Published: November 28, 2008 09:44 pm      

Edmond prepares for Christmas traditions

EDMOND — Thanksgiving is over and it’s now time to prepare for downtown Edmond’s traditional Christmas festivities.

The City of Edmond, the University of Central Oklahoma and the Downtown Edmond Business Association have worked together to add some new features to this year’s official holiday kickoff Thursday.

“We’re doing more than we did last year,” said Karen Morton, president of the Downtown Edmond Business Association. “We have a lot more entertainment.”

Two new features this year include sidewalk food vendors during Dickens Weekend and a special lighting of UCO’s Old North as the university highlights its new LED Christmas lights.

Morton said the evening will begin at 6 p.m. with the Mayor’s Tree Lighting and Essay Awards Celebration and will continue with Dickens Weekend in downtown Edmond and Winter Glow at the University of Central Oklahoma.

“It’s been a tradition to start the Christmas season with something special,” said Leah Kessler, DEBA promotions manager.

The 145th Army Jazz Band and The Penn Square Carolers will perform as people gather for the Mayor’s Tree Lighting beginning at 5 p.m. at the Festival Market Place, Kessler said. Complimentary coffee and hot chocolate will be served while supplies lasts. The mayor will announce the winners of the essay contest and the first-place winners will read their essays to the crowd.

The Edmond Noon AMBUCS will collect toys for the Marine Toys for Tots Drive. Toys may be brought to the tree lighting, Fields Jewelry, Java Dave’s or Cinnamon Bears.

Festivities will continue immediately following the ceremony with Dickens Weekend and UCO’s Winter Glow.

Downtown stores along Broadway from Second Street to Main will remain open until 8 p.m. Friday for Dickens Weekend. Downtown store hours for the rest of the weekend will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 and from 1-5 p.m. Dec. 7.

Dickens Weekend was replaced with a Christmas parade in 1997 but was brought back last Christmas to act in conjunction with the mayor’s celebration and UCO’s Winter Glow. Morton said Dickens Weekend used to act as its own event. She said having it the same weekend as the other two events produced a larger crowd last year.

“This gives our community a chance to come downtown and celebrate this special time of the year in the atmosphere of our charming downtown and enjoy their shopping experience,” Morton said. “For the residents, it’s a time for families and residents to come together and enjoy a simpler time.”

An old-fashioned Christmas will be created as merchants dress in Victorian attire and vendors sell a variety of traditional treats, including roasted nuts, candy, banana nut bread and hot cider. Families can take downtown carriage rides and enjoy the sounds of The Penn Square carolers as they travel from shop to shop.

Kessler said Santa will be available to take photos with Edmond’s youth from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Karen Moore Studio for $10. Santa Claus also will be available to take photos or to listen to every child’s wish list from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6, 13 and 20 at Karen Moore Studio. He will be available for wish list requests only from 1-3 p.m. Dec. 7, 14 and 21.

The Dickens theme will continue with sidewalk food vendors and carolers from 5-7 p.m. Dec. 5 and from 3-5 p.m. Dec. 6.

The University of Central Oklahoma will have Winter Glow from 7-9 p.m. The event will begin with a opening ceremony featuring Taylor Upson, Miss UCO 2009, and the return of the official lighting of Old North.

Adrienne Nobles, UCO spokeswoman, said they will introduce new LED Christmas lights this year.

“They use less energy than regular lights,” she said. “These have a little blue tint to them so they go with our blue and bronze theme.”

As this is the first year, Nobles said they are unsure of how much money this will save the university throughout December, but the lights do use 10 percent less energy than the traditional Christmas lights they have placed on Old North, trees and around Broncho Lake in seasons past.

“UCO, in recent years, has made a concentrated effort to be environmental stewards,” Nobles said.

Winter Glow will offer a variety of activities, including free pictures with Santa with the donation of a new and unwrapped toy for the Edmond HOPE Center, face painting and a Santa’s Workshop Craft Area.

The Blue Star Mothers, a nonpolitical organization of mothers with children that are or have served in the military, also will be at UCO Winter Glow seeking children to make “Holiday Letters to the Troops.”

FOR MORE information about The Mayor’s Tree Lighting and Essay Awards Celebration, call 359-4630 or visit www.edmondok.com. For more information about Dickens Weekend, call 249-9391 or visit www.downtownedmondok.com For more information about UCO’s Winter Glow, call 974-2363 or visit www.uco.edu.