Magrath’s Hometown Christmas decks the halls

Posted on November 27, 2018 by admin

By Stan Ashbee
Westwind Weekly News

From 6-9 p.m. Thursday night, Santa will be coming to Magrath to kick off the holiday season during the southern Alberta community’s annual Hometown Christmas celebration.

“But, I think some of the crafter tables are up and running by 4 or 5 p.m.,” said Jay Mackenzie, Magrath and District Chamber of Commerce president and from Roosters.

According to Mackenzie, businesses in Magrath will be open late Thursday night. “There’s late night shopping and Christmas deals.”

A lot of the businesses, he added, will also host crafter tables. “Local people who produce local goods set up their wares there and sell them. The Seniors Centre fills up their entire area with tables, as well.”

Mackenzie noted the town also hosts the one and only Santa Claus too at Town Hall.

“There’s goodie bags for the kids and they get to visit Santa,” he said.

For the annual event, everybody kind of chips in and contributes a little bit here and there, he explained. “The school band will play for a little while. The mayor brings in Santa and they do a little bit of a ceremony and light the Christmas tree in front of Town Hall — and Santa officially declares the holiday season has begun.”

There’s hayrides and the LDS Church puts on a display of nativity scenes in the White Church.

“The fire department puts on a bonfire and has free hot chocolate and free hot apple cider,” he added.

A variety of businesses, Mackenzie said, will have different activities planned throughout the evening.

“The Co-Op always has a chocolate fountain and you can go in and dip stuff in the chocolate fountain. My store here, we have a huge gingerbread house display from a fundraiser,” he said.