Santa to visit Saturday, tree-lighting and caroling on Sunday
The Congregational Church of Harvard, 5 Still River Road, will host its Festival of Wreaths and Trees at the Christmas Fair Saturday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Featured will be Santa’s Café, baked goods, and gingerbread-house decorating. Santa will visit from 10 a.m. to noon. Reservations and tickets at the church office; phone (978) 456-8788 for more information.
The Christmas tree lighting returns on the Common, Sunday Dec. 12, at approximately 4:30 p.m. Singing and celebration of the event will start at 4:15 p.m. The event organizers suggest common sense regarding mask-wearing and maintaining social distance.
Lions Club fruit sale
The Harvard Lions Club is offering a fruit sale for the holiday season, with various box sizes including different combinations of candy, nuts, apples, pears, grapefruit, mandarins, and navel oranges. Gift boxes can be shipped anywhere in the contiguous United States. Go to HarvardLions.org and place your order by Sunday, Dec. 12, for Christmas delivery. Those who want to extend their holiday giving to the Loaves & Fishes food pantry can send the gift boxes to Loaves and Fishes, Attn: Tim Last, Food Coordinator, 234 Barnum Road, Devens, MA 01434.
Exhibits, classes, activities at Fivesparks
Fivesparks is located at 7 Fairbank Street. Get more information and register for all classes via the calendar at fivesparks.org.
- New exhibit in the Little Art Gallery: “Winter Feast.”
- Exhibit: “Mediated Landscapes,” through Saturday, Dec. 18.
- School early release—holiday house craft, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2 p.m. Ages 8 to 12.
At the library
- First- and second-graders book group: Monday, Dec. 20, 4 p.m.
- Fourth-grade book group (fully registered; no spaces available): Monday, Dec. 13, 4 p.m.
- Fifth-grade book group:
Tuesday, - Dec. 14, 4 p.m.
- Sixth-grade book group:
Tuesday, - Dec. 21, 4 p.m.
- Teen book group, grades 7 to 9: Tuesday, Dec. 21, 4 p.m. Meets virtually once a month. To join the email list, email the teen librarian at jhayes@cwmars.org or call the library at (978) 456-4114. Book group membership is limited to children who are Harvard/Devens residents/HES students. Maximum group size per grade is 15 children. Register at forms.gle/HoVitxHCrYgbny3c7.
- Saturday Storytime, ages 3 to 7. Saturday, Dec. 11, 10:30 a.m. Outdoors on the library lawn. Register at forms.gle/31ncCNkwptBUT1VH8.
- Children’s literature book discussion group for grownups: Thursday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. December’s book is “The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book” by Kate Milford. Email childrensroom@harvardpubliclibrary.org to be added to the email list for this group. Limited to grownups with a Harvard/HES connection. This book group will meet virtually via Zoom.
- Teen Connections book group: Thursday, Dec. 16, 6:45 p.m. For teens in grades 7 to 12 and the adults in their lives. Meets virtually once a month. To join the email list, email the teen librarian at jhayes@cwmars.org or call the library at (978) 456-4114.
Fill the treehouse
The Bravehearts-Friends of Dylan Connelly announce their fourth annual #FillTheTreehouse toy drive in support of the www.whyme.org Sherry’s House community. Gifts go to cancer patients and children of cancer patients being treated at local hospitals. Suggested gifts include unwrapped toys for kids of all ages (the greatest need is for 8- to 15-year olds). Join the Bravehearts for cocoa and cookies, Saturday Dec. 11, 3 to 6 p.m., or drop off gifts anytime Saturday Dec. 11 or Sunday, Dec. 12, at 279 Littleton Road.
Mitten Tree collection
The Mitten Tree, a Harvard Girl Scout tradition, has returned to the Children’s Room at the Harvard Public Library. Donations for the WHEAT Community Cupboard in Clinton will be collected through Saturday, Dec. 11. Neighbors are welcome to bring new or hand-knit mittens (gloves, hats, and scarves) to help others in the community.
‘The Artist and the Orchard’
Author Linda Hoffman will sign and read from her book “The Artist and the Orchard—A Memoir” Sunday, Dec. 12, 4 p.m., at Fivesparks, 7 Fairbank Street. In 2006, five years after Hoffman moved into an old farmhouse with an abandoned orchard, Old Frog Pond Farm became the first organic pick-your-own orchard in Massachusetts. Visit bit.ly/3I3GkWf for more information.
The Boston Tea Party comes to Harvard
Join the Harvard Cemetery Commission and the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum at the gravesite of Elijah Houghton to honor his participation in the Boston Tea Party 248 years ago. A short ceremony will take place in the Harvard Center Cemetery Tuesday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m., when a small plaque will be placed beside Houghton’s grave. All are welcome. Houghton participated in the dumping of tea into Boston Harbor on Dec. 16, 1773, to protest the Tea Act of 1773. He later joined the war effort and served until 1780.
Girl Scout gift wrapping
Girl Scout Troop 64747 will hold a holiday gift-wrapping event and bake sale Friday, Dec. 17, 5 to 8 p.m., in the basement of St. Theresa Church at 15 Still River Road. Bring your gifts to be wrapped, for a donation. The scouts are seeking holiday gift wrap, bags, bows, and other trimming for this event. Please contact Jessica Beauchemin at jkbeauchemin@gmail.com if you have any items to donate. Proceeds will go toward a scout trip to Savannah, Georgia, to visit the birthplace of Girl Scout founder Juliet Gordon Low.
Out of Town
Holiday Family Singalong
Area families with young children are invited to join Indian Hill Music teacher Joe Pierog on Zoom for the music school’s annual free Holiday Family Singalong on Saturday, Dec. 11, at 10 a.m. Join in your jammies and sing, play games, and meet special guests Santa and Mrs. Claus, who will read stories and visit from their North Pole headquarters. Spots are limited. Register in advance at indianhillmusic.org/musicschool/singalong, or call (978) 486-9524 for more information.
‘Awake, Psaltery, & Harp’
The Nashoba Valley Chorale will present its 2021 Emerging Artist, Margaleet Katzenblickstein, soprano, of Westford, at the chorale’s winter concert, “Awake, Psaltery, & Harp,” Sunday, Dec. 12, 3 p.m. at the Acton Congregational Church, 12 Concord Road, Acton. For more information about Nashoba Valley Chorale, this concert, and the Emerging Artists program, visit nashobachorale.org.
Mechanics Hall concert
The New England Symphony Orchestra season continues with a “Festive Baroque and Beyond” concert at Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester, Saturday, Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. The program features selections by J.S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, and Georg Phillip Telemann. Also appearing will be the Worcester Children’s Chorus and soprano soloist Elaine Daiber. Music Director Roderick MacDonald will give a preconcert talk for ticketholders at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available at newenglandsymphony.org or from the Mechanics Hall box office at 508-752-0888.
Explore the outdoors
The Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area presents a variety of opportunities to explore the outdoors. Programs include a Winter Solstice Sunrise Walk, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 7 a.m., in Boxborough; the traditional Musketaquid Winter Solstice celebration at the Old Manse in Concord, Tuesday, Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m.; and a Winter Tree Stroll, through Friday, Dec. 31, in Groton. For more information, visit freedomsway.org.
