The Wally Gordon Singers perform at the Clarks Summit tree lighting ceremony.
                                 Ben Freda | For Abington Journal

The Wally Gordon Singers perform at the Clarks Summit tree lighting ceremony.

Ben Freda | For Abington Journal

<p>Santa conducts the Abington Heights Marching Band at the tree lighting.</p>
                                 <p>Ben Freda | For Abington Journal</p>

Santa conducts the Abington Heights Marching Band at the tree lighting.

Ben Freda | For Abington Journal

<p>Ben Freda | For Abington Journal</p>

Ben Freda | For Abington Journal

<p>Ben Freda | For Abington Journal</p>

Ben Freda | For Abington Journal

<p>The Christmas tree in downtown Clarks Summit.</p>
                                 <p>Ben Freda | For Abington Journal</p>

The Christmas tree in downtown Clarks Summit.

Ben Freda | For Abington Journal

CLARKS SUMMIT – It’s the time of year again. Christmas is on its way.

Time to decorate, get shopping done and prepare for a big meal. But even more importantly, ‘tis the season for friends and families to get together again to celebrate the festive holiday.

The town of Clarks Summit has many opportunities for that last thing.

The downtown area kicked off with a Christmas tree lighting on Friday, Nov. 18.

Area residents gathered around the big tree outside the Citizens Savings Bank and awaited the big countdown for the lights to turn on. While they were waiting, they watched and listened to the Wally Gordon Singers perform carols. The Abington Heights Marching Band also put on a show at the bank’s parking lot. Clarks Summit council president Gerrie Carey dressed in her Christmas attire, thanked everyone who attended the tree lighting for coming to take part in the event.

The tree-lighting ceremony was just the beginning.

Downtown Clarks Summit will continue to celebrate the holiday with the last Summit Stroll Series event of the year called Small Town Holiday Festival on Dec. 10. Most of the local downtown shops will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Gathering Place will be doing kids activities and crafts. At Imagine NEPA will be doing a drop off Holiday Fun Day. Parents may drop off their kids for a movie, snack and games so they can shop in town. Local artist Darlene Milas is also working on a photo booth type prop that will be set out for families to enjoy taking photos. South Abington Elementary’s fourth-grade class will be caroling in front of Classic Properties.

There will be many new and continuing events at local churches . Servant Church will perform their annual Live Nativity of the Abingtons with two showing from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10, and at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11. The public is welcome to attend and warm up inside the church with hot chocolate and cookies.

New this year, Countryside Community Church will have a similar event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 10. They will have a Christmas pageant with a Christmas play with elaborate costumes. People will be dressed like old-fashioned carolers and greeters. The Abington Heights Marching Band and the Abington Heights Orchestra will both perform Christmas musical selections. There will be a musical selections involving Countryside’s youth group. Refreshments will be served in the fellowship hall along with a visit from Santa. The event is called Christmas in the Countryside. It is a free event and everyone is invited. At 7 p.m. on Dec. 24, there will be a traditional candlelight service.

“It is a nice, short drive to the country,” said church member Donna Urbaniak, who is organizing the event with church member Sandy LaCoe. The location is 14011 Orchard Drive in Newton Township. For more information, call the church office at 570-587-3206.

Chinchilla United Methodist Church will celebrate Christmas with adaptations of scary, Victorian-era Christmas stories in an event called Creepy Christmas. This event is called Creepy Christmas. It will be held on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 4 p.m. Performing for the first time ever anywhere, On Cue Pop Up Players (OCPUP), a community of actors, writers, directors, and technicians directed by Laura M. Heffron, will perform two shows – “Smee” by A.M. Burrage and “Between the Lights” by E.F. Benson, which are both adapted by local author/playwright Marcie Herman Riebe. Beth Kostelnik, certified lay minister of Chinchilla UMC, is a cast member of OCPUP and will perform with her two greyhounds Garrett and Story. Beth understands that some people will judge for hosting an event that has nothing to do with Christmas during Advent season.

“All we’re asking folks to do is to suspend their judgement for a few hours,” she said. “Step through the doors of an unfamiliar building. Come out to enjoy some skilled theater performances. Enjoy some great refreshments. Meet a couple of really friendly greyhounds. Participate in a non-traditional community event that is all about opening up our doors and welcoming in our neighbors.”

Hillside Haven Community Church will have a Christmas as Concert on Sunday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. Rooted Shoots Ensemble, which consists of children, will perform a Christmas musical. It will be a modern story about a Christmas-themed game show. There will be a reception with cookies and refreshments to follow. People are invited to bring cookies to share with others. On Christmas Eve, there will be a candlelight service. It will include a dramatic reading of the Bible and songs of praise.

“There is a lot of preparation that goes into it,” said assistant pastor Billy Mulligan. “But there’s the joy of serving. For some people, this is a difficult time of year. We want to be there to tell people through the difficult times. This is an opportunity to spread the love of Christ to our community.”