Santa’s helper Sherry Lantz read “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” to many of the kids at the Old Fashioned Christmas event at Oakwood Resort last year. InkFreeNews photo by Keith Knepp.

By MARK KNECHT
Guest Writer

SYRACUSE — Old Fashioned Christmas kicks off the Christmas Season Saturday, Nov. 25, at Oakwood Resort in Syracuse. This extravagant event features Santa, 50-foot tree lighting, musical groups, caroling, live reindeer and six live characters such as Frosty, Grinch, Gingerbread Man, all done with the goal of keeping Christ in Christmas. The evening includes a reading from The Gospel of Luke at the historic chapel, live nativity and much more. Sixty volunteers and performers work to make this event the best of its kind in all of northern Indiana.

Here is the schedule of activities:

5:30-6 p.m. — Music groups sing from the stage, including Wawasee High School choir, Vocal Artists of Heartland Sings and Chain Gang Sings. After 6:15 p.m., they will be strolling through the park singing carols.

• 6:05 p.m. — The Grinch throws T-shirts from the stage.

• 6:15 p.m. — Countdown to tree lighting.

• 6:15 p.m. — Audience singalong caroling

• 6:15 p.m. — Park area lighted.

• 6:20 p.m. — All activities open: Santa, reindeer, wagon rides, elf reading and chapel.

• 8:00 p.m. — All activities closed.

A map will be available at the Chautauqua welcome tent, along with a glow necklace. Here’s a summary of where to go:

• Map of activities — blue Chautauqua tent

• Hot Chocolate — Rotary tent

• S’mores — Boy Scouts by a fire pit

• Family Fun Photos — WACF tent

• Kid’s holiday games — Lakeland Youth Center and Syracuse Wawasee Chamber tent

• Horse wagon rides — Bonneyville Carriage in parking lot near event center

• Cookies — by Chautauqua in cookie tent

• Reindeer food — in Syracuse-Wawasee Museum tent

• Elf reading Night Before Christmas — under Event Center veranda

• Santa Claus — under Event Center veranda

• Live nativity — take the path up to Historic Chapel

• Reading of Biblical Christmas story from Luke — in Historic Chapel

• Live reindeer — near a fire pit

Old Fashioned Christmas is a community program with participation from the Town of Syracuse Parks Department, Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Syracuse-Wawasee Historical Museum, Syracuse-Wawasee Rotary Club, Oakwood Resort, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber, Lakeland Youth Center, Milford Christian Church and many local businesses.

The event is free to attend at Oakwood Resort.