Tis the Season — Christmas events

Outdoor movie
Destin Commons will show “The Polar Express” at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 in Center Plaza. Bring blankets and chairs to enjoy an outdoor evening. Call 337-8700.

Breakfast with Santa
The Palms of Destin Resort and Conference Center will hold a fundraising event, Breakfast with Santa, for the South Okaloosa/Walton Foster Adoptive Parent Association with seatings at 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Dec. 6.
Price is $12.95/adults, $5.95/children. Ages 2 and under eat free. Bring an unwrapped new toy and your child’s breakfast is free. Make reservations at (877) 447-3767.
Santa will be available for pictures.

Santa at Silver Sands
Santa flies into Silver Sands at noon Dec. 6 on AIRHeart Helicopter. Children dress in holiday costumes and join the parade to the Courtyard for refreshments and photos. Proceeds benefit Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.

Christmas Craft Show
A Christmas Craft Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Destin Community Center. More than 40 vendors will display their crafts. Admission is free. Call 654-5184.

Holiday Doggy Fashion Show
The fifth annual Holiday Doggy Fashion Show will be from at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 in Center Plaza at Destin Commons. Registration is from 12 to 1:30 p.m. Have your family dog strut his stuff in his best holiday outfit. Prizes awarded. Registration fee is $5/dog with proceeds benefiting local animal organizations.

The Dirty Santa Ball
The Seaside Repertory Theatre will host The Dirty Santa Ball featuring Hotwire! at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 in the Carillon Beach Ballroom.
Bid on designer Christmas trees decorated by nationally renowned designers and participate in the Dirty Santa raffle purchasing $5 tickets to win one of more than 20 great holiday prizes.
Tickets are $100; VIP tables for eight $1,000. Dress is semi-formal; ugly sweaters welcome.
For tickets and information, call 231-0733.

Fort Walton Beach Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
The annual Fort Walton Beach Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will take place from 3 to 5:45 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Fort Walton Landing on Brooks Street.
Local churches, bands and music groups will charm the crowd with Christmas music and Santa Claus will arrive at the park at 3:30 p.m. to hand out goodies to all the good little boys and girls. 

Sandestin’s Christmas on the Coast
Holiday fun comes alive in Sandestin with the following events:
•Claus and Paws takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 6 at The Market Shops at Sandestin. Dress your “best friend” in holiday best and have photo taken with Santa. Fundraiser for R.U.F.F. Photos are $10 for one; $15 for two; and $20 for three.
•Dickens Christmas Carol performances at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 20 in the Village Events Plaza.
•Ice skating rink will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. during the week, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 12 to 6 p.m. Sundays through Feb. 1. Cost is $8. Skates available for $2.
•Wednesday Night Holiday Concerts start at 6 p.m. and feature local school and church choirs performing holiday music. Admission is free.
•Santa Claus will be at The Market Shops from 12 to 3 p.m. Dec. 13 and 20. Strolling Dickens Carolers from 1 to 4 p.m.
•The 10th annual Nautical Night of Lights Boat Parade will be held Dec. 13 at Sandestin Baytowne Marina.
•Annual Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Dec. 31 with live music and fireworks at midnight.

Dinner Theater
2nd Acts interdenominational drama group presents “Such a Night as This” at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7 at Grace Lutheran in Destin.
Tickets are $10 and now on sale. Seating is limited, and tickets must be purchased in advance. Call 650-3303, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Christmas at Destin Commons
Rockin’ Rockwell: A Modern Day Normal Rockwell Art Series will be held Saturdays in the gallery exhibit between Panera and Talbots. Featured artists are Billie Gaffrey, Dec. 6; Michael Fagan, Dec. 13 and Michael Granberry, Dec. 20. The artists will be at the Gallery Exhibit on their respective dates from 1 to 2 p.m.
Santa’s schedule is 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 12; 1 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6, 13 15-18, 20 and 22-23; 1 to 6 p.m. Dec. 7, 14, 19 and 21; and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 24.

Christmas on the Beach
Family photos with Santa Claus will be taken every Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m. through Dec. 6 at The Crab Trap in Destin.
A $10 donation benefits the Destin Fire Rescue Foundation. Call 837-8413.

 Christmas Tour of Homes
Stroll through time at the 18th annual Tour of Homes from 9 .m. to 4:30 p.m. Dec. 6 in DeFuniak Springs. Tickets are $18.75/adults and $7.50/children 12 and under. Tickets may be purchased day of tour from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The DeFuniak Springs Visitors Center on Circle Drive and The Big Store on Baldwin Avenue. Call 892-3191.

Holiday Food & Wine Walkbout
The Destin Rotary Club will present its 6th annual Food & Holiday Wine Walkabout from 2 to 5 p.m. Dec. 7. Legendary’s HarborWalk Village and Emerald Grande will host the charity event.
The event is open to the public and will host food tastings from area restaurants, paired with premium wines from the South’s leading wine distributors, all for a $40 ticket donation with proceeds benefiting The Destin Rotary Scholarship Fund and other educational projects.  

Sounds of the Season Christmas concert
The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation will present its annual Christmas concert, Sounds of the Season “One Night, One Child” at 7 p.m. Dec. 12 at Village Baptist Church in Destin.
A 160-member community choir representing five local Destin churches will collaborate with sacred and Christmas classics for this holiday concert, including the Village Baptist Children’s Choir. 
Destin United Methodist Church, Destin Assembly, First Baptist Church, Grace Lutheran Church and Village Baptist Church will perform on stage with special musical soloists, quartets and ensembles.
Admission is a donation of a new unwrapped child’s toy to be distributed among the participating church’s outreach ministry to less fortunate children. A love offering will benefit the Tom Rappazini Scholarship Fund.
Call 650-2226 or visit online at www.mattiekellyartsfoundation.org

Holiday on the Harbor Christmas concert
HarborWalk Village presents sounds of traditional Yuletide favorites with favorite bands from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 12 and 19. Enjoy hot chocolate, holiday shopping, Santa and a harbor filled with enchantingly decorated boats.
•Dec. 12: Destin Elementary Chorus, 6 p.m. and Emerald Coast Community Band, 7 p.m.
•Dec. 19: Dent Brothers at 6 p.m. and Village Baptist Church at 7 p.m.

