Holiday concerts & tree lightings

Sunday, Dec. 1

Tree Lighting and Santa: Cookies, crafts, entertainment by the Lenape Valley Regional High School choir and more. 6 p.m. at Cranberry Lake Firehouse, 225 Route 206, Byram. For information, call 973-347-2500 ext. 160.

Monday, Dec. 2

West Milford Holiday Tree Lighting: Festivities start at 6 p.m. in front of the municipal building, 1470 Union Valley Road. Lighting of the tree at about 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 4

Winter Concert: 7 p.m. in the Vernon Township High School auditorium, 1832 County Road 565, Glenwood. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Free admission; donations appreciated. There will be an intermission with light refreshments.

Lights of Life Community Memorial Service: Lighting of memorial trees and reading of names. 7 p.m. at Newton Town Square, Spring and Main streets. Organized by Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice. For information, go online to karenannquinlanhospice.org/events/lights-of-life-memorial-events

Thursday, Dec. 5

Holiday Concert: Broadway star Craig Schulman will perform Broadway classics and holiday favorites at 7 p.m. at Sussex County Community College’s Performing Arts Center, One College Hill Road, Newton. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $10 for students, veterans and SCCC employees. They may be purchased online at sussex.simpletix.com

Friday, Dec. 6

Tree Lighting: 5 p.m. at municipal building, Newton.

Tree Lighting: Performance by students, hot chocolate, candy canes. 5:30 p.m. at Sandyston-Walpack School, 100 County Road 560, Layton. Organized by the SWS PTO.

Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony: Crafts for children and hot chocolate at 6 p.m. Tree lighting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Santa arrives on firetruck at 6:40 p.m. at Hardyston municipal building, 149 Wheatsworth Road.

Cookies and Milk with Santa: 6 to 8 p.m. at Hardyston Elementary School. Organized by the Hardyston School District PTA.

Annual Vernon Tree Lighting: Music and photos with Santa. 6:30 p.m. at Vernon Fire House, 537 County Route 515.

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting: Caroling with High Point Regional High School Chamber Singers. Photos with Santa. Small gift for each child. Crafts and hot cocoa in the cafeteria. 6:30 p.m. at Wantage Elementary School, 815 Route 23. Sussex Wantage PTO Scholastic Book Fair taking place at same time.

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Visit with Santa: Santa arrives at 6:30 p.m. Tree lighting at 7:30 p.m. Activities, entertainment, snacks and photos with Santa. Municipal building, 65 Main St., Sparta.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Breakfast with Santa: 9 to noon at First Presbyterian Church of Newton, 54 High St. $10 for adults and $5 for children. Cookie sale for $10 a pound. For information, call 973-383-4420.

Annual Holiday Craft & Vendor Fair: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Frankford Township School, 2 Pines Road, Branchville.

Mistletoe Market and Cookie Walk: Local crafters. Buy and fill containers of homemade cookies of your choice. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Franklin, 11-13 Main St.

Yellow Frame Church’s 31st annual Holiday Home Tour: Tour, lunch and Santa’s Gourmet Shoppe from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 1 Yellow Frame Road, Newton. Tickets are $35 for tour and lunch, $25 for tour only, $15 for lunch only. Call 973-383-3565 for tickets and information. Tickets also available at the door.

Christmas Cabaret: Presented by the Pope John Players at 1 and 7 p.m. at Pope John XXIII Regional High School, 28 Andover Road, Sparta. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students; they are available at the door.

“Happy Holidays 2024”: Dance performances, including selections in jazz, modern, ballet, contemporary, tap, musical theatre and hip hop, by students of Dance Expression Dance Arts in Hamburg. Shows at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. in Sparta High School auditorium, 70 W. Mountain Road. Free for senior citizens age 62 and older; no ticket required. General admission tickets available at the door. For information, call 973-823-9500.

20th annual Santa Claus Parade: Santa will leave the firehouse at 3 p.m. to travel through Sandyston with the township’s Volunteer Fire Department. He will return to the firehouse at 5:30 p.m. to meet residents. There will be refreshments and a treat for each child. The parade is rain or shine.

Christmas Festival of Lights: Songs and lighting of 30 decorated trees donated by members from 4 to 8 p.m. at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, 246 Woodport Road, Sparta. Live Nativity and visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus and their helpers. Free admission. Hot chocolate, cookies, breads and muffins will be provided. Donations of nonperishable pet food welcome to support Father John’s Animal House and Hopatcong Animal Shelter.

Sunday, Dec. 8

Breakfast with Santa: Pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon and home fries. 8 to 11 a.m. at McAfee Fire Department, Route 94. Santa will arrive at 8:30 a.m. for photos. $12 for adults, $10 for senior citizens and $8 for children. Children age 4 and younger admitted for free. Please bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, Hosted by the Ladies Auxiliary.

Breakfast with Santa: 8 to 11 a.m. Hosted by Branchville Hose Company #1, 1 Railroad Ave.

Breakfast with Santa: 8 to 11 a.m. at Veterans of Foreign Wars, 85 Mill St., Newton. $10 for adults and $5 for children. Call 973-383-7169 to reserve seats.

Santa Breakfast: Breakfast, games, crafts and more. Visit and photo opportunity with Santa. 9 to 11 a.m. at Lafayette House. Tickets are $39 for adults and $27 for children if purchased by Nov. 25. Babies younger than 1 admitted for free. Advance ticket purchase required; no tickets at the door. Tickets available online at jwcsparta.org/santa-breakfast Presented by the Junior Woman’s Club of Sparta.

Live Nativity: Live animals, crafts for children and refreshments. All are welcome. 5 p.m. at Frankford Plains United Methodist Church, 99 Plains Road, Augusta. For information, call 973-702-0334.

Friday, Dec. 13

A Very Merry Spookmas: Holiday night market with music, shopping and Friday the 13th flash tattoos from 5 to 10 p.m. at Belcher Run Plaza, 1590 Union Valley Road, West Milford.

Saturday, Dec. 14

Breakfast with Santa: 9 a.m. at Upper Greenwood Lake Clubhouse, 435 N. Lakeshore Road, Hewitt. $18 for adults, $16 for children age 2 and older, and $1 for children age 2 and younger.

Cookie Bake Sale: Variety of homemade cookies, including gluten-free; breads; and nuts. Gloves provided and must be worn. 10 a.m. to noon at St. Thomas of Aquin Church, 53 Kennedy Ave., Ogdensburg. 973-827-0360. Snow date: Saturday, Dec. 21.

Winter Wonderland Holiday Bazaar and Adoption Event: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sussex County Fairgrounds, 37 Plains Road, Augusta. Sponsored by Eleventh Hour Rescue.

Wreaths Across America: Ceremony at noon followed by placement of wreaths at Northern New Jersey Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 75 N. Church Road, Sparta. Sponsor a wreath for $17 online at wreathsacrossamerica.org/Shop/Product/597?tid=ED40E033-F9A6-4EF1-ADD1-623E0E182BF6&pageIds=21274,171871

Wreaths Across America: Ceremony at noon followed by placement of wreaths at Old Newton Burial Ground, 79 Main St. Sponsor a wreath for $17 online at wreathsacrossamerica.org/Shop/Product/597?tid=E10BB44E-6C83-422F-B8AC-BB7C0AAD5B23&pageIds=150500,150499

“The Nutcracker”: Presented by the Centre for Dance Artistry at 1 p.m. at Newton High School. Tickets are $22. Purchase them online at thecentrefordanceartistry.com/cda-store/

Operation Toy Train: Santa arrives on train at 2:40 p.m. at Newfoundland Station, 1667 Green Pond Road. Bring a new unwrapped toy.

Christmas Festival: Tree lighting, Nativity scene, photos with Christmas characters, snowball fights, make your own gingerbread house, crafts and refreshments. 3 p.m. at Sparta Evangelical Free Church, 385 Houses Corner Road, Sparta.

Operation Toy Train: Free children’s games, crafts, model train display, robotics demonstration, visit by Smokey the Bear and Touch-a-Truck display. 1 to 6 p.m. at Sparta Train Station, 30 Station Road. Santa arrives on train at 3:55 p.m. Bring a new unwrapped toy. Ice cream and baked goods available for purchase.

Operation Toy Train: Train arrives at 4:50 p.m. (please arrive at 4 p.m.) at Veteran’s Memorial Park, 50 Vernon Crossing Road, Vernon. Bring a new unwrapped train. Santa will be there.

Sunday, Dec. 15

Yuletide Stroll: 11 a.m. on Main Street in Stillwater.

Franklin Band’s Holiday Concert: 2 p.m. in the Franklin Borough School auditorium, 50 Washington Ave. Free admission; donations appreciated.

Christmas by the Fire: Festive night of singing Christmas carols outside. 5 p.m. at the Plant Church, 1693 Union Valley Road, West Milford. Free admission. Dress warmly.

Saturday, Dec. 21

Santa at Greendell Station: See Santa from 10 a.m. to noon at 12 Wolfs Corner Road, Greendell. Organized by the Lackawanna Cutoff Historical Committee, which is working to restore a historic train station and establish it as the Greendell Station Museum.

Christmas Market: Shopping from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Sussex United Methodist Church, 15 Bank St. Soup, coffee, hot chocolate and tea available for purchase.

Tuesday, Dec. 24

Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Santa will tour with the Ogdensburg Fire Department. Time to be announced.

Send information about events to editor.ann@strausnews.com