TYLER COUNTY – It might seem as if we just all celebrated one major holiday, and many of us might have, as the old saw goes “gobbled until we wobbled,” but Christmas is right around the bend.
This weekend, the countywide Christmas in Tyler County celebration will take place Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, and feature a wide variety of family friendly fun, fellowship and food-filled opportunities.
On Friday evening, the fun lasts from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to kick things off with the lighting of the Tyler County Courthouse, and the opportunity for photos with Santa.
“Santa’s Workshop,” which is a joint effort sponsored by the Tyler County Chamber of Commerce, between businesses and organizations, will provide activities and crafts for children. Participating businesses include Rave Financial, which is hosting a letters to Santa activity; Kirkpatrick Construction, which is doing a cake walk; the Lively Oak Event Center, which is hosting crafts; Staar Medicaid, hosting a cornhole game and Tyler County Hospital, which is providing cookies and hot chocolate.
Opportunities for holiday shopping will be plenty, as well, with a variety of local craft vendors on the square for the Mistletoe Market, and food vendors, such as Big Momma’s Tacos, Norm’s Dogs and Brats and others, set up.
Dixie’s Vintage Vogue is also inviting shoppers to come in for refreshments and plenty of sales on Christmas décor, as well as nifty gift ideas.
Speaking of gifts, for those who might need a little help with gift-wrapping, the Friends of the Allan Shivers Library and Museum are hosting a gift-wrapping fundraiser, which runs on the dates of Dec. 9, 13, 14 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day, except the last, which will go from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
On Saturday, the Rotary Club of Woodville will host its tasty annual Christmas fundraiser on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., “Breakfast with Santa.”
Pancake and sausage breakfast plates will be available for $5 for children and $6 for adults at the St. Paul’s Episcopal fellowship hall.
The Mistletoe Market will continue on the square Saturday, with a free car show and toy drive taking place. All unique cars are welcome to come and participate, and the organizers are asking attendees to bring a new and unwrapped toy for the Toys for Tots donation box.
And what would Christmastime be without cookies? Well, to that end, the Woodville Methodist Church is hosting its Christmas Cookie Market, beginning at 1 p.m. Attendees can pay $10 to fill an empty box with as many cookies as humanly possible. Last year’s cookie market sold out of 400 dozen cookies in an hour, so do not tarry en route.
According to Rev. Doug Wintermute with WMC, the proceeds from the Cookie Market go toward sending children to church camp, as well as support for the church’s youth ministry efforts.
Also slated for Saturday is the annual “Twilight Tour” celebration at Heritage Village, which lasts from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is free. In addition to a decked-out Village, attendees to this event also have the opportunity to visit the Clyde Gray House Museum, which will be decorated for Christmas.
Holiday season cheer is alive and well within Tyler County’s boundaries, so get out and enjoy the fun.
