AREA HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES CONTINUE THIS WEEKEND

  

There is no shortage of holiday celebrations happening around the area this weekend.

Here are some of the events going on:

• Downtown Brenham will host “A Taste of Christmas” Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Twenty-nine participating merchants will be handing out festive treats like eggnog, cookies and hot chocolate to shoppers as they pick up last-minute Christmas gifts.  Afterwards, they can head to 14 bars and restaurants to enjoy food, drinks and fellowship during the annual Brenham Bounce Santa Crawl.

• The Brenham Children’s Chorus will present “The Great Big Holiday Bake Off & Holiday Favorites” on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Dr. W.W. O’Donnell Performing Arts Center on Blinn’s Brenham Campus. Smitty’s Café will provide cookies at the performance.  Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at brenhamchildrenschorus.com.

• In Burton, the Christmas Market & More will feature food, drinks and shopping from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Burton Railroad Depot and Burton Roadhouse. Guests can browse through hand-crafted local items and baked goods, 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 will have a full day of festivities Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. with the Chappell Hill Garden Club’s Christmas Home Tour. Visitors can tour four decorated properties in the Chappell Hill area, enjoy entertainment from the Round Top Ruggers Rug Show and participate in a stackable flower pot contest.  Tickets are available at the Bluebonnet House and from any garden club member, and can also be purchased at chappellhillgardenclub.com.  At 3:30 p.m., families can make their way to downtown, where Santa will make an appearance and businesses will be hosting crafts and providing Christmas items for children.  There will also be letter-writing to Santa, a hot cocoa bar, cookie decorating, s’mores, candy canes, a choo choo barrel train ride, a petting zoo and the popular Teddy Bear Parade at 4:45 p.m.

• Washington-on-the-Brazos will celebrate a “Candlelight Christmas” Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 8 p.m. Guests can walk the candlelit paths at the Barrington Plantation and tour the historic home of the last President of the Republic, Dr. Anson Jones, and the plantation’s quarters.  Costumed interpreters will bring to life the festivities of the season with musket fire, music and dancing.  No reservations are required.  Tickets will be sold at the event.

• Independence will feature a live nativity and other holiday activities during its annual “Bethlehem in Independence” event Saturday and Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. Visitors can walk or take hayrides through nativity scenes that begin on the town square.  Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served for a free-will donation, and there will be free cookies, cider and hot chocolate.  Santa Claus will stop by on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on his fire truck.

• Downtown Navasota will host its annual “Home for the Holidays” celebration Saturday, beginning at 10 a.m. Activities include hot chocolate with cookies, ice skating, photos with Santa and a “Shop Small Business Giveaway.”  The lighted Christmas parade will start at 6 p.m., followed by the community tree lighting and a performance from the Navasota High School Choir.

• Somerville will celebrate Santaville Saturday at Welch Park. A variety of vendors will offer food, beverages, crafts and gifts from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and children can look forward to activities like a toy walk, train rides, music, cookies, giant stocking and bicycle giveaways, and a visit from Santa from 3 to 5 p.m.  The lighted Christmas parade will begin at roughly 6 p.m.

• Downtown Caldwell will host “Christmas on the Square” Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., with planned activities including music and dance performances, a lighted parade and appearances from Santa and the Grinch. Local Girl Scouts will have a baked goods show and sale, and there will be a bounce house and cocoa.  Guests can bring ornaments to the event to decorate the trees of local law enforcement offices, and can also bring new and gently used children’s books for a free book giveaway.

• Anyone looking for a new companion this holiday season can head to the Brenham Pet Adoption Center Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the “Happy Paw-lidays” adoption event. All adoption fees will be waived.

KTEX-106’s Tracey Lawless will be in downtown Caldwell this evening for Christmas on the Square.  Tomorrow, Trail Boss Troy will head to Navasota for Home for the Holidays, Crystal Ray will be on hand in Chappell Hill for the Christmas Home Tour and Teddy Bear Parade, and Rip Rolling will be at the Christmas Market & More in Burton.