Caroling, Santa parades, and more! First weekend of December brings holiday fun

It’s our first weekend of December, and the holiday fun is ramping up!

Santa parades, dancing, arts and crafts

Santa has a busy weekend, not only making sure that everything is on schedule for Christmas Day, but he will also be the star of a couple of parades this weekend. In Auburn, there will be live music, floats, and a tree lighting ceremony on Saturday. The music will start at 4 p.m., and then at 4:30 p.m., the parade begins and heads down Main Street. As mentioned before, Santa will be in attendance. Before the parade, you can also catch the Children’s Dance Theater’s performance of Night at the North Pole and the PostMark Center for the Arts’ Cookies, Cocoa, and Craft event.

You’ll also find Santa in Puyallup on Saturday for the Santa Parade and Holiday Market. The Market kicks off the day of Christmas Cheer from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., a perfect spot to find handcrafted gifts for you and the family. Then at 5, the Santa Parade begins, bringing live music, floats, and fun down Meridian.

Perfect weekend for caroling

As Buddy the Elf taught us, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loudly for all to hear. Well, it is the perfect weekend for caroling. In Tacoma, at W.W. Seymour Conservatory, it’s time for Cocoa and Carols. Folks will gather around the fire and sing carols from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., and inside the conservatory, you’ll be able to see the winter flower exhibit. The caroling, however, will be outside, so the event’s website says to dress warmly, and a $5 donation is encouraged. Cocoa and Carols is Saturday, starting at 4 p.m. Rumor has it Santa will also be visiting the Conservatory earlier in the day.

At Pike Place Market on Saturday, it is the 40th edition of The Great Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition. It starts at noon, and there will be dozens of caroling teams belting out tunes and filling the market with holiday spirit. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the Pike Market Senior Center and Food Bank. You’ll also be able to vote for your favorite to help pick a winner.

Watch a Christmas movie

Two of my favorite Christmas movies are being shown at Benaroya Hall, with the music being performed live by the Seattle Symphony. The Muppet Christmas Carol has four showings throughout the weekend on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. And the short film, The Snowman, is being shown twice on Saturday. The Snowman has no dialogue and tells its story through music and animation, which means you are in for a treat from the Seattle Symphony. In addition to being the best version of A Christmas Carol, The Muppet Christmas Carol brings all your favorite characters to 19th-century England to tell the famous story. Not only are the on-screen performances great, but the musical performances throughout the film are also the standout moments and will be even more memorable when performed live.

In Ballard, you can put a twist on the usual hustle and bustle of holiday shopping at the Barter Fair and Holiday Party. If you are a wiz at making home crafts, tasty treats, clothing, and more, you can trade those goods with others. The event’s website stated that to keep things easy, items should have a $5 to $10 or $15 to $20 value. Even if you don’t have anything to trade, you can still stop by the event and enjoy the free refreshment while getting some gift ideas. Don’t worry, if you see something you really want, cash will still work. The Sustainable Ballard Holiday Party and Barter Fair is Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Candy Cane Lane is back in Ravenna

Opening night for the famous Candy Cane Lane is Saturday, and the longstanding tradition in the Ravenna neighborhood is kicking things off with a weekend of their pedestrian-only nights. That means, no cars in the street, allowing folks to have some more space to take their time and enjoy the 23 house display. There is no cost to see the lights, but they will have bins on site collecting food for the University Food Bank. Candy Cane Lane will run until January 1.

What are you doing to celebrate the holidays? Let me know at paulh@kiroradio.com.