'Christmas in the Village' Brings Holiday Cheer

With a weekend full of holiday events coming up, the township is gearing up for one of its most popular events of all: the annual Christmas in the Village.

The seventh annual holiday event hosted by the Jefferson Arts Committee will be held all day on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the historic Village of Milton.

The celebration, which usually draws a couple hundred residents each year, will be filled with musical performances by Jefferson students, museum tours, arts and craft sales, and other food and fun for residents to enjoy in the Milton section of the township.

"It's a chance to get families to come out and enjoy and capture that Christmas feeling in the village," Recreation Program Coordinator Carol Punturieri said. "I think it's a nice atmosphere that we try and present."

Kicking the day off at 7 a.m., there will be a pancake and waffle breakfast hosted by the Milton First Aid Squad.

Throughout the day starting at 10 a.m., there will be a number of musical performances from the different township schools and community groups.

The White Rock School, Arthur Stanlick Elementary School, middle school and high school bands will peform throughout the day at the Milton United Methodist Church and St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church.

There will also be peformances by Jefferson Township Community Band Christmas Concert and The Berkshire Valley Presbyterian Church Choir at the churches.

Over at the Jefferson Township Fire Co. No. 1, the girl scouts will sing a holiday sing-a-long, and there will also be a performance by students of Diane’s Dance Academy.

For those looking to do some shopping, the fire house will be transformed into the Village Marketplace with 18 different arts, crafts, and merchandise vendors. 

Punturieri said that there are especially more vendors this year, with everything ranging from handbags, wallets, clothing, ornaments, and jewelry.

Residents can also head over to tour the Jefferson Township Museum, where each room will be decorated around the theme of "A Woodland Christmas." Several musicians will play the Museum’s Harmonium, and the anantique pump organ, which is only played during Christmas in the Village.

Ending the day will be a peformance of "Miracle on 34th Street" at 7 p.m. at the Senior Center. 

Food will be offered throughout the day at each location participating in Christmas in the Village.

To see the full list of entertainment time schedule, visit www.jeffersonarts.org in the special features section.

For more information about the event, email artscommittee@jeffersonarts.org, or call 973-697-3828.

There will be printed schedules available in the display racks at the Jefferson Township Municipal Building, Jefferson Township Public Library, and the Recreation Office at Camp Jefferson.