“Christmas Countdown”
The Fort Walton Beach Community Chorus presents its Christmas production of “Christmas Countdown” at 8 p.m. Dec. 12, 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 13 and 3 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Fort Walton Beach Municipal Auditorium.
Tickets can be purchased at PS Gifts in Fort Walton Beach; Diamond Works in Mary Esther; Connect with Flowers in Shalimar; Bayou Books in Niceville; and My Favorite Things in the Market Shops at Sandestin. Admission is $12 adults and $10 seniors and children.

Freeport Live Nativity
The third annual Freeport Live Nativity will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 12-14 and Dec. 19-21 on the lawn in front of the gazebo at Hammock Bay’s Town Center. Call 835-9824 or 502-9918.

Christmas Parade
The City of Destin’s 23rd annual Christmas Parade will be held at 10 a.m. Dec. 13. The floats will start at Downtown Destin Shopping Center and travel down U.S. 98 to Stahlman Avenue. This year’s theme is “Holly Jolly Christmas.” Call 654-5184.

Breakfast with Santa
The 11th annual Breakfast with Santa, sponsored by the Van R. Butler Elementary Parent Teacher Organization, will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Dec. 13 at the school in Santa Rosa Beach. Cost is $6 per person in advance or $7 at the door.
Santa will arrive at 9 a.m. on a South Walton Fire Department fire truck to visit with the children. Be sure to bring a camera.
The event is a fundraiser focused on fun for the entire family with breakfast cooked and served by the Butler dads, crafts for children and a chance to bid on gingerbread houses and silent auction baskets.

Yule of Yesteryear
Shop for handcrafted items in the Heritage Museum Shop & Bookstore, enjoy ornament making and traditional craft demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 13. Heritage Bake Sale will continue all day. The annual Perrine Park Tree Lighting and caroling through Old Valparaiso will follow.
The traditional Victorian holiday tea with special 19th century visitors from the Walton Guard will be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 13. Make reservations at 678-2615. Tickets  are $10; $5/HMNF members.

Destin Boat Parade
The Destin History and Fishing Museum will host the Holiday on the Harbor-Destin Boat Parade Dec. 14. Festivities will be held that afternoon all along the harbor and the parade will start at 6 p.m.
Entry forms are available at the Museum, Destin Community Center, City Hall, Destin Chamber and at many harbor businesses or visit www.destinhistoryandfishingmuseum.org. Call 837-6611.

Peter White Christmas
Peter White Christmas will be held at 4 p.m. Dec. 14 at Mattie Kelly Fine & Performing Arts Center at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. Tickets available at 729-6000 or on-line at www.mattiekellyartscenter.org

Christmas Outdoor Decorating Contest
The City of Destin Holiday Committee will select the best Christmas decorations in three categories: Best Decorated Home (single homes, duplexes, mobile homes, etc.); Best Decorated Business (restaurants, shops, department stores, schools, professional offices, etc.); and Best Decorated Organization (entrances to condominiums, homeowner’s associations, golf courses, etc.). An additional plaque and category will be awarded for Best on the Harbor.
Judging will be held through Dec. 17 within the City Limits of Destin. Decorations music remain up through Dec. 28.
Winners will be announced Dec. 20 in The Destin Log and will be recognized by the Mayor during the January City Council meeting.
If you think someone’s decorations deserve special attention, call 650-1241 or e mail mwest@cityofdestin.com

Christmas Candlelight Open House
The Wesley House at Eden Gardens State Park is open to the public for tours to show off its holiday finery. An open house will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 20. Ladies and gentlemen in period dress are “at home” in the house to guide visitors through each room.
Eden Gardens State Park is in south Walton County, one mile north of U.S. Highway 98 on County Road 395 in historic Point Washington.

Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops
Several fun activities for children will be available in Santa’s Wonderland. Free Weekend Family Activities will take place from 12 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Customers can get a free 4 x 6 photo with Santa and his reindeer from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 12 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Photo and gift packages will also be available.

Santa’s Workshop
Uptown Station is working with The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge to bring Santa’s Workshop to Fort Walton Beach through Dec. 24.
Children can ride the Uptown Express Train from the train station in Central Park. On arrival at the Workshop, they can write a letter to Santa and post it in the Village Post Office, design an make their own cookie in Santa’s Sweetshop, visit all the Houses in the Gingerbread Village and see Santa’s Workshop. 
All for a $5 donation to ECWR.
For a total donation of $12 to ECWR, kids can construct a toy with the Elves in Santa’s Workshop or for a total donation of $25 to ECWR kids can create their own stuffed bear in Santa’s workshop.
Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge will be running The Elf Training Camp throughout the period. For a donation of $10 an hour, parents can leave their children to take part in fun activities, while they go and shop in Uptown Station.

Pensacola Symphony Orchestra POPS!
The Pensacola Symphony Orchestra’s annual POPS! Celebrate the New Year! will be held at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Dec. 31 at First United Methodist Church, 6 E. Wright Street.
Ticket prices are $40 and $50 and are available at 435-2533 or visit www.pensacolasymphony.com