Thanksgiving is over, and it is starting to look a lot like Christmas around Simpson County.
Main Streets of Mendenhall and Magee will be decorated with reindeer, candy canes, and trumpeting angels.
The Town of D’Lo, Harrisville and Braxton will hold their Christmas parades on December 1. Harrisville Christmas Parade will begin at 10 a.m. The D’Lo parade begins at 4 p.m. and this year’s theme will be “A Christmas Wish.” Braxton’s Parade will begin at 1 p.m. Braxton will also be hosting their annual Lights of Love on December 2 beginning at 3 p.m.
The Mendenhall Public Library will host their annual Christmas open house on December 3 in conjunction with a Mississippi Blood Services Blood Drive. This will also mark the end of the library’s silent auction which features a variety of gifts.
Santa Claus will make an early appearance in Simpson County to greet children in the Mendenhall Civic Center on December 3. He will be available for pictures from 5 p.m.-6 p.m.
Mendenhall Library Branch Manager Rhoda Benton said, “We do this every year. It has become a tradition for kicking off the holiday season.”
She also explained that the library will put up their Angel Tree again this year. The Angel Tree program is sponsored by the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army Angel Tree program helps provide Christmas to children ages 15 and under throughout Mississippi and helps bring the magic of Christmas to more than 4,000 children during the holiday season. Benton described the program as a good opportunity for people to give back and help families in need.
The parents of every Angel Tree child must go through a screening process in order to be selected to receive gifts. Benton encourages everyone to stop by the library and adopt an angel during the holiday season.
The Mendenhall Library will host two additional Christmas events later this month. On December 6 the library will host a do-it-yourself Christmas ornament class for adults and a teen Christmas crafts class on December 18.
The Magee Public Library will also have festive events this holiday season. On December 13 the Magee Public Library will be hosting a Christmas Open Mic Night which will be fun for the entire family. It will be a karaoke style event where participants will be able to sing their favorite Christmas songs. Santa will be visiting the Magee library on December 15 beginning at 11:00 a.m.
The Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign will last until December 24. Deonka Mazie, Toys for Tots local area coordinator explained that over 21,000 children in MS come from families who are considered low income or receive some form of aid. Mazie said that there will be two locations in Simpson County conducting campaigns. Gifts will be distributed in Magee at Disciples of Christ Church on December 8 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. On December 20, the Mendenhall campaign will distribute gifts once again at the Mendenhall Armory beginning at 9:00 a.m. Mazie said gifts for younger children will be distributed in the morning and others in the afternoon.
For more information about how to get involved contact Gloria Smith at 601-466-1023. Smith will serve as the point of contact for Magee during the Marine Corp Toys for Tots campaign. Lillie Hardy will serve as the point of contact for Mendenhall and can be reached at 601-847-4018.
The annual Mendenhall Christmas Parade sponsored by the Mendenhall Chamber of Commerce will be held December 13 at 6 p.m. A large line up of floats, marching bands, and entertainment has been planned. This year’s theme will be “A Birthday Celebration”. To enter the parade, contact the Mendenhall Chamber of Commerce at 601-847-1725.
The Magee Christmas Parade will be held December 11 beginning at 6 p.m. The theme will be “A Dr. Seuss Christmas”. The event is sponsored annually by the Magee Chamber of Commerce. The chamber is expecting a lot of entries having had over 80 in last year’s parade. There will be a $10 entry fee for participating in the parade. For more information about the parade contact Doris Adcox at the Magee Chamber office at 601-849-2517.
Several churches and organizations will also be providing meals on Christmas Eve throughout the county.
