Oh, what fun!
Local towns in the Westchester and Fairfield Counties welcome residents to participate in festivities to spread holiday cheer. Make the most of this Christmas season by attending performances, buying last-minute gifts, or indulging in holiday treats.
Today, the town of Greenwich is hosting its Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony from 4 p.m. until 4:45 p.m. at the Greenwich Town Hall. At the event, the Greenwich High School Chamber Choir will perform Christmas hits, according to greenwichct.org. Visitors can take pictures with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Rudolph, and Frosty the Snowman. There will also be Christmas treats including candy canes, cookies, hot chocolate, and apple cider.
Additionally, Sacred Heart Greenwich is hosting their annual Come Home for Christmas event tonight, Friday, December 2, and Sunday, December 4. Proceeds from both events will support the school’s Faculty and Staff Professional Development Fund, according to cshgreenwich.org. For both events, guests should register on the Sacred Heart website beforehand.
Tonight’s event is a Christmas party from 7 p.m. until 10 p.m. and will include a disc jockey (DJ), a silent auction, and the Madrigals performance of Christmas carols. Sunday’s Family Day will open with mass at 11 a.m., followed by a complimentary brunch at 12 p.m., and a Christmas Boutique from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Throughout the day, children can take photos with Santa Claus and decorate gingerbread houses.
Bluestone Lane at the Westchester mall is also hosting a breakfast with Santa Claus tomorrow, December 2, from 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. There, a live DJ will play music as instructors from the Central Park Dance Academy teach Christmas dances. All participants will receive Christmas treats and crafts. Reservations are required, but the event is free, according to simon.com.
The Westchester mall is also hosting photos with Santa Claus every day until December 25, in the Center Court on Level One. Reservations are not required, but visitors can save time by scheduling an appointment online, according to simon.com. Additionally, families with a furry friend can head to the Westchester mall Sunday, December 10 from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. for Pet Photos with Santa Claus.
The ninth annual Greenwich Holiday Stroll will take place tomorrow, Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, December 3, from 12 p.m. until 5 p.m. Over 101 local merchants will offer holiday promotions, according to greenwichreindeerfestival.com. There will also be two tents featuring live music at the event. One tent will be located at the top of Greenwich Avenue, and a second tent will be outside of Bank of America on Greenwich Avenue. There will also be complimentary horse drawn carriage rides down Greenwich Avenue from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m. both days.
At the Greenwich Holiday Stroll, the First United Methodist Church of Greenwich will host a live nativity presentation from 12 p.m. until 4 p.m. Throughout the afternoon, viewers can capture the memory in a nativity photo booth. Additionally, the Board of Education parking lot will hold 5 food trucks. Lastly, professional ice carvers from Apple Ice, a company based in New York City, will demonstrate how they carve ice sculptures.
There are a variety of local performances for families and individuals who are interested. The Vienna Boys Choir is visiting Tarrytown Music Hall and will perform at 8 p.m. December 9. This 600-year-old group includes boys from Austria, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and the Philippines, according to tarrytownmusichall.org. Guests should purchase tickets in advance.
Sacred Heart will host its annual Christmas Concert at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 14 in the school’s Athletic Center, according to cshgreenwich.org. Students in second through 12th grade and the Madrigals will perform at the concert. The King Street Chronicle will be live streaming the event for guests who are unable to attend.
The Connecticut Ballet will perform four shows of The Nutcracker at the Palace Theatre in Stamford. Saturday, December 16 there will be performances at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The next day, Sunday, December 17, there will be performances at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., according to palacestamford.org. Ticket prices range from $40 to $75 and can be purchased online or over the phone prior to the performances.
Families with young children can attend a Candlelight Tour at the Bush-Holley House, in Greenwich, December 17 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Costumed tour guides will give tours focusing on the local Bush family’s holiday traditions to visitors every 15 minutes, according to hstg.org. Additionally, there will be live music, seasonal snacks, crafts, and Santa Claus will make a one-hour appearance starting at 5:30 p.m.
At the Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk, young guests can take a photo with Santa Claus in his Fishing Village, according to maritimeaquarium.org. Santa Claus will be available from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. December 2 and December 3, December 9 and December 10, and December 16 and December 17.
The Greenwich Reindeer Festival will take place every day through December 23 at the Sam Bridge Nursery and Greenhouses. The Reindeer Festival offers another opportunity to take a photo with Santa Claus Mondays through Fridays from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Their reindeer feeding times are 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. through December 22. There will also be a carousel ride everyday.
-Jackie Shannon, Social Media Editor and Co-Video Editor
