Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Christmas activities are kicking off the holiday season in Merrill this Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. From craft shows to Christmas shopping to supporting local non-profits at the beautiful annual O’Tannenbaum Tour to Merrill’s lighted Christmas Parade, Christmas is close at hand. Then Trinity will host their live nativity, St. Francis will host their Breakfast with St. Nick, and St. John the Baptist in Bloomville will hold their Christmas Bazaar, all on Sunday, Dec. 8. And next week is the City’s Tour of Lights!
Several Christmas craft and vendor events will take place this Saturday, providing opportunities for area residents to shop for handmade gifts and holiday decor or items from favorite vendors. More than 100 crafters, vendors, boutiques, and small businesses will showcase their wares at three locations. Shoppers in search of unique or handcrafted items, crafts, jewelry, clothing, baked goods, candies, and gifts will have a good selection. Some locations will also have raffle baskets, and at Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes, the Christmas Spirit [Lincoln County United Giving Tree Program] is asking for book donations for area families in need. Shoppers can pick a tag off the tree to make a donation of $5 to $20 and funds will be used to purchase books for area children for Christmas.
Christmas craft and vendor event locations include:
• Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - 1208 N. Center Ave., Merrill
• Merrill Expo Center - 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. - 303 N. Sales St., Merrill
• VFW Post 1638 - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. - 601 Johnson St.
Merrill’s annual O’Tannenbaum Tour will take place this weekend at St. Stephens UCC, 903 E. Second St. in Merrill, on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Santa will be there on Saturday from 11 a.m. until noon and on Sunday from 10 a.m. until noon.
This year’s tour will feature 22 lighted and decorated trees, each one decorated by a local business or group, to be enjoyed as they help transform the lower level of the church into a Christmas wonderland before they are raffled off Sunday afternoon. This year’s theme is Christmas Angels and will be reflected in decor for the event. In addition, there will be more than 100 gift baskets, wreaths, and gift certificates to be raffled off.
“We hope to make $10,000 in the two days,” said Sue Kunkel, spokesperson for the O’Tannenbaum Committee that organizes the event each year.
All funds are donated to help local children and local 4-H programs. In the past, Kunkel said the proceeds of the event have been donated to non-profit organizations including Lincoln County 4-H clubs, the Lincoln County 4-H Leader Association, the Mary Geiss Memorial (Respite), Meals on Wheels, Friends of the River Bend Trail, Food For Kids, HAVEN, the VFW, the MAC Home, St. Vincent de Paul, and The NEST at Merrill High School, all in Merrill; and the Backpack for Kids program, Our Sister Home, The Dream Park, Kwahamot Water Ski Show, Tomahawk Together, and the K9 Unit, all in Tomahawk; and others.
Merrill’s annual lighted Christmas Parade will be held this Saturday, Dec. 7, beginning at 5 p.m.
The line-up for the parade begins at 4 p.m. and starts on S. Genesee St. and is first-come, first-served with no prearranged order. [Call the Chamber of Commerce office at 715.536.9474 to register your float or with any questions.]
Santa will, of course, be at the end of the parade and will be on hand to light the Christmas tree at the Lincoln County Courthouse, which is where the parade will end.
Trinity Church Merrill will host their annual Live Nativity on Sunday, Dec. 8, from 12 noon until 3 p.m. in their church parking lot at 107 N. State St. in Merrill. Come and see the Christmas nativity acted out with real people and live animals. All are invited, and there will be free hot chocolate and goody bags for the children. This is another great free local family-friendly event for all ages.
The Knights of Columbus will host their annual Breakfast with St. Nick on Sunday, Dec. 8., in the St. Francis Xavier School Cafeteria, 1708 E. 10th St., serving after both Sunday Masses (7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.). The event includes a full breakfast (free will donation is requested) and visits with St. Nick. Bring your camera and take a photo of your children with St. Nick.
St. John the Baptist Christmas Bazaar
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church on Hwy. 17 in Bloomville (not quite to Gleason) will hold their annual Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, Dec. 8, beginning after the 11 a.m. Mass with raffles, a bake sale, a silent auction, and a soup lunch.
The City of Merrill will again hold their 4th annual Tour of Lights Decorating Contest and invites residents within the city limits to participate. Go to https://ci.merrill.wi.us/touroflights to register your home to be included in the contest and on the tour. Homes must be registered no later than noon on Monday, Dec. 9, to be in the contest and on the tour map and for a chance to win a prize.
Area residents are invited to enjoy and judge the lights via the Tour of Lights Bus Ride. This year another night was added to the schedule to accommodate all the people who wanted to ride and tour and judge the light displays. The Tour of Lights Bus Ride will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 11,, and Thursday, Dec. 12, beginning at 5 p.m.
The Merrill-Go-Round picks up riders from their homes and takes them on a bus ride to tour the city to see the decorated homes, and the tour lasts two hours or less. This is a free event and fun for all ages, so it’s a great family-friendly event. Riders on the bus also serve as judges for the contest. At the end of the tour, the Merrill-Go-Round returns riders to their homes.
Call the Merrill Transit office at 715.536.7112 to reserve your seat. Seats will be available on a first-reserved, first-served basis, with the bus being filled for Wednesday evening first, and seats are limited.
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