By BECCA LOWRY
Santa, getting ready with his bag of candy canes to meet everyone that came out to greet him, during his Falmouth arrival aboard the Patriot kicking off weekend holiday festivities.
The holiday season is here, and Christmas will be here before we know it! So, let’s look into a few fun festivities that will be going on around Cape Cod. First off, let’s look into the Holiday Stroll and Mashpee Chamber Christmas parade at Mashpee Commons. Bring your whole family on Sunday, December 14, starting at 2 PM—you can enjoy all of the wonderful sights and sounds of Christmas in Mashpee Commons. The parade starts, at 6 PM. The theme this year is “Winter Wonderland,” and for entertainment, those participating in the parade will be passing out candy, and the band will also be performing holiday music. The Mashpee chamber will host its 12 days of Christmas Online Auction benefiting the chamber’s #ShopLocal, #ShopMashpee campaign. The Christmas auction will take place from December 1 through 12, and it will feature donated items from several local businesses. If you are interested in donating an item, you can reach out via email to info@mashpeechamber.com
Brightly lit floats in the Mashpee Christmas Parade
Let’s move on to something we all need to get on top of—holiday shopping! One place where you will be able to get plenty of your Christmas shopping done is the Cape Cod Christmas Market, at the Mashpee Farmers Market. You will have ample opportunity to explore the market on November 30, December 1, December 7 and 8, and lastly on December 14 and 15. At the market, there will be no shortage of food, artisan vendors, gourmet delights such as cookies, hot cocoa and more. There will be plenty of festive décor, a kids’ corner, live entertainment and more! Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without a little visit to Santa Claus! The children will be able to meet with Santa at the kids’ corner, where there will also be crafts and activities so, get those Christmas lists ready, kids! Last but not least, as the Mashpee community is very passionate about giving back, the Cape Cod Christmas Market will host a charity drive to support local families in need. If you are so able, if you could bring a non-perishable food item. All donations will help the Saint Vincent dePaul Society at Parish of Christ the King in Mashpee. So go look into your pantry and get that holiday spirit in gear!
Brightly lit floats in the Mashpee Christmas Parade
On to one of my favorite holiday outings—a lovely Victorian Christmas dinner! I strongly encourage you to make a reservation at the Dunbar House Tea Room and Wine Bar for Tuesday, December 17, where you will be able to enjoy a nice, English-inspired Victorian Christmas afternoon! The tickets are $40, and those reservations fill up fast, so keep that in mind. Besides the meal, you will be able to enjoy the sights of holiday symbols, advent calendars, antique Christmas cards and Christmas collectable accessories. Believe me when I say you will truly feel like you have stepped right into yesteryear England when coming here!
Brightly lit floats in the Mashpee Christmas Parade
Moving on to Falmouth: the Falmouth Holidays by the Sea weekend! From December 6 to December 8, there will be no shortage of holiday fun. Starting on December 6 at 5 PM, you can get your picture taken with Mrs. Claus at Nobska Point and enjoy some hot cocoa from Coffee Obsession. Caroling takes place in Woods Hole Village and everyone is free to take part. On December 7 at 10:30AM, you can meet a Seafaring Santa, accompanied by the Falmouth High School chorus, at Falmouth Harbor. On Sunday December 8, at noon, everyone is welcome to come and enjoy the 61st Annual Falmouth Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade! Fun fact, this parade is the largest Christmas parade in southeast New England! The theme this year is, “Holidays through the decades,” and it will start at Dillingham Avenue and Davis Straits and continue along Main Street to the Village Green. The parade is on, rain or shine, and Falmouth Community Television will be filming the parade for public viewing, so make sure to dress in your Christmas finest!
Moving back to Sandwich and the 15th Annual Glassblower’s Christmas at the Sandwich Glass Museum! The event will be going all the way through the holiday season, until December 30. Come to the glass museum and see all the hand-blown glass of Cape Cod’s artists, displayed against a forest of Christmas trees, where you will be able to pick whatever ornament you think would look best among your Christmas decorations. This event is an indoor sale that is free to view; however touring the glass museum is a separate admission.
I hope that I have provided you with some useful information to help bring you the most joy this holiday season.