Children of all ages throughout LaSalle Parish have been busy during the first of December as they prepare for Christmas.
Throughout the parish, houses are decorated inside and out, and Christmas events are being held from schools to churches as the countdown to Christmas Day is underway.
This weekend, the biggest celebrations of them all will take place as the Jena and Olla nighttime Christmas Parades will roll through each town.
The Jena Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Friday, December 13, and will travel from east to west on US 84 through downtown Jena.
The Olla Christmas Parade will also begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, and will travel from north to south on Front Street (LA 125).
Parade organizers are expecting many floats and marching units involved in the parades with Santa Claus being the main attraction in each parade.
Many children attended the LaSalle Parish Library’s Cookies with Santa event held last Thursday, December 5. Along with visiting with Santa Claus, the children enjoyed cookies and drinks and also constructed a craft.
Tomorrow night, December 12, the Town of Urania’s annual Christmas in the Square event will take place beginning at 5 p.m., where Santa will be on hand to visit with children. There will also be live music and a free photo booth.
Another Cookies with Santa event will take place this Saturday, December 14 in Olla at the Centennial Cultural Center from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Also this coming Saturday is the second annual Christmas in the Park which will be held at the Ward 10 Recreational Complex just south of Jena, from 12-9 p.m. The event is free and will feature vendors, arts and crafts, photo backdrops, a Wild Horse Ministry demonstration, trackless train rides, hayrides, inflatables, a s’mores station, fireworks and more.
Saturday will also be the date of the first-ever Jena Mini-Christmas Festival set at Kinley’s Kottage in Jena from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Over 30 booths will be set up for last-minute Christmas gifts, along with treats, face painting and children’s games. Photography sessions for holiday themed photos will also be available.
Many churches will also be conducted special Christmas plays or cantatas in the coming days, including Olla First Baptist Church hosting “A Night in Bethlehem” on Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22, from 6-8 p.m., Christmas Caroling at Eden Chapel on December 22 at 4 p.m., and Sanctuary Family Worship Center in Jena will present their Christmas play, “The Not So Silent Night”, on Wednesday, December 19, at 6:30 p.m.
Parish residents can also find many places in the area to view beautifully decorated homes, some of which are flashing in sync to Christmas music.
The annual Christmasville, located just north of Jena on LA 459 (Aimwell Road) is in full operation, featuring a drive-thru Christmas lighting features. Jena residents might also be interested in stopping by Ace Family Hardware to view their light show. Most of the Christmas light shows operate after sunset each day.
Many more events, including school Christmas parties, are set for this month. Check out the Community Events page for more information.
