Holiday happenings
• The Tamaqua Community Art Center and the Strawberry Playhouse of Tuscarora are teaming up this Sunday to offer lunch with Santa, followed by the presentation of the musical "We Need a Little Christmas." The event will be held from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the art center, 125 Pine St., Tamaqua. For more information or advance reservations, call 570-668-1192.
• The 18th annual Polk Township Veterans Christmas Lighting Event will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Faith Garden in front of Salem-Saint Paul Lutheran Church in Kresgeville, which is facing the Veterans Memorial. Residents are asked to park in the church parking lot. The Garden and the Memorial will be lit as participants hear a short Christmas message, light candles and sing songs. The Girl Scouts and Salem Saint Paul's choir will be participating. Santa will arrive on the firetruck. There will be goody bags for the children and refreshments for all.• The Tamaqua Community Art Center will be a busy place during Tamaqua's Upcoming Spirit of Christmas Festival. The festival will be held the weekend of Dec. 4, 5 and 6. Activities will include a meet and greet with Santa on Dec. 4; performances of "The Rented Christmas" by members of the Tamaqua Area Community Theatre on Dec. 4 and 5; and an artist open house and vendor fair on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6. For more information on any of the planned events, call 570-668-1192.• The Lansford Alive Events Committee's annual "Christmas in Kennedy Park" Tree Lighting will be held from 5-7 p.m. Saturday. Returning favorites are the musical talents of the Panther Valley Band/Bell Choir, under the direction of Mark Christ; Crystal View Carriage Services with their horse and wagon rides; the Panther Valley Children's Choir and Angela Nardini. Of course we can't forget Santa and Mrs. Claus. Hot chocolate, coffee and water will be available from the Lansford Fire Company. LA Events Committee will have hot dogs and an array of cookies and candy treats. Everything is free to the children. There will be a $1 charge to the adults. Monetary donations are always welcomed. All donations will go to the Revitalization of Kennedy Park Program. WMGH radio personality Karen O'Toole will do a live radio remote to announce Panther Valley Area's 2015 "Little Miss Snowflake" and her court.• St. John's Lutheran Church, South Avenue, is currently planning for the eighth annual nativity display. The display will be open to the public Dec. 5 and Dec. 6, from noon until 5 p.m. Members of the church willing to display their nativities may bring them to the church Dec. 3 and Dec. 4, from 3 to 7 p.m. each day. The committee is hoping to have between 500 and 525 articles on display. Items on display are made of wood, tin, glass, ceramic and cloth, along with the traditional crèche.• Lehighton Area Lioness Lions club's annual Breakfast with Santa being held at 10 a.m. Dec. 5 at the Lehighton Recreation Center. For tickets or more information, please call Betty at 610-379-4284 or Alicia at 570-325-8685.• Palmerton is gearing up for another spectacular Christmas in the Park. This is the event's third year. Food, crafts, choirs singing, and a horse-drawn wagon are all part of the activities leading up to the tree lighting at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. Rain date is Dec. 6.• The Jim Thorpe Area Chamber of Commerce's Olde Time Christmas in Josiah White Park will be held Dec. 4, 5, 6, 12 and 13.• The Nesquehoning Lions Club is holding its annual Christmas tree lighting event at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at St. Patrick's Cemetery. Join in the lighting of the tree and to sing Christmas carols. The ceremony is always dedicated to our service men and women who never made it home for the holidays. Meeds Church has invited participants to light refreshments after the ceremony. For further information call 570-669-9919.• Summit Hill borough's Christmas Tree Lighting program, conducted by the Summit Hill Recreation Commission, will be held at 6 p.m. Dec. 6.• Downtown Stroudsburg and 93.5 SBG announce the 2015 Annual Christmas Tree Lighting tonight from 5-7 at Courthouse Square in downtown Stroudsburg. Everyone is welcome to take part in this family-friendly holiday event. Santa will arrive on a big fire engine and will greet kids as parents take pictures. A strolling balloon artist and snowman will entertain throughout the evening. Tassy Gilbert will lead everyone in Christmas caroling throughout the ceremony. Sugar Mountain Carriages will provide horse-drawn carriage rides through the downtown for the price of just $10 per adult and $5 per child. Camp Papillon will also join the fun with adoptable pets dressed for the holidays. Kitchen Chemistry will be serving cookies and Quench is offering hot cocoa and coffee throughout evening.• Freedom Community Church invites children and their parents to a free community Christmas party at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Lehighton Annex Building auditorium, 110 N. Third St., Lehighton. Free backpacks with toys and essentials will be given out to the first 70 children who attend. Cookies, crafts, games and hot chocolate will be available. For more information contact the Rev. Mark Akers at 610-714-9834 or visit