Area to kick off holidays next week

Area municipalities will officially get the holiday season started next week, with the annual celebrations in Little Elm and Oak Point.

Oak Point will begin the festivities with WinterFest next Thursday, Nov. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. The celebration will be highlighted by the arrival of Santa at 7 p.m. for the lighting of city hall.

Photos with Santa will be available, along with refreshments including chili pie, hot dogs, coffee and hot chocolate.

Residents wanting to donate new, unwrapped, non-violent toys and canned goods may also do so at that time. Toys and food will be donated to area shelters and food banks for those in need this holiday season.

Volunteers and donations of baked goods are needed.

For more information, contact city hall at 972-294-2312.

The celebration will continue Saturday, Dec. 1 with Holidaze in Little Elm.

The Little Elm Festival Association Holidaze Committee and the Town of Little Elm cordially invite everyone in the Little Elm area to join the annual Holidaze Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Beginning at 4 p.m., the Little Elm High School Fighting Lobo Marching Band and the Blue Angel Drill Team will "step off" the parade from the LEISD Athletic Complex on Hart Road to Port Boliver to Longshore to Lakeshore to Hillside Beach to Willowlake to Meadow Bend to Lakeshore to Main Street across Eldorado Parkway and into Beard Park.

Get the holiday and community spirit by joining the festivities anywhere along the parade route and at Beard Park or for even more fun, enter a holiday float of your own. Trophies will be awarded for the best entries. The floats should have a holiday theme with all participants dressed in holiday attire.

Individual classes, grades, sports teams, businesses, groups and organizations are invited to enter.

Registration forms are available at Town Hall or on the Town's web site at www.littleelmtx.us.

The tree lighting ceremony at Beard Park will begin at 5:00 pm and includes special guests and holiday songs by several school choirs. And, without a doubt, a very "special guest" with a long white beard, wearing a red suit and a special twinkle in his eyes will greet everyone with a jovial "Ho Ho Ho".

This year's event promises to create a wonderful and magical celebration for children of all ages; however, The Little Elm Festival Association needs your help in making it so.

For additional information you may contact the Parade Director at Holidaze07@hotmail.com or contact Cathy Wood at 972-668-1445. Please join us for this special Holiday event.