Tree lighting is Fridaqy night; Santa breakfast is next morning
By Mary Ellen Day, Special Writer
December means holiday celebrations in Manville. There are many events to get you into the holiday spirit and most are free.
Kicking off the holiday season will be the annual community tree lighting tomorrow at 7 p.m. in the Main Street gazebo parking lot.
Santa will help light the tree, the Manville High School chorus will sing and there will be hot chocolate and gingerbread cookies for everyone. The treats are donated by Main Street Deli.
On Saturday morning, come have breakfast with Santa from 9 a.m. to noon at the VFW. The pancake and sausage breakfast is free and you can have your photo taken with Santa and make some crafts while listening to music from a DJ.
On Sunday, Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church on Washington Avenue will hold their annual Christmas cookie sale starting at 11:20 a.m. sharp. Stop by to buy homemade cookies from around the world, including Russian teacakes, chocolate cherry rugelach, Italian ricotta cookies, Georgian walnut pastries and Greek, Polish, French and American cookies.
At the library on Monday there is a holiday card-making event for patients in nursing homes. Everyone is welcome and all materials will be supplied. Be creative and help make someone’s holiday happy and bright.
Regina Novicky and relatives and friends will host their annual Christmas concert singalong at the library on Wednesday, Dec. 11, from 7-8:30 p.m. This tradition was started six years ago by Ms. Novicky’s father, Nick, as a way to get the community involved to celebrate the holiday season.
The 15th annual free community Christmas carol sing will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15, at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 34 South Third Ave. Sing with the band as it performs traditional Christmas carols and contemporary favorites. There’ll be refreshments and non-perishable food items will be collected for a local food bank.
Don’t forget the annual gingerbread house contest, which will give patrons a chance to show off their creativity and win a prize. Houses need to be made at home from any materials and brought to the library on Friday, Dec. 13. The judging will take place on Dec. 16 with the winners announced at 7 during the holiday extravaganza, which begins at 6:30 with holiday music and refreshments. Winners will be from children, teen and adults categories will receive prizes. The gingerbread houses will be on display at the library until Dec. 20.
Children in grades 3 and up can make a holiday decoration on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 3:30. They will make something to take home just in time for the holidays.
A teen craft for grades 6-12 will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 10, and they will be making a homemade holiday gifts of bath bombs and scrubs.
And don’t forget all the school concerts! The students all have been working hard to present the concerts with the bands and choruses. Roosevelt School’s concert is tonight at 7 in the high school auditorium. The show by the high and intermediate school students is on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. All are welcome to come and listen to an evening of holiday tunes.