Celebrate With Your Hometown!

WAITSBURG - When you mix turkey bingo, a dash of Christmas shopping, a visit with Santa Claus and a lighted parade you get Waitsburg's favorite way to ring in the holiday season.

The annual Hometown Christmas events begin this Saturday and run through Monday night.

"The nice thing about Hometown Christmas is that it's the same every year," said Joy Smith, the president of the Waitsburg Commercial Club.

The festive events kick off with turkey bingo in Town Hall at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Doors open at 3 p.m. The bingo event is hosted by the American Legion Auxiliary and winners go home with prizes. The money raised goes to youth projects and scholarships.

On Sunday at noon, a bazaar will be held with a variety of vendors who can help you check off your Christmas list. The vendors will be selling homemade candy, jewelry, quilts, knives and other goods. And make sure if you have been receiving tickets from local businesses to be in Town Hall about 3:30 p.m. on Sunday for prize drawings. Ticket holders must be present to win. The prizes include goodies donated by local businesses, Smith said.

Santa Claus will be available at the Plaza Theatre from 2 to 4 p.m. so little kids can tell him what presents they hope to find under the tree. From noon to 5 p.m. at the Plaza there will be screenings of the "The Santa Clause" movies.

The new event this year is the Waitsburg FFA's Festival of Trees. Local businesses and families have taken it upon themselves to decorate one tree on Main Street. The trees will be judged and the winners will get a trophy. The trees will be lit before the parade at 4:30 p.m.

At 5 p. m., gather on Main Street for the annual lighted parade. Entries are needed, said organizer Rose Engelbrite. The staging area is by the bridge at the north end of town and late admissions are accepted.

The Weller Public Library will be open from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. for seniors to keep warm and watch the parade. Cookies and warm drinks will be served.

Smith said her favorite part of the weekend is the parade.

"It just chokes me up," she said. "It's full of neighbors and it's the flavor of Waitsburg."

Smith enjoys the Waitsburg High School band that plays and she loves seeing all of the people in the city in one spot.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything," she said.

At 5:30 p.m. the annual chili feed will be available for those who want to fill their bellies with something warm. The feed was started by the late Bill Thompson and his wife, Lou, will be on hand.

"We'll use Bill's recipe as best as we know it," Smith said.

Soup and corn bread will also be offered this year for those who don't like chili.

The fun lasts through Monday when the children's Christmas shopping night will be held at Town Hall. This event, also sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Parents can drop their children off and older students will chaperone little ones around to vendors to purchase presents. All gifts are $10 or less. No parents are allowed in the hall with the children so they can be surprised Christmas morning.

The Rainbow Girls help provide cookies, coffee and cocoa for this event.

Many groups in town help make Hometown Christmas a success, Smith said. The local fire department puts up the large Christmas tree in front of the Plaza Theatre and decorates the light posts. Jeff Broom with the Waitsburg Historical Society has been repairing the twinkle lights on top of the Main Street buildings.

After many years of this annual event, she said there's a perfect "recipe for Hometown Christmas" and they just follow the steps.

"Everybody does their part," Smith said. "They don't even have to be asked."

Engelbrite said no one event is her favorite.

"I enjoy it all," she said. "It's fun to see everyone come out and have a good time."