The first Saturday in December is always a magical time in downtown Lynchburg as our bustling small town transforms into a winter wonderland. The air smells like fresh baked cookies and Santa, Mrs. Claus, elves, reindeer, and even The Grinch lurk around every corner.

Here are our five “don’t miss” things happening on Saturday.

1| Special Christmas Postmark at the Lynchburg Post Office • If you’ve got holiday cards to mail out, bring them on down to the Lynchburg Post Office and mail them with a special unique Lynchburg postmark. This happens only once each year during Christmas. This year’s special postmark also pays tribute to the Lynchburg Bicentennial and Sesquicentennial. The Lynchburg Post Office can accept cards to be hand-postmarked and mailed on Saturday as well as everyday this week.

2 | Lynchburg Christmas Parade • The annual Christmas Parade happens on Saturday and this year there will be an additional opportunity to celebrate the Lynchburg Sesquicentennial. Metro Mayor Bonnie Lewis is looking for 150 folks to carry red flags in the parade … one for each year Moore County has been in existence. The parade line-up for decorating and judging begins at 12:30 p.m. in Wiseman Park. The parade begins at 2 p.m. Send a message through Facebook, call, or text 931.580.3238 to pick the year of your flag.

3 | Breakfast with Santa • Santa will be in and around Lynchburg on Saturday and you can eat breakfast with the jolly man himself at the MCHS Project Graduation Pancake Breakfast with Santa beginning at 8 a.m. at the Lynchburg Masonic Lodge. The cost is $7 in advance (by tickets from any MCHS senior) or $8 at the door. Photos with Santa with also be available for an additional fee.

4 | The FCE Cookie Sale • It’s no secret that the women of Moore County can bake y’all. Every year the Moore County Family and Community Education (FCE) ladies show up and show out during their annual Christmas Cookie Sale inside the IBIS Building. Let us give you a hint: Get there early because they will run out. The sale starts at 9 a.m.

5 | Shop Local and Earn a Collectible Ornament • Not only will all the local, small businesses be open on Saturday but there will also be two additional unique opportunities to buy local during Christmas in Lynchburg. The Lynchburg 200/Moore County 150 Committee will sell commemorative cookbooks, t-shirts, and poster at the Lynchburg Events Center. There will also be a Christmas in Lynchburg Arts & Crafts Fair featuring lots of handmade local items like art, clothing, gifts, and baked goods. If you shop local, save your receipts. If you spend $50, you’ll earn a free 2021 Lynchburg Collectible Ornament that will be available for this one day only. Just go to the Lynchburg Events Center to claim for ornament while supplies last.

There will also be a Trees of Christmas display, free buggy rides, a Goat and Dog Christmas Costume Contest, Clogging by Just for Clicks, and a Children’s Bell Choir performance at the Gazebo. If you’d like to see a complete schedule of everything happening this weekend visit the Christmas is Lynchburg Facebook Page by clicking here. •

{The Lynchburg Times is the only independently owned and operated newspaper in Lynchburg, Tennessee. We cover Metro Moore County government, Jack Daniel’s Distillery, Nearest Green Distillery, Tims Ford State Park, Motlow State Community College, Moore County High School, Moore County Middle School, Lynchburg Elementary, Raider Sports, plus regional and state news.}