As the holidays are approaching, residents may be looking for ways to celebrate the season. In the community and local area, there are a number of events being offered for people of all ages to enjoy.
Tabernacle tree lighting
The kick-off to the holiday season will be the Third Annual Community Tree Lighting Event in Tabernacle, taking place on Dec. 2 on the grounds of the Town Hall beginning at 7 p.m. The event is co-sponsored by the Recreation Committee, the Tabernacle Historical Society, Tabernacle Women’s Association and the Tabernacle Schools PTA/HSA. It is free and open to the public.
“I think it is a wonderful opportunity, and one of the few for residents to come out and enjoy the season and community,” Mark LeMire of the Recreation Committee said.
The highlight of the evening will be the arrival of Santa Claus. He will magically light the Christmas tree, and then he and Mrs. Claus will be available for visits with children.
New this year will be the inclusion of a special mailbox for letters to Santa. The mailbox will be inside the Town Hall from Dec. 1 through Dec. 23 during regular business hours. On the evening of the tree lighting, the mailbox will be located near the jolly man himself. No postage is needed. The letters will be sent to the North Pole after Dec. 23 where Santa will review them before he makes his annual trip.
“We’re just trying to bring a little magic back to the holiday. It is always nice for kids to express themselves and take the time to reach out to Santa,” LeMire said.
Entertainment will be provided by several groups of young people. Members of the Seneca High School band will play holiday music as the crowd gathers. A chorus of fourth graders from Tabernacle Elementary School will start the program, followed by the Kenneth Olson Middle School Hand Chimes Group and the middle school chorus.
All portions of the program are outdoors, with tents provided for the musicians and the refreshments. The festivities will go on rain, snow or shine, so residents are advised to dress for the weather. Cookies and other goodies will be provided along with hot cocoa and apple cider. As a special treat, the Girl Scouts will be on hand to help children create a holiday craft.
Parking will be available at the Holy Eucharist Church lot adjacent to Town Hall.
The Community Tree will be illuminated every night until early January as a symbol of good will.
Pinelands Branch Library
The Pinelands Branch Library will host “Christmas, the Old Fashioned Way” on Friday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Designed for adults and seniors, the event will allow residents to whet their appetites with a history of Yuletide traditions and practices. The Yuletide is a festival observed by the historical Germanic peoples, later undergoing Christianised reformulation resulting in the now better-known “Christmastide.”
Then, right before Christmas, the Pinelands Branch Library will host “Wrapping up the Holidays,” on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 24 at 2:15 p.m. This event will provide attendees with a few tricks to make gift-wrapping easier, neater and much less stressful. Wrapping, tape and ribbon will be provided at the events, which are designed for teens, adults and seniors. The limit for the event is two items wrapped per person.
Dickens Festival
The following day, the Medford Sunrise Rotary will present the 27th annual Dickens Festival on Saturday, Dec. 3 in downtown Medford. This family friendly event will take place from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and promises to be a magical time for children and grown-ups alike.
For one night every year, Main Street in Medford is transformed into a quaint winter wonderland with dimly lit lampposts and stores with twinkling lights that feature holiday festivities galore with an old-time flair. The festival typically attracts more than 10,000 people from within Medford and from many surrounding communities.
Exciting things get underway around 5:45 p.m., when a parade heralded by the town crier transports Santa, Mrs. Claus and an elf or two to the gazebo in the center of the downtown Village, located at 18 N. Main St.
New this year will be Marshal Steve’s pony rides. There will also be an ice carver sculpting a special holiday surprise, a moon bounce with a “Frozen” theme, the Give ‘n Take jugglers, Stockton-Brown stilt-walkers, a face painter, a town crier on a penny farthing bicycle, the always popular live nativity at Tomlinson Park in front of the library and outdoor movies located at Union and Main streets. There will also be plenty of delicious food and beverages available, provided by a variety of local vendors.
“There will be food vendors to satisfy every appetite from cheese steaks to crab cakes to kettle corn and everything in between,” Linda Mackey, the organizer of the event, said. “Bring your holiday shopping list — there will be many different crafters to meet all those wish list items.”
For more information, visit www.MedfordPolice.org the week prior to the festival. A listing of directions and Medford Village parking areas can be found at www.medfordtownship.com/events, and handicapped parking will be available.
Burlington County
The Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders is back with the 2016 Victorian Holiday Celebration. Kick off the Holiday Season at Historic Smithville Park on Dec. 4 from noon to 4 p.m., complete with a visit from St. Nick who will arrive at 1 p.m. by horse and carriage. Be sure to bring a camera to capture special memories.
Festivities will include the Holiday Marketplace and entertainment. The Market place will feature vendors, carriage rides from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., an ice carving demo and refreshments for sale.
Holiday entertainment will include music, strolling performers, children’s crafts, face painting, a visit from Mrs. Claus for story time, and Smithville Mansion tours. Tours will have a nominal fee. Back by popular demand are Olaf, The Grinch, S’Mores and Train rides.
The Historic Smithville Park is located at 803 Smithville Road in Eastampton. Admission is free.
A Special Holiday Farmer’s Market Day will be Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Burlington County Community Agricultural Center, 500 Centerton Road in Moorestown. The market will feature fall fruits and vegetables, local cranberries and honey, artisan cheeses and chocolates, fresh pies and local crafters and artists. Bring a new an unwrapped toy for the annual Toys For Tots Drive. Look into picking up a fresh holiday turkey. So, bundle up, grab a warm scone and a hot coffee and enjoy live music at the Farmer’s Market. For more information go to www.burlcoagcenter.com.
Free Family Candlelight Village Tours are December 9, 10, 16 and 17 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Smithville Park as well. Take a family friendly tour through Smithville Village to learn about its history in the 1800s. Last stop is a visit with Mrs. Claus. Enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies, provided by the Friends of the Mansion at Smithville. Each child will receive a take home craft at the end of the tour. Tours run approximately every 30 minutes. Other candlelight tours, Christmas tours and Christmas teas are available throughout the month of December.
Whitesbog Historic Village in Browns Mills is having its annual Handmade Holiday Craft Show on Dec. 10 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come into historic Whitesbog Village and explore the handmade arts and crafts from South Jersey artisans. There will be workshops, demonstrations and displays of one-of-a-kind items for holiday shopping. Children can enjoy a candy-cane hunt and families can make holiday ornaments to take home. The event admission and parking are all free. Artists and crafters will be selling their wares throughout the village in the cottages, museums and shops. The General Store will be offering a hot chocolate bar and winter snacks for guests including tastings of our amazing blueberry and cranberry jams. The Whitesbog Gallery will be showing works of member artists including many local photographers. There will also be live music at The General Store with the Accidental Jug Band.
For a full listing and information on Burlington County winter programs and events visit www.co.burlington.nj.us/569/Programs-Events.
The Burlington County Sheriff’s Department is having its annual Holiday Toy Drive. Each year, the sheriff’s department solicits donations of toys for underprivileged children in the county, to help make each child’s holiday a happy and memorable one. The County Consumer Protection Department checks all toys for safety before they are released to the various human service agencies for distribution. To see drop off locations and learn more about the Holiday Toy Drive visit www.co.burlington.nj.us/161/Holiday-Toy-Drive.
