Jefferson plans annual Christmas village
OAK RIDGE — The Jefferson Arts Committee will host its 9th annual Christmas in the Village event on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the historically designated Village of Milton in the Milton/Oak Ridge section of Jefferson Township. Admission is free unless otherwise noted, and parking is free at all venues.
St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, located at 153 Milton Road, and Milton United Methodist Church at 316 Dover-Milton Road will be the settings for free live entertainment throughout the day and each Church kitchen will sell lunch and/or refreshments. Also, St. Gabriel’s will host several arts/crafts/merchandise vendors, while the Arts Committee’s Gingerbread House Contest entries will be judged and displayed at Milton United Methodist. The Jefferson Township Community Band will perform their Christmas concert at 11 am at MUMC.
Jefferson Township Fire Company No. 1’s firehouse at 162 Milton Road will be transformed into The Village Marketplace with 18 arts, crafts, and merchandise vendors as well as live entertainment and demonstrations. The Ladies Auxiliary will be selling lunch and refreshments.
The Jefferson Township Historical Society will offer tours with costumed docents at the Jefferson Township Museum, located at 315 Dover-Milton Road. Each room of the Chamberlain home circa 1870 will be decorated around the holiday theme Victorian Christmas in the Valley. Miss Elizabeth’s Shoppe will be selling baked goods, antiques, and unique gifts.
American Legion Post No. 423 will sell live Christmas trees in the parking lot of their post home located at 28 Legion Road.
Outside the Village of Milton proper, The Milton First Aid Squad will host its annual Pancake and Waffle Breakfast at its building, located at 45 Milton Road from 7 to 11 a.m., admittance charges apply.
The Jefferson Township Public Library at 1031 Weldon Road will offer A Little House Christmas event from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., which will include two Christmas episodes from the television show (Little House on the Prairie), a drop-in crafts session, and a story time.
The Jefferson Township Recreation Department will host a Visit with Santa, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Camp Jefferson, 81 Weldon Road in Lake Hopatcong. A scholastic book fair, coloring activities, Letters to Santa, refreshments and lunch offerings will be available.
Activities will continue into the evening with the Jefferson Community Players performing the radio play "Remember the Night" at 7:30 pm in the Jefferson Township Senior Center, 54 Schoolhouse Road. On Sunday, the Museum will re-open from noon to 4 p.m., the Community Players will offer an encore performance at 1:30 p.m. at the Senior Center, and the Jefferson Community Chorus’ Christmas Concert will take place at 3 pm at Grace Evangelical Church on 5550 Berkshire Valley Road (ticket information for the concert at 973-697-8124).
As specific details unfold for this holiday weekend celebration, a specific entertainment time schedule (subject to change) will be made available at www.jeffersonarts.org Press Releases Section, email artscommittee@jeffersonarts.org, or call 973-697-3828. Printed schedules will also be available as the event draws near in the display racks at the Jefferson Township Municipal Building, Jefferson Township Public Library, and the Recreation Office at Camp Jefferson.