HOLIDAY EVENTS AROUND THE AREA THIS WEEKEND

  

The holidays have officially arrived, and that means there are lots of ways to get into the festive spirit.

This weekend has many activities planned around the area:

• Downtown Brenham businesses will participate Saturday in “A Taste of Christmas”.  Over two dozen locations will be open throughout the day to offer seasonal sweets and drinks to shoppers, like egg nog, punch, sangria, hot chocolate and cookies.  Participating stores will have maps showing all other locations taking part.
• The Brenham Children’s Chorus’ holiday concert, “Carol of the Animals”, will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center at Blinn College.  Tickets are available at the door.
• St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will host a St. Nicholas Festival on Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, with activities including breakfast, storytime, caroling, a bake sale, Christmas crafts, a bounce house and face painting. 
• Brenham’s First Baptist Church will present “The Majesty of Christmas”, a musical worship event, Saturday and Sunday at 7 p.m.  The performance will include the adult and kids’ choirs, handbell choir and orchestra.
• The Burton Christmas Market & More will take place on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Texas Cotton Gin Museum and Pavilion.  Food and craft vendors will be on site, and Santa will be available for photos from 1 to 3 p.m.  There will also be community caroling from 3 to 4 p.m.
• Chappell Hill’s holiday festivities begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the Chappell Hill Garden Club’s Christmas Home Tour, featuring visits to six decorated properties and entertainment via the Round Top Ruggers Rug Show.  At 3:30 p.m., Santa Claus will arrive in downtown, and families can enjoy activities like a petting zoo, an interactive snow globe, Christmas crafts and a hot cocoa bar.  The Teddy Bear Parade starts at 4:30 p.m.
• Washington-on-the-Brazos will host Candlelight Christmas on Friday and Saturday between 6 and 8:15 p.m.  Costumed interpreters will bring to life the festivities of the season with musket fire, music and dancing.  The historic home of the last President of the Republic, Dr. Anson Jones, will be open for tours along with the plantation’s quarters.  Tickets are available at https://wheretexasbecametexas.org. 
• Independence will host its annual live nativity scene, “Bethlehem in Independence”, Saturday and Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m.  Families can walk or take hayrides through the nativity that starts on the town square.  There will also be hot chocolate, cider, cookies, s’mores, hamburgers and hot dogs served, and Santa Claus will stop by. 
• Navasota’s “Home for the Holidays” event on Saturday gets underway with a farmers market at 9 a.m. at the Navasota Public Library.  Downtown will have activities from 1 to 5 p.m. like free photos with Santa, a bounce house, vendors, food trucks, holiday music, hot chocolate and Christmas cookies.  A parade through downtown begins at 6 p.m., with the community tree lighting and caroling from the Navasota High School Choir afterwards.
• Caldwell will host “Christmas on the Square” Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., featuring music and dance performances from the Caldwell High School Band and Honeybees Dance Team.  The lighted parade through downtown will begin at 7 p.m.
• Fayetteville will hold its “Country Christmas” celebration on Saturday, beginning with the homes tour from noon to 4 p.m. including five homes.  Around the square, there will be shopping and dining, arts and crafts, and a Christmas tree display contest.  A lighted parade will begin at 6 p.m., plus there will be visits with Santa and a Christmas movie on the square. 

KTEX-106’s Courtney Cartwright will be in Caldwell for Christmas on the Square Friday night.  Eilish will be in Chappell Hill on Saturday for the Teddy Bear Parade, and Dean Dillon will be in Navasota for Home for the Holidays.