This holiday season is shaping up to be a little different than what we all are used to. Our towns and businesses are working hard to adapt to new guidelines and restrictions associated with COVID-19. Many of the annual events and celebrations we enjoy in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula will be scaled back or changed entirely but there will still be plenty of opportunities to get festive and celebrate this holiday season.
Northern Neck Happenings
Come out on December 11 at 7pm and wave to Santa as he parades through Kilmarnock, Irvington and White Stone in style. Families are encouraged to come out and welcome Santa to Lancaster County. Your family can sit in the car or stand outside while Santa passes by with our local Fire, Police and EMS.
Santa will NOT stop and this is just a drive thru activity for Santa. Please follow CDC rules and practice social distancing.
Unfortunately the beloved annual Kilmarnock Christmas Parade will not be held this year due to current restrictions on outdoor gatherings. Instead, The Lancaster by the Bay Chamber of Commerce will be holding a Christmas by the Bay Reverse Parade.
“A reverse Christmas Parade will work like this: businesses in the community will decorate the exterior of their buildings and the community will be invited to drive around and look at the decorated businesses, cast their vote and post selfies in front of their favorite decorated businesses in social media,” said executive director Anne Paparella.
All participating businesses will have their exteriors decorated by December 3 and prizes will be awarded on December 14.
On Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 5, Santa Claus himself will be stopping by Kilmarnock Town Centre Park for Storytime with Santa. Families are invited to come out for a small, guided light tour, a story read by Santa, and some goodies to take home at the end of the event. In accordance with social distancing guidelines, there will be no photos with Santa. Tickets must be purchased for this event and are available now at https://kilmarnockva.ticketleap.com/storytime-with-santa/
Santa will also be making a stop this season at Horn’s Northern Neck Ace Hardware on Saturday, December 5th from 10 am to 12 pm. This Snow Globe Santa event will be a unique opportunity for the little ones to see Santa at a safe distance. Santa will remain inside his snow globe dome while visitors will be able to visit and interact with him from the outside.
In Northumberland, Rice’s Hotel-Hughlett’s Tavern will be holding their annual Golden Village Christmas event. The event will feature a variety of vendors selling things like jewelry, knitted items, Christmas gifts, and more. The Heritage Arts Center gift shoppe located within the tavern will also have many shopping options and beautiful gifts from local artisans. The Ye Olde Bake Shoppe will have delicious baked goods of all sorts available for purchase as well.
A special shopping area for children is available in the Tavern Meeting Building. For a price of $1 children ages 4 to 12 can choose gifts for their loved ones with the help of the “tavern elves.” The children’s shopping will be by appointment only this year. Face coverings are required. Contact the tavern at 804-580-3377 for more info.
Over in Warsaw the Haven Shelter and Services will host their annual 12 Days of Christmas Market on December 5 and 6 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Richmond County Fairgrounds. The event will feature vendors of all types selling crafts and gifts.
On December 12, Santa and his friends will be visiting the Saddlery on Main Street in Warsaw. Families are invited to drive through the North pole where they can see Santa and deliver their Christmas lists and letters directly to the big guy himself.
Middle Peninsula Happenings
Across the river in Tappahannock Santa will be making a stop at Mums and Bubs toy store. Children and families are welcome to come visit but will need to purchase a ticket due to safety restrictions. Tickets are available at mums-bubs.com/santa.
Mums and Bubs will also host a Holiday Arts and Crafts Fair on December 5 from 10 am to 5 pm. The event will feature numerous vendors displaying crafts and other gift items.
Mums and Bubs is located at 154 Prince Street in Tappahannock.
Urbanna’s annual Light Up Urbanna event will be scaled back this year. While many of the main events including the golf cart and pet parades, Christmas tree lighting and caroling ceremony have been cancelled, there are several events that will still be taking place. On December 5, the Middlesex County Woman’s Club will hold a craft sale from 10 am to 1 pm on the grounds of the Woman’s Club building (the Middlesex Colonial Courthouse.)
Though there will be no official tree lighting ceremony, visitors are still welcome to come see the tree and walk around town in small groups. The tree will be lit on December 5.
On Saturday December 5 from 12 am to 2 pm, The Love4Kids foundation will provide an opportunity for Middlesex children to come visit and have their photos taken with Santa. Santa will be seated in a Middlesex firetruck located in the parking lot next to the Urbanna Fire Department. LaDawn Hodges Photography will be taking photos of the children and free digital images will be emailed.
Families will wait in their cars until their turn to visit.
A special mailbox will be set up for children to bring and drop off their letters to Santa. These letters will be printed in the Southside Sentinel and then passed along to the North Pole. A special gift will be provided for each child from the Love4Kids Foundation.
Please RSVP via the Love4Kids Facebook page for this event.
Visit Deltaville during the month of December for a unique light show experience. Opening night is tentatively scheduled for December 4 and will run every evening from 5 pm to 11 pm.
Local resident, Stephen Blue, creates this amazing land of lights each year. The 2020 display will feature more than 130,000 lights. A 36,000-bulb, computer-controlled light show dances to Christmas music throughout the night. As visitors walk through the display, they’ll find numerous lighted scenes, a 20-foot tall walk-in interactive light tree, and a 1,600-square foot light maze.
This event is free and visitors are welcome to drive-by or stop and walk around.
This event is located at 16598 General Puller Hwy.
For more information visit facebook.com/DeltavilleLights/
For those looking to give back to the community, Christmas Friends Inc. is welcoming volunteers of all ages to wrap gifts for needy children and disabled or low-income elderly of Middlesex. Delivery vans and trucks are also needed for the delivery of the gifts. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, visit christmasfriends.org
Don’t let the Christmas COVID blues get to you this year! Grab your masks and come out for these fun and safe events!
Happy Holidays!
