The holiday season is fast approaching and, with it, a proliferation of ceremonies, parades, festivals, concerts and open houses.

Area communities were invited to submit their holiday happenings, which follow:

ALGONA

Monday: Live Greeting Card Windows, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Thursday: Rotary Turkey Trot 5k & 1 Mile Run/Walk registration at Veterans Park Shelter House, 8 a.m.

Thursday: Community Thanksgiving Dinner at Rochleau Center, noon.

Friday: Santa Claus Day – Santa arrives at his home at the State 5 Theatre at 10:30 a.m. Visit with Santa from 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 1: Algona Nativity Scene

Dec. 6: Santa’s Family Workshop at First United Methodist Church, 1 to 3 p.m.

Dec. 7: Cornbelt Chorus Christmas Concert at Rochleau Center, 2 to 4 p.m.

Dec. 13: Visit Santa at State 5 Theatre, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Dec. 13-14: Algona’s Christmas House, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dec. 15: Algona’s Christmas House, 4 to 8 p.m.

Dec. 18: Visit Santa at State 5 Theatre, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 20: Visit Santa at State 5 Theatre, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

BODE

Dec. 13: Santa Claus Day, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bode Community Center.

BURT

Dec. 5: Library open house, 3 to 5:30 p.m.

Dec. 6: Christmas Crazy, 3 to 5 p.m.; lighted Christmas parade, 5:30 p.m.; dinner, 5:30 to 7 p.m.; dance, 7 p.m.

Dec. 12: Security State Bank open house, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CALLENDER

Dec. 6: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Christmas Fair, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

CLARION

Thursday: Thanksgiving dinner sponsored by the Clarion Ministerial Association, noon.

Dec. 6: Jingle Jam Kids Shoppe, Clarion Public Library, 9:30 to 11 a.m.; free holiday merchant movie at the Clarion Theatre, 11 a.m.

Dec. 13: Free holiday merchant movie at the Clarion Theatre, 11 a.m.

Dec. 20: Free holiday merchant movie at the Clarion Theatre, 11 a.m.

Dec. 22-24: Holiday shopping hours, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

DAKOTA CITY

Thursday-Dec. 31: Dream Carriage rides begin every hour, 5 to 9 p.m, except Christmas, 601 Main St., Dakota City.

Monday-Jan. 1: Hillside Spectacular, 202 Second St. S., Dakota City.

FARNHAMVILLE

Dec. 20: Holiday gathering at the fire station, 2-4 p.m.

EAGLE GROVE

Dec. 6: Pictures with Santa, 2 to 4 p.m., Security Savings Bank

Dec. 6: Tree lighting, 5 to 7 p.m., United Methodist Church.

Dec. 6: Sip N Stroll, 2 to 4 p.m., downtown.

Dec. 13: Breakfast with Santa at Eagle Grove Library, 9 to 10 a.m.

EMMETSBURG

Dec. 5: Emmetsburg Retail Association’s Home for the Holidays event; lighted parade, 6 p.m.; Santa, horse-drawn hayrides and open house at Emmetsburg Fire Hall.

Dec. 6: Santa’s Secret Workshop at Holy Family Parish Center, 9 a.m. to noon.

Dec. 17: Emmetsburg Catholic School Christmas Concert, 7 p.m.; Christmas Bible School, First United Methodist Church, 5 to 8 p.m.

Dec. 21: Hospice tree lighting, Palo Alto County Health System lobby, 5 p.m.; Sunday school nativity program, First United Methodist, 10 a.m.

Dec. 24: Christmas Eve church service, First United Methodist Church, 8 p.m.

Dec. 25: Christmas Day church service, First United Methodist, noon to 3 p.m.

FORT DODGE

Today: King Ringers Concert, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 4 p.m.

Dec. 1: Holiday on Central, 5:30 to 7 p.m., tree lighting across from Trolley Center.

Dec. 6-7, 12-14, 19-21: Lights at Kennedy, John F. Kennedy Memorial Park campground, 6-9 p.m.

Dec. 7: Fort Dodge Area Symphony Home For The Holidays concert, Fort Dodge Middle School, 3 p.m.

Dec. 19-20: “The Nutcracker,” Hawkeye Community Theatre, 7 p.m.

Dec. 21: “The Nutcracker,” Hawkeye Community Theatre, 2 p.m.

Dec. 21: Fort Dodge Choral Society presents Christmas Lights, First United Methodist, 3 p.m.

GILMORE CITY

Dec. 6: Winter Fun Day, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Craft fair with special appearance by Santa Claus at fire station; Firemen’s Luncheon, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; lighting contest winners announced, 1 p.m.; chili and soup supper at fire station 5 to 7:30 p.m.; tree lighting at Gazebo Park with carolling, 5:30 p.m.; Parade of Lights, 6 p.m.

GOWRIE

Dec. 5: Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone open house; Security Savings Bank open house; Heartland Bank open house.

Dec. 6: Gowrie United Methodist Women Christmas Coffee and Bazaar, 8 to 11 a.m.; Community Women’s Club Tour of Homes, Community Center, 1 to 4 p.m.; Macke Gowrie open house, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

HARCOURT

Dec. 20: Santa Arrives, Lost Grove Community Center.

HUMBOLDT

Saturday to Dec. 25: Methodist Church Christmas Tree Walk.

Nov. 28 to Dec. 22: Kiwanis Christmasland, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., weekends after Thanksgiving, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

As weather permits, Downtown Plaza Ice Rink.

Dec. 20: Fort Dodge Choral Society presents Christmas Lights, Faith United Methodist Church in Humboldt

LAKE VIEW

Dec. 6: Tour of Homes.

Dec. 13: Candyland Christmas, American Legion Hall, Bake sale, 2 p.m.; Santa Claus will give out treats, 3-5 p.m.; Carriage rides, 3-4 p.m.; Free soup supper 5-5:30 p.m. 20 games of Bingo will be played after the soup supper.

LOHRVILLE

Dec. 5: Kickoff to Christmas events, lighting of Christmas tree, with Santa and helpers at Public Library afterwards, 5:30 p.m.; Lohrville Ambulance Service soup supper at Public Library, 5:30-7 p.m.

MANSON

Dec. 7: Hometown Christmas, 1 to 3 p.m.

SAC CITY

Today:?Holiday open houses

Dec. 1: Kids Day at the Sac City Public Library with an Ornament Workshop at 1 p.m.

Dec. 2: Kindergarten through fