Around Town

Chamber

lights the way

to Christmas

Edmonds officially kicks off the Christmas season Saturday, Nov. 25, with the annual tree-lighting ceremony in Centennial Plaza at Bell Street and Fifth Avenue N.

The Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce has organized the festivities that kick off at 4:30 p.m. with refreshments and blinking Christmas tree lights being handed out to the crowd.

Once onlookers warm up by singing holiday songs, they’ll welcome Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, arriving via fire truck. Following the famous couple’s entrance, the lights on the towering Christmas tree in the plaza will be illuminated.

The public then may stroll with Santa to Old Milltown for picture-taking.

Sprucing up

City workers responsible for maintaining Edmonds’ parks are the same folks who deck out downtown in holiday finery to usher in the Christmas season.

Among them are Janis Noe, Jeremy Edhouse, Monica Merlina and Jodi Siebe, who decorated the Siberian spruce that serves as the city’s official Christmas tree.

A friend, indeed

Again this year Edmonds is urging residents to help their neighbors in need through the giving-tree program.

There are 140 tags hanging from trees at City Hall, 121 Fifth Ave. N.. Each tree is strung with tags bearing gift ideas for folks facing a less-than-merry Christmas. The public is encouraged to choose a tag, purchase and wrap a new gift reflecting the need on the tag and return the present to the giving-tree site by Dec. 15.

On the right track

For a family-friendly Christmas event that doesn’t involve traffic jams or entry fees head to the Edmonds Amtrak Station Saturday, Dec. 2 for its annual holiday open house. The hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and the address is 210 Railroad Ave., Edmonds.

Santa Claus is scheduled to arrive at the station on the Cascades 510 train at 8:07 a.m.

The Swamp Creek Model Railroad Association opens its model railroad layout in a former baggage room to the public only a few times a year and this is one of them. Members of the Edmonds Fire Department will be on hand to collect donations of new, unwrapped toys and non-perishable food items for local families in exchange for discount travel vouchers on Amtrak.

Also featured will be a telegrapher, railroad art and displays by railroad history buffs.

For more information contact John Dineen at 425-771-7427.

Have an item for Around Town? Please e-mail information to Sue Waldburger at edmonds@-heraldnet.com or by mail to 4303 198th St. SW, Lynnwood, WA. 98036.