• Tree-lighting ceremony Dec. 4 at 4:30 p.m. at Jackson Town Hall, 95 West Veterans Highway. Festivities will include entertainment, refreshments and Santa.
• Rummage sale at First Baptist Church of Lakewood, First Street and Clifton Avenue, Dec. 5-6, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Details: (732) 363-0885.
• Holiday Craft Fair at Kimball Medical Center’s Shulman Conference Center, 600 River Ave., Lakewood, Dec. 5, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission. All are welcome. Hundreds of gift ideas.
• Weekly dinners at the Millstone Township Elks Lodge No. 2613 on Burnt Tavern Road in the Clarksburg section of Millstone. Fish Fry, Dec. 5, Dec. 19, Surf and Turf (reservations required for this date). Call (609) 259-8911 for details.
• "Winter Birds of Allaire" will be presented at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Allaire Nature Interpretive Center at Allaire State Park, Route 524, Wall Township. The free program will teach the basics of identifying birds and allow participants to watch the area’s common winter birds from inside the Interpretive Center. Binoculars are helpful, but not necessary. Details: (732) 938-2003.
• Holiday Extravaganza Dec. 6, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Rosenauer Elementary School, 60 Citadel Drive (off New Prospect Road.), Jackson. Pampered Chef, Avon, Tupperware, etc. and candy, crafts, baked goods and more. Santa arrives for pictures at noon until 2 p.m.
• Market Madness, Dec. 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Southard School gym, 115 Kent Road, Howell. Participating vendors to include Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Home Interiors, and other specialty crafters. Details: (732) 901-7014.
• Winter Wonderland Dec. 6, at Switlik Elementary School, 75 West Veterans Highway, Jackson, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the gymnasium. Gifts and crafts, photos with Santa, Poinsettia and holiday wreaths, refreshments for sale. Free gift wrapping.
• Free rabies vaccination clinic for cats and dogs, sponsored by the Monmouth County Health Department, 9 a.m. to noon, Dec. 6 at the Howell Public Works Building on Old Tavern Road. All New Jersey residents may participate in the clinic. Details: (732) 431-7456.
• Seventh Annual Toyland at the Melvin Cottrell Center (Jackson Senior Center), 45 Don Connor Blvd., Dec. 6-7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission includes seeing Santa and visiting Grandma in her kitchen, with food samples. Craft items for sale by "elves." Details: (732) 928-2313.
• Gift Auction hosted by the Jackson Women of Today, Dec. 6 at the Larsen Firehouse, New Prospect and Larsen Road, Jackson. Items include crystal, electronics, Snowbabies, gourmet baskets and more. Proceeds will benefit community projects and the food pantry. Donation: $5. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Details: (732) 886-3062.
• Brain Tumor Support group for Monmouth and Ocean county residents will meet Dec. 6 from 3-4:45 p.m. at the Wall Township Branch of the Monmouth County Library, 2700 Allaire Road. For brain tumor patients/survivors and their families. Details (732) 615-9220 or call the library at (732) 449-8877.
• Holiday Bazaar Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lucy N. Holman Elementary School, 125 Manhattan St., Jackson.
• Free lectures at Georgian Court College’s Little Theatre, 900 Lakewood Ave., Dec. 8 presented by Marsha I. Lester, professor of natural sciences at University of Pennsylvania. "My Life as a Chemist"’ be commence at 9:30 a.m. and "Chemistry and Physics of the Atmosphere," will be at 7 p.m. Call (732) 364-2200, ext. 339 for reservations.
• Blood Drive Dec. 10, 2-8 p.m., sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and New Egypt Elks No. 2457, at the Elks Lodge, 105 Lakewood Road, New Egypt. Donations will be taken by appointment only. Call (609) 758-2344.
• Jackson Memorial High School Football Awards Banquet will be held Jan. 18 from 1-5 p.m. at the Circle Landmark on Route 70 in Lakehurst. The cost for nonplayers is $22 for the buffet-style meal. All are welcome. Tickets must be ordered by Dec. 12. Call (732) 833-9298.
• Sugarplums Boutique, Dec. 13, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. hosted by United Methodist Women of Central United Methodist Church, 729 Arnold Ave., Point Pleasant Beach. Christmas bake sale, featuring homemade cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, candy, gingerbread, jams, jellies and more. Details: (732) 892-1233.
• Pancake Breakfast hosted by Cub Scout Pack 82, Dec. 13, 8-11:30 a.m. in the cafeteria of St. Aloysius Church, Bennetts Mills Road, Jackson. Pictures with Santa ($2 each) from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Cost for breakfast is $3 per child and $5 per adult. Details: (732) 814-8154.
• Breakfast with Santa will be hosted by the Jackson Football Parents Club Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Central Jersey Italian American Club on County Line Road in Jackson. Santa will arrive at 9 a.m. Donation of $5 for pancakes, eggs, home fries, bacon and sausage. Proceeds to benefit Jackson Memorial High School football team. Details: (732) 833-9298.
• Lakewood Chamber of Commerce new member orientation, 8:15 a.m., Dec. 17 in the chamber office, 395 Route 70, suite 125 in the Fleet Bank building next to Charlie Brown’s. A continental breakfast will be served. For reservatons, call (732) 363-0012 by Dec. 12.
• Breakfast with Santa fund-raiser for Jackson Mills Fire Company and Auxiliary, Dec. 21 at Jackson Mills Firehouse, 465 North County Line Road, Jackson, from 8 a.m. to noon. Cost is $7, adults; $5 seniors; $4 age 4-12; under age 3 admitted free. Details: (732) 928-8949.
• New Year’s Eve Party at the New Egypt Elks Lodge, 105 Lakewood Road, Dec. 31, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets, which can be purchased by Dec. 15 for $20 per person, include music, karaoke, dancing, party favors, appetizers, hot and cold buffet, champagne toast and continental breakfast. Call (609) 758-8700.
• The Disabled American Veterans Chapter 77, which meets every second Tuesday of the month, will now be meeting in a new location at the Veterans of Foreign Wars building on Magnolia St. in Jackson at 7:30 p.m. Details: (732) 363-2357.
• The Jackson American Legion Post 504 meets the second Monday of the month at the Jackson Knights of Columbus Hall, 401 Bartley Road, at 7 p.m. New and old members are welcome.