multi-year project for the Farmersville Main Street Program.

The Farmersville Chamber of Commerce will also be hosting the annual Christmas parade at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 in downtown Farmersville.

There is no fee to enter the parade and there will be prizes in the motorized division, the walking and marching group division, floats and trailer division and equestrian division.

Judging will take place at 6 p.m. sharp.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will be hosting a live nativity presentation at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9 with refreshments and narration.

The free event will be held at 513 Sycamore Street in Farmersville.

For those interested in holiday music, there are several opportunities to attend churches for Christmas musicals.

First Baptist Church of Farmersville will be performing ‘Breath of Heaven’ Sunday, Dec. 10 for both their 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. services. Music will be performed by the church’s Christmas choir and orchestra.

First United Methodist Church will also be hosting a Christmas Cantata Sunday, Dec. 17 at 10:50 a.m.

The music will be performed by the church’s adult choir and assorted soloists.

DFW holiday activities

One spectacular lighting activity is in Addison this year and features their annual Holiday Lights Spectacular through New Years day. Millions of sparkling lights are wrapped around more than 550 trees at Vitruvian Park – transforming an ordinary park into a magical wonderland for the holiday season. There is plenty of free parking available onsite at the park so visitors can enjoy all that there is to offer.

If food and shopping are always on your mind, don’t worry! There is a Holiday Shopping Village and there are plenty of food trucks to keep your hunger at bay. If you have kids in tow, Santa will be there for free photos and to lend an ear for Christmas wishes!

If you’re hosting out of town visitors, wow them with the magic of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. Whether you visit during the day or at night you won’t be disappointed. There is literally something for everyone both young and old alike.

For spectacular lights, check out the Twelve Days of Christmas display at night with 500,000 lights illuminating the garden, the architecture of the historic homes, and lighting the canopies overhead-including a 30-foot-tall tree at the center of property. Make sure you visit dallasarboretum.org and purchase your tickets ahead of time to see this amazing display.

Daytime visitors can experience the magic of Christmas in a multitude of ways. Step into a dramatic, three-dimensional experience reminiscent of a Victorian music box as you visit the 12 Days of Christmas display at the Arboretum. There are 12 elaborate 25-foot-tall glass gazebos displayed in the 66-acre-garden filled with the charming costumed characters, whimsical animals and winter scenes made famous by the beloved Christmas carol.

For those of you who want to view lights the old-fashioned way; from the comfort of your car while you listen to holiday music on the radio, two opportunities await in Grand Prairie.

Check out the annual Gift of Lights at Texas Motor Speedway. There you will see a fantastic light show, and at the end you can travel to Santa’s Village where you will meet Santa, take your picture, and experience a North Pole Christmas experience. This year there will be over 150 new displays. Santa’s Village is now in a large garage on the inside track, complete with a miniature train ride for the kids. The display is locally owned and operated by Christmas by Zenith. Purchase tickets online at tmsgiftoflights.com

By Wyndi Veigel • News Editor • [email protected]

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