Christmas events

• The 33rd Annual Olde Time Christmas Festival in Jim Thorpe will be celebrated the first two weekends in December. The festivities kick off at 6 p.m. Friday. Events continue on Saturday, Sunday, Dec. 13 and Dec. 14. For more information, call 888-JIM-THORPE, visit

www.jimthorpe.org or follow the Facebook page JimThorpeOldeTimeChristmas for complete event information.• "A Winnie-the-Pooh Christmas Tail" will be held at 8 p.m. Friday and at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday at the theater, 125 Pine St., Tamaqua. For more information, call 570-668-1192.• Tamaqua Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Santa parade on Friday evening.• Palmerton's Christmas in the Park Festival will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. It will include Santa, holiday sweets, lighted Christmas trees, and the showcase of Palmerton's new holiday lights on Delaware Avenue. There will also be food and craft vendors, horse and carriage rides, and live music from organizations.• Carbon Mountaineers Marine Corps League 996 and Aquashicola Fire Company will sponsor a full-course dinner for veterans, low-income families and individuals, as well as the elderly who reside in the Palmerton Area School District, from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Aquashicola Fire Company. Santa will be present for the children, and there will be entertainment from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Reservations are required. Call H.F. (Nick) Hawkey at 610-826-6465 with names, addresses and ages of those planning to attend.• Blue Ridge Communications will host its sixth annual Breakfast with Santa at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe on Sunday, with seatings from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $8 for children 12 and under and $10 for adult breakfast. Gratuity is not included. Children 2 and under are free with a paying adult. Advanced ticket purchase is required through the Penn's Peak box office at 610-826-9200 (credit card required) or in person at the box office or Roadies Restaurant (cash or credit card).• The Western Pocono Community Library in Brodheadsville is hosting a gingerbread house contest. Information and rules are available at the circulation desk.Tree lightings• The Pocono Health Foundation and the Rotary Club of the Smithfields presents the 23rd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting at 5:30 p.m. today at the Hughes Cancer Center in East Stroudsburg. Santa and musical entertainment will be provided by local school groups with a reception to follow with hot cocoa and cookies. Contact Pocono Health Foundation at 570-476-3629 or email

mstrunk@pmchealthsystem.org.• The Young Professionals Council of the Carbon Chamber & Economic Development Corporation presents the 2014 Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Santa in the Park from 6-8 p.m. Friday in Lehighton. Santa will be lighting the borough Christmas Tree just after 6:30 p.m. in the borough park. There will be hot chocolate and treats for kids of all ages. In addition to warm treats, there will be raffles for the kids, music and a lot of fun.• The official first lighting of the new Nesquehoning community tree will be held at 5:45 p.m. Saturday in the St. Patrick Cemetery.• Tamaqua tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Sunday in Depot Square Park.Concerts• The Pleasant Valley Choral Society will present its annual Christmas concert "Sounds of the Season" at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Pleasant Valley High School auditorium in Brodheadsville. The suggested donation is $8 for adults, children under 12 get in free. Tickets can be purchased at the door. For more information call 570-402-2026.• The Bach and Handel Chorale Inc. begins its Christmas concerts at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Jim Thorpe on Saturday with concerts at noon and 3 p.m.Additional Christmas concerts will be held at: St. John's Lutheran Church in Ringtown at 3 p.m. Dec. 13; Tamaqua Area Community Arts Center at 7 p.m. Dec. 13; St. Paul's United Church of Christ Trexlertown at 3 p.m. Dec. 14.Tickets for all concerts can be purchased through the Bach and Handel Chorale's website at

www.jsbgfh@ptd.net.