The Christmas season will officially arrive in Jackson County this weekend with several holiday events planned to celebrate this special time of year.
JEFFERSON
In Jefferson, “Downtown in December” will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3. The event will include musicians performing, free horse-drawn carriage rides, visits and pictures with Santa Claus at the Pendergrass Store and a short Christmas variety show by the Curry Creek Players at Gingham Gal Café. Amy Bullock will perform Christmas songs at Downtown Gifts and Interiors. Downtown businesses will be open during the festivities.
The annual Jefferson Christmas Parade will be held at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, in downtown. This year’s theme is “Christmas in Our Town.”
For more information on the Jefferson events, call the Main Street Jefferson office at 706-367-5714 or e-mail Beth Laughinghouse at blaughinghouse@cityofjeffersonga.com.
ARCADE
The City of Arcade will hold a Christmas tree lighting Friday evening, following the annual employee potluck Christmas dinner at 6:30 p.m.
NICHOLSON
In Nicholson, the annual Christmas tree trimming party will be held at noon on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Harold Swindle Public Library, Nicholson. Children of all ages are invited to attend for fun treats, crafts and Christmas cheer and to ring in the holiday season by decorating the library tree. The library is located off Highway 441 near Benton Elementary School.
Holiday events coming up this weekend
Also in Nicholson, the annual tree lighting will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 4, at the Nicholson Community Center. The Rev. Theodore Braswell, Jones Chapel Baptist Church, will read scripture. Ricky Fitzpatrick, New Hope Baptist Church Choir, and The Maxwells will be singing Christmas songs. Santa will be in the community center for the children. A live nativity will be held and light refreshments will be served.
“We hope you will join us for some great Christmas music and refreshments at the Nicholson Community Center,” leaders state. “There will be hot chocolate and coffee available on the patio to keep you warm.”
COMMERCE
Commerce begins the holiday season Friday evening as 22 merchants offer the third annual Commerce by Candlelight event that evening until 9 p.m. The downtown will be illuminated by luminaria (in addition to the regular holiday lights). The event features horse-drawn carriage rides from City Hall, hot chocolate and marshmallows (roasted over a fire pit) at Spencer Park, Santa’s Workshop, also at Spencer Park, a live nativity scene at McDonald Hardware, photos with Santa at Chris’ Place on South Broad Street, Mrs. Claus will tell stories at Shubert and Co. on South Broad Street, dancers will perform at Commerce School of Dance on South Broad Street, and carolers will be working the streets.
Also, in Commerrce, The Love of Llamas 4-H Club will have llamas at Spencer Park; the group is also in charge of the nativity scene. Carolers will be members of the Cold Sassy Players little theater group, and Carol Streetman Photography will shoot photos of kids with Santa.
“We have 22 merchants participating,” noted Denise McKay, director of the Downtown Development Authority.
Many of those merchants will offer refreshments. Some will also offer door prizes, which will be given out by the DDA, McKay said. To qualify, shoppers must pick up a “passport” at the DDA office, McDonald Hardware or Subway and take the passports by each merchant for validation.
On Saturday, the DDA, Pilot Club of Commerce and the Four Seasons Garden Club will host Breakfast with Santa and the Secret Santa Workshop from 10 a.m. to 11:30 at the Commerce Civic Center.
Kids will get to have juice and donuts and visit with Santa. They can also do their Christmas shopping, as merchandise from local businesses — priced to match a child’s budget — will be on sale. Adults will be available to help kids manage their money and select gifts.
Also on Saturday, the Commerce Public Library will host a free screening of “The Muppets Christmas Carol” at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be available for a modest charge.
The highlight of the Commerce weekend will come Sunday, when the Christmas Parade comes through downtown at 3 p.m. Lineup begins at 1 p.m., with walking units starting from the parking lot of Commerce Presbyterian Church and riding units beginning at the parking lot of Commerce Primary School.
The route will take the parade up Lakeview Drive to Jefferson Road, right to the traffic light and down through town on Elm Street. It will terminate at the Lanier Technical College parking lot on South Elm.
The parade theme is North Pole Fantasy. Cash awards of $300, $200 and $100 will be given to the top three entries.
The parade is sponsored by the DDA and the Commerce Area Business Association.
HOSCHTON
The Hoschton Women’s Civic Club will host its annual “Santa at the Depot” from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 4. The women’s club will take photos of all the children with Santa and they will receive the pictures before they leave the Hoschton Depot. The children will also be given a treat bag filled with goodies. Santa will arrive at the Hoschton Depot promptly at 10 a.m. on a fire truck from the West Jackson Fire Department with an escort by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. A class from Zion Baptist Church, Braselton, will provide hot chocolate on the rear deck of the depot for kids and their parents as they exit the building. All activities are free. The Hoschton Depot is located on Highway 53 across from the city square.
Other events planned this Christmas season include the following:
•The Maysville Community Improvement Club will hold its annual Christmas in the Park on Saturday, Dec. 11. The event will feature craft and food vendors, entertainment and s’mores. A Christmas parade will be held at 5 p.m. Anyone who would like to have a float in the parade is asked to line up on Freeman Street. Santa will be at the park from 6-8 for the kids to visit. Applications for vendors are located at victorianmaysville.com.
“We hope you will join us for some great Christmas music and refreshments at the Nicholson Community Center,” leaders state. “There will be hot chocolate and coffee available on the patio to keep you warm.”
COMMERCE
Commerce begins the holiday season Friday evening as 22 merchants offer the third annual Commerce by Candlelight event that evening until 9 p.m. The downtown will be illuminated by luminaria (in addition to the regular holiday lights). The event features horse-drawn carriage rides from City Hall, hot chocolate and marshmallows (roasted over a fire pit) at Spencer Park, Santa’s Workshop, also at Spencer Park, a live nativity scene at McDonald Hardware, photos with Santa at Chris’ Place on South Broad Street, Mrs. Claus will tell stories at Shubert and Co. on South Broad Street, dancers will perform at Commerce School of Dance on South Broad Street, and carolers will be working the streets.
Also, in Commerrce, The Love of Llamas 4-H Club will have llamas at Spencer Park; the group is also in charge of the nativity scene. Carolers will be members of the Cold Sassy Players little theater group, and Carol Streetman Photography will shoot photos of kids with Santa.
“We have 22 merchants participating,” noted Denise McKay, director of the Downtown Development Authority.
Many of those merchants will offer refreshments. Some will also offer door prizes, which will be given out by the DDA, McKay said. To qualify, shoppers must pick up a “passport” at the DDA office, McDonald Hardware or Subway and take the passports by each merchant for validation.
On Saturday, the DDA, Pilot Club of Commerce and the Four Seasons Garden Club will host Breakfast with Santa and the Secret Santa Workshop from 10 a.m. to 11:30 at the Commerce Civic Center.
Kids will get to have juice and donuts and visit with Santa. They can also do their Christmas shopping, as merchandise from local businesses — priced to match a child’s budget — will be on sale. Adults will be available to help kids manage their money and select gifts.
Also on Saturday, the Commerce Public Library will host a free screening of “The Muppets Christmas Carol” at 2 p.m. Refreshments will be available for a modest charge.
The highlight of the Commerce weekend will come Sunday, when the Christmas Parade comes through downtown at 3 p.m. Lineup begins at 1 p.m., with walking units starting from the parking lot of Commerce Presbyterian Church and riding units beginning at the parking lot of Commerce Primary School.
The route will take the parade up Lakeview Drive to Jefferson Road, right to the traffic light and down through town on Elm Street. It will terminate at the Lanier Technical College parking lot on South Elm.
The parade theme is North Pole Fantasy. Cash awards of $300, $200 and $100 will be given to the top three entries.
The parade is sponsored by the DDA and the Commerce Area Business Association.
HOSCHTON
The Hoschton Women’s Civic Club will host its annual “Santa at the Depot” from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 4. The women’s club will take photos of all the children with Santa and they will receive the pictures before they leave the Hoschton Depot. The children will also be given a treat bag filled with goodies. Santa will arrive at the Hoschton Depot promptly at 10 a.m. on a fire truck from the West Jackson Fire Department with an escort by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. A class from Zion Baptist Church, Braselton, will provide hot chocolate on the rear deck of the depot for kids and their parents as they exit the building. All activities are free. The Hoschton Depot is located on Highway 53 across from the city square.
Other events planned this Christmas season include the following:
•The Maysville Community Improvement Club will hold its annual Christmas in the Park on Saturday, Dec. 11. The event will feature craft and food vendors, entertainment and s’mores. A Christmas parade will be held at 5 p.m. Anyone who would like to have a float in the parade is asked to line up on Freeman Street. Santa will be at the park from 6-8 for the kids to visit. Applications for vendors are located at victorianmaysville.com.
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