Destination Claremore

Christmas Shines in Claremore

There is something very special about the Christmas spirit in 2021.

BY TOM FINK

November, 2021: Christmastime comes early and stays late this year in the city of Claremore. Let your heart warm to the Christmas spirit and veritable host of fun meaningful activities for every member of the family.

Behind the scenes, Santa’s elves – notably Tanya Andrews with Visit Claremore, Layla Freeman and Nancy Phelps with Light of Hope, and an army of staff and volunteers have been making their lists and checking them twice to ensure months of fun, safe Christmas activities for the Claremore community and its holiday guests. Thursday, Nov. 18 Ne-Mar Christmas Tree Lighting & Free Photos with Santa Claus

“First off, we’re going to be kicking off the Christmas season at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, with a tree lighting celebration at Ne-Mar Center,” Andrews began. “There will be hot cocoa and cookies, with Safenet providing the hot cocoa and Visit Claremore providing the cookies, all of which will be free.

“Not only that, but Santa will be on-hand to visit with the children and to be available for photos – also for free,” she continued. “We’ll have a community prayer being offered by some of our local church community members, after which, we’ll light the tree and officially kick off the Christmas season in Claremore.”

Some of the merchants at NeMar Center, located at 1000 W. Will Rogers Boulevard in Claremore, may opt to stay open for extended hours due for the evening, Andrews said, allowing some to get started on their Christmas shopping early. Nov. 19-20 Dickens on the Boulevard

After this, a Claremore tradition returns to the downtown area with Dickens of the Boulevard on Friday, Nov. 19, and Saturday, Nov. 20.

Dickens on the Boulevard is a Victorian-themed Christmas festival which will be in its 26th year this year. Traditionally held the weekend before Thanksgiving, the festivities begin at 6 p.m. each evening as visitor to the downtown area of Claremore can enjoy live stage entertainment, food, pictures with Santa, a living Nativity, and much more in the spirit of Christmas as it would have been during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Previous Dickens on the Boulevard celebrations have included food vendors, Victorian street dances and Western-themed re-enactments, with living window displays peppering the downtown area while and artisan village features living history demonstrations. Victorian-era reenactors, including hand-spinners, potters, craftsmen, and more will line the street to answer questions from the public while selling their wares.

Should horse drawn carriage rides be available, guests can enjoy a traditional ride through Claremore’s downtown area for a nominal fee.

Attendance to Dickens on the Boulevard is free. This event will be held from 6-9 p.m. both evenings. Nov. 27 Light of Hope “Lights On” drive-thru Light Displays at Claremore Park.

“In addition to the tree lighting and Dickens, the City of Claremore in tandem with Light of Hope, will be lighting up Claremore Lake Park,” Andrews said. “It’s been a vision for people in the community to have a drivethru Christmas lights display, and Claremore Lake is the perfect place for that.

“The city had some equipment which was surplus, and those funds are helping to fund this lighting project,” she said. “This will be the first year for this, so the lights will only be going so far – from the lake entrance and into the park – but it’s the city’s goal that in the next five years, the entire stretch of the Lake Park Road will be lit up during Christmas. These (lights) will come on at dusk, so people can drive through the lake park and enjoy a Christmas light display from the comfort of their vehicle.”

Christmas lights at Claremore Lake will be up through the first of the New Year, Andrews said.

Light of Hope’s “Illuminating Hope” Christmas light tour and celebration also will be a part of the seasonal activities.

“Last year was our first ‘Illuminating Hope’, at which we did a memory tree and luminara walk at the lake, with a Christmas light drive throughout Rogers County,” said Layla Freeman, Light of Hope founder. “People would pick up maps at various locations around town and go on a Christmas light tour all-around town, with the lake being one of

Above: Some of Santa’s elves who have been helping to coordinate Christmas cheer and activities this year in Claremore include Nancy Phelps and Layla Freeman, Light of Hope (from left), Tanya Andrews, Visit Claremore and Lisa Wilson, executive assistant, City of Claremore. those destinations. “This (event) was such a success, especially with the lights at the lake – people going there and seeing the lights reflected on the water – it gave people such special, meaningful moments,” she continued. “The city reached out to us to see if we would want to continue that, but with them at the lake since they were creating a drive-thru light display, and it seemed like a perfect tietogether. We’ll still have various destinations (for Christmas light displays), as well. As part of “Illuminating Hope,” Light of Hope will have its Transformation Tree near the Lake Ranger’s station, at which people can park, draw closer to the tree and pay tribute to their loved ones. “We’ll have volunteers to help people at the luminaria walk and the Transformation (Christmas) Tree,” Freeman said. “The tree is lit up with white lights, but people can choose a colored bulb that’s the favorite color of a loved one,

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which then replaces one of the white lights – it’s a special moment of reflection.

“Nearby this is a circular area where people can write a message to a loved one or someone they miss on a luminaria bag, which our volunteers fill with sand and a tea light, and people can then place this on the luminaria walk,” she said. “It’s very meaningful.” Nov. 18 – Dec. 17 Light of Hope Santa Claus & Christmas Stories, Gifts of Hope

Light of Hope also will be hosting its own Santa Claus, complete with a gazebo and Christmas trappings, every Friday at Ne-Mar Center, beginning with the tree lighting and through Dec.17 from 6-9 p.m. for pictures. During the tree lighting, Santa also will be reading a Christmas story to the children.

In addition to the lake activities, Light of Hope also will be hosting “Gifts of Hope” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Light of Hope office at 403 W. First Street in Claremore, to allow more opportunities for early Christmas shopping, with proceeds to benefit Light of Hope.

Light of Hope is a Claremorebased 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry for addiction and other life difficulties, assisting families and individuals through support groups, community education, school drug education, workplace readiness, helpful resources and encouragement for the future.

Andrews said the city will “flip the switch” for the Christmas light drive-thru Nov. 27. Dec. 3-11 Will’s Country Christmas & Pictures with Santa at the Will Rogers Memorial & Claremore’s Christmas Parade drive-thru Tour at RSU

But it wouldn’t be Rogers County without Will Rogers…the most fun of all!

Will’s Country Christmas will be held at the Birthplace Ranch in Oologah Dec. 3 and 4, and the Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be offering photos with Santa at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4 and the 11th.

Claremore’s Christmas Parade will be held Dec. 4 at 5:30 p.m. and will be a drive-thru tour at Rogers State University.

As there is no mask mandate in the City of Claremore, masks are not required at its events, although social distancing is advised when possible.

For more information or to stay up to date on Christmas and other activities in Claremore, visit https://visitclaremore.org/ or https://www.lightofhopeinc.org/

Visit Claremore

400 VETERANS PARKWAY | CLAREMORE, OK (918) 341-8688 | WWW.VISITCLAREMORE.ORG  @CLAREMORECVB |  @VISITCLAREMORE

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Tulsa Herb Society “Carols & Crumpets”

BY SUE STEES

November, 2021: What will you be doing the first Saturday this December? The much-loved Carols and Crumpets will be held Saturday Dec. 4, 2021, after last year’s pause. The Tulsa Herb Society’s herbal craft fair is from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Tulsa Garden Center 2435 South Peoria Ave. Admission is free.

Tulsa Herb Society members have been handcrafting items that include Christmas ornaments, folding cards, dryer balls, scrubbies, planted bulbs, and many gift items perfect for teachers, neighbors and the hard-to-buyfor friend. A special booth will have fresh greenery for home decorating. Some of the herb society’s most popular items are the 10 flavors of herbal vinegars, and scrumptious selections of herbal jams and jellies, such as Blueberry Lavender Jam, Strawberry Basil Jam and Pear Honey. To satisfy a sweet tooth, THS members have made White Chocolate and Strawberry Herbal Bark candy, and Hot Chocolate on a Stick. Hot spiced cider and cookies will be available for the shoppers.

Over 25 other vendors will fill the Garden Center offering mosaic garden items, live plants, handmade soaps, lavender and lavender items, spice blends, fabric art, local honey, pottery, fermented food items, wood art, handmade jewelry and much more.

The Snowflake Café will be open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch. No reservations are needed.

For more information call 918496-8019 or “like” the Tulsa Herb Society on Facebook.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Tulsa Garden Center and the Linnaeus Teaching Garden.

Tulsa Herb Society

2435 S. PEORIA AVE. | TULSA, OK (918) 496-8019 WWW.TULSAGARDENCENTER.ORG/PLANT-SOCIETIES  @TULSAHERBSOCIETY

The City of Wagoner: Your Christmas Destination

November, 2021: Lights, lights and more lights! Wagoner is the best kept secret for holiday fun and family traditions. The City of Wagoner, Wagoner Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Wagoner and the Ft. Gibson Lake Association are partnering to bring the best of the holiday season to visitors and residents.

The Christmas season begins officially on Nov. 24 and will run through Dec. 31. Activities include a nightly Light Show, over 120 lighted displays, Christmas Tree Lighting, Christmas Parade, Winter Concert Series, 5K Twinkle Run, Photos with Santa, a Christmas movie in pajamas and special appearances by favorite cartoon characters, shop small business day and more. Back after a successful contest in 2020 is a residential and business decorating contest hosted by Wagoner

Economic Development

Authority and Ft. Gibson Lake

Association. Contests are in two categories: Business-

Best Tree Decorating and for residential in and around

Wagoner Best Yard Decorating.

Prize money and gift cards will be awarded. Area restaurants are serving up special discounts Monday through

Saturday evenings. Beginning Thanksgiving evening, Wagoner will be glowing with over 100 lighted displays beginning at the junction of Highway 69 and 51 east to downtown, to McQuarrie Street and SE 15th Street Businesses and residents are also joining in and will have lighted displays. Snowflakes will sparkle from light posts. There is also the opportunity to play a

Above: Tim Shelton

Above: SpringStreet Right: Heartland

game of snowflake hide and seek…. there is one odd shaped snowflake on the city light posts…see if your children can find it! The nightly light show has been such a success-it is being expanded this year. GRDA is sponsoring the expansion into Semore Park The automated show is from 5:00p.-10p. each evening. This year the light show mascot “Grandy” will travel to Wagoner Elementary Schools to promote electrical safety. The Winter Concert Series* begins on Nov. 27 the Cave Dwellers will be “rockin” around the Christmas Tree. This area favorite will entertain with rock classics from the 60s and 70s. Dec. 4 regional favorites Spring Street, Heartland Xpress, and The Bazemore Family will host an all star evening of country, bluegrass and gospel favorites. Dec. 11 Tim Shelton’s Vintage Christmas will take the stage. Tim and fellow musicians will recreate the Christmas music and style of a by-gone era-music from the 1940s thru 1960s. Music in the style of Sinatra, Crosby and Glen Campbell. “We are excited to feature the classic sounds in a classic style” , reports Wagoner Mayor AJ Jones. “Tim Shelton’s Very Vintage Christmas has been featured in Asheville, NC, Sugar Hill, GA, Dayton Ohio and now in Wagoner, OK.” The annual Christmas Parade is at 7 p.m. on Dec. 2 This years’ theme will be “Christmas Classics” the classic stories and movies will be fun and entertaining for all ages. Marching bands, costume characters and floats will light up the night for this annual holiday tradition.

Christmas in Wagoner is worth the quick drive to see a million and more Christmas Lights and enjoy the themes of Christmas present and past. “We welcome you to Wagoner Your Christmas Destination. Thank you to our sponsor partners, City Staff and our organization committee who work tirelessly to make your holiday experience one to remember,” reports Mayor AJ Jones. “We are excited to have you visit our City anytime of the year!

For more information and updates on activities** and schedules check out these websites: City of Wagoner: wagonerok.org, Wagoner Chamber of Commerce: thecityofwagoner.org

City of Wagoner

231 CHURCH STREET | WAGONER, OK (918) 485-2554 | WWW.WAGONEROK.ORG  @CITYOFWAGONER