Tree-Lightings

FUQUAY-VARINA TREE-LIGHTING Fuquay-Varina will hold tree-lighting festivities at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the municipal parking lot at S. Main and E. Vance streets. The Gerald Parker Jazz band will play a free concert at 6 p.m. The tree will be lit at 7 p.m., followed by local school performances.

CHRISTMAS ON SALEM STREET The Apex Downtown Business Association will hold Christmas on Salem Street from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, in downtown Apex. There will be carriage and sleigh rides, Christmas carols and the lighting of the tree at 5:30 p.m.

MORRISVILLE TREE-LIGHTING Morrisville will hold its annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, at Town Hall. There will be entertainment, crafts for children and refreshments.

CARY TREE-LIGHTING Cary will hold its tree-lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Town Hall Campus by the town tree. There will be actors, singers, dancers and musicians. The Cary Community Christmas tree will also be unveiled. For details, call 469-4061.

MAIN STREET CHRISTMAS Holly Springs will hold Main Street Christmas from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 9 in downtown Holly Springs. There will be visits with Santa, stories with Mrs. Claus, hayrides, live entertainment and the town tree-lighting ceremony.

Charity

COATS FOR THE CHILDREN WRAL-TV will be collecting winter clothing, toys and money for Salvation Army families in need through Dec. 31 at participating Jiffy Lube and First Citizens Bank locations in Apex, Cary and Fuquay-Varina. Donate clean coats and other winter clothing items including gently-used gloves, hats, and new long underwear, T-shirts and socks to completely outfit a child for the winter months. Any size coat will be accepted, however, larger sizes for teens and infant sizes are in particular demand.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE BENEFIT The Umstead Hotel will hold a Gingerbread House benefit for Triangle Family Services from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at 101 Woodland Park Drive, Cary. There will be tea with Santa and a live auction of the top area pastry chefs. For details, call 919-821-0790 Ext. 303 or visit www.tfsnc.org.

CHRISTMAS IN INDIA Non-profit group, Global Hope India, will hold Christmas in India from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at SPY Bar and Lounge in downtown Raleigh. There will be multimedia from recent village development trips, dessert and coffee bars, and a silent auction. Admission is $15 for adults and free for children 12 and younger. Proceeds will benefit Global Hope India’s village development initiatives. For information, visit www.globalhopeindia.org/christmas.

BOY SCOUT LUMINARIA Boy Scout Troop 320, sponsored by the Fuquay-Varina United Methodist Church, will be selling holiday luminary kits door-to-door on Saturday, Dec. 3, Dec. 10 and 17. The kits will be $10. Proceeds will fund activities for the Boy Scout troop. If interested in purchasing a kit, email candles@orangecrush.org.

CHRISTMAS STORE New Horizons Fellowship will hold a Christmas store Dec. 9 and 10 for needy families at 820 E. Williams St., Apex. To donate to the store, pick up a tree tag from the lobby at New Horizons Fellowship, purchase a gift and bring it back to the toy corral. The deadline to donate to the store is Sunday, Dec. 4. Families are referred to the Christmas store by Western Wake Crisis Ministry, Dorcas Ministries, the Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Pantry and the Holly Springs Food Cupboard. Volunteers are also needed to work during store hours. For information, call 919-303-5266 or visit www.nhf.cc/christmas-store.

GIFT-WRAPPING FUNDRAISER Second Chance Pet Adoptions will have a gift-wrapping service from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Dec. 17-24 at Cary Crossroads. All proceeds will go to support the animal rescue group’s programs. For details, visit www.secondchancenc.org.

Dance

HOLIDAY CABARET The Holly Springs School of Dance and Springs Dance Company will hold a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Holly Springs Cultural Arts Center, 300 W. Ballentine St. Tickets are $5. For information, contact Marilyn Chappell at 919-557-3270.

NUTCRACKER DANCES The Infinity Ballet Theatre will hold performances of “Excerpts from the Nutcracker” at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Halle Cultural Arts Center, 237 N. Salem St., Apex. Tickets are $5 at www.etix.com.

CHRISTMAS RECITAL The town of Fuquay-Varina Parks and Recreation Department will hold a Christmas Village dance recital from 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Fuquay-Varina Community Center. The Dance Academy at the Fuquay-Varina Parks and Recreation Department will perform. Donations of nonperishable food items to assist in stocking the Fuquay-Varina Food Pantry will be accepted.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS The Carolina Dance Foundation will hold performances of “The Night Before Christmas” at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 and at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at Green Hope High School in Cary. For information, visit www.carolinadancefoundation.org.

A VERY CARY CHRISTMAS The Cary Ballet Company and the 3D Project presents A Very Cary Christmas at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Dec. 17 at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Two shows, Visions of Sugarplums and Straight Up Christmas will be performed. A Land of Sweets’ meet and greet for the kids will occur after the 2 p.m. matinee. Tickets are $12-$15. For details, call 919-481-6509 or visit www.caryballetconservatory.com.

NUTCRACKER Holly Springs High School will hold its annual performance of the Nutcracker, set to the Duke Ellington arrangement of the original score, at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at 5329 Cass Holt Road. Admission is free.

Music

DECK THE HALLS CONCERT The Triangle Wind Ensemble will hold a family-friendly concert “Deck the Halls” at 3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Admission is $12 for adults and free for children younger than 12 with donation of a toy or nonperishable item. Donations will go to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern N.C. and the Salvation Army. For information, visit www.trianglewind.org.

CHRISTMAS MUSICAL The children’s choirs at Saint Francis United Methodist Church present the musical, “The Christmas County Spelling Bee” at 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at 2965 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary. For details, call 919-362-1666.

MESSIAH PERFORMANCE The Cary Community Choir will hold its 41st annual Messiah performance at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at Westwood Baptist Church, 200 Westhigh St., Cary. This special choir of about 100 singers from around the Triangle assembles annually to present the Christmas portion of “Messiah” by George Frederic Handel.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT A Christmas concert featuring Transit Band and Gerald Parker Jazz Band will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Fuquay-Varina Community Center.

HOLIDAY CONCERT The General Assembly Chorus will hold a holiday concert, “Songs of the Season” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. The a cappella performance will include a selection of traditional Christmas songs and other holiday favorites. The Carolina Harmony Chorus, the Carolinas Champion Quartet “Let’s Sing,” selected chorus quartets and the Men’s Holiday Chorus will also perform. Tickets are $20 for reserved seating, $15 for general admission, $10 for students ages 17 and younger or $15 for reserved seating for groups of 10 or more. For information, call 919-469-4069 or visit www.generalassemblychorus.org.

WINTER MUSIC CONCERT The Cary Town Band will hold its third annual Winter Music concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Cary Senior Center ballroom in Bond Park.

JAZZ CONCERT The Route 55 Jazz Orchestra will perform its “Santa Baby’s Coming To Town” concert at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Holly Springs Cultural Center, 300 Ballentine St. Featuring old favorites and new arrangements of Christmas classics in the big band style. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students. For information, call 919-567-4000 or visit www.55jazz.com.

CONCERT EVENT The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel Winter Concert Series presents King’s Tavern Madrigal at 4 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary. Tickets are $15. For information, call 919-460-4968 or visit www.friendsofpagewalker.org.

Theater

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE The Cary Players present “It’s a Wonderful Life” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 1, Friday, Dec. 2, and Monday, Dec. 5; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the Cary Arts Center, 101 Dry Ave. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors ages 55 and older, and $16 for students. Veterans and active servicemen and women may attend the 7:30 p.m. performance on Monday, Dec. 5, for $9. For information, visit www.caryplayers.org.

BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER The town of Fuquay-Varina will hold “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at 7 p.m. Dec. 16 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 17 at STARS Theater, 123 E. Vance St. Tickets are $5. Proceeds will benefit the Fuquay-Varina Emergency Food Bank and the Community Theater Fund. To purchase tickets, visit www.starstheaterandart.com.

Special Events

SLEIGH RIDES The Fuquay-Varina Revitalization Association will provide free horse-drawn sleigh rides from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Dec. 1, beginning at Ashworth’s BP Station. The sleigh ride will be first come, first serve, unless you have a “fast pass friend ticket.” Children age 2 and younger must sit on an adult’s lap. The last ride of the evening will be at 7:55 p.m. For details, visit www.fuquay-varinadowntown.com.

PANCAKE BREAKFAST The Apex Rotary Club will hold its winter pancake breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Apex fire station on Salem Street.

WINTER WONDERLAND Winter Wonderland at Bond Park will be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m., noon to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4, in the multipurpose field at Fred G. Bond Metro Park. Snow My Yard will make snow, so bring a sled. Pre-registration is required. Cost is $12 for residents, $16 for nonresidents. For information, call 919-469-4100.

HOLIDAY CELEBRATION The Cary Teen Council will hold its annual holiday celebration, Santa’s Workshop, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Herbert C. Young Community Center. There will be crafts for children, live entertainment by the Cary Ballet Company and 3D Project, and Santa Claus. Bring two nonperishable food items or a cash donation to support the Cary Teen Council’s food drive. For details, call 919-460-4965.

OLE TIME WINTER FESTIVAL The Heart of Cary Association will hold an Ole Time Winter Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in downtown Cary. There will be arts and crafts, entertainment, food, activities and Santa Claus. For information, call 919-469-4061.

Shopping

HOLIDAY SHOPPE Cary Academy will hold its annual Holiday Shoppe from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, in the sports and education annex at 1500 N. Harrison Ave. There will be jewelry, home accessories, hostess items, children’s items, holiday ornaments, apparel, gift cards, food and handmade crafts. Proceeds will benefit community outreach and scholarships. For details, call 919-228-4653 or visit www.caryacademy.org/holidayshoppe.

HOLIDAY CRAFT AND VENDOR FAIR The Middle Creek High School PTSA will hold a holiday craft and vendor fair fundraising event called Winter Wonders from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at 123 Middle Creek Park Ave., Apex. Booth spaces are available. For details, visit www.mchs-ptsa.com.

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church and School will hold Santa’s Village Christmas Bazaar from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at 625 Magdala Place, Apex. There will be unique gifts to purchase, live entertainment, bake sale, live Christmas trees and wreaths, and Santa’s Secret Workshop for children.

EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS MARKET Saints Cyril and Methodius Byzantine Catholic Church will hold its fourth annual St. Nicholas European Christmas Market from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at 2510 Piney Plains Road, Cary. There will be music, pierogi, kielbasa, kolache rolls, cookies, stollens, linens, ornaments and gifts from Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary and Sweden. To order food, email etss3@aol.com. For details, visit www.saintscyrilandmethodius.org.

Open Houses and Tours

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE The Page-Walker Arts and History Center will hold a holiday open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at 119 Ambassador Loop, Cary. Tour the historic hotel, sing Christmas carols and have a free horse-drawn carriage ride.

APEX HOLIDAY HOME TOUR The Apex Historical Society will hold its holiday home tour from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4. The tour will feature five homes, the historic Apex train depot and the Maynard-Pearson House. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 on the day of tour, $5 for children ages 12 and younger. For details, visit www.apexhistoricalsociety.com.

FUQUAY-VARINA HOLIDAY TOUR The Fuquay-Varina Women’s Club will hold a holiday home tour from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 10, with a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. at the FVWC clubhouse, 602 N. Ennis St., Fuquay-Varina. Tickets are $12 in advance and $14 at the door. For information, contact Vicki Currin at 919-612-9547.

Religious Events

CHRISTMAS EVENT Salem Baptist Church will hold Journey to Bethlehem from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 8-9 and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 10-11 at 1821 North Salem St., Apex. Concessions will be available, including hot dogs, drinks and cookies. For details, call 919-362-7327 or visit www.salem-bc.org.

NATIVITY CELEBRATION The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will hold an Apex Christmas Nativity Celebration from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 8-9 and from 3 to 9 p.m. Dec. 10 at 590 Bryan Drive, Apex. Nonperishable donations for the Western Wake Crisis Ministry will be accepted at the door. For details, visit www.apexnativity.org.

BURIED TREASURE Westwood Baptist Church will hold a performance of “Buried Treasure” at 6 p.m. Dec. 11 at 200 Westhigh St., Cary. The play is about one family learning the true treasure of Christmas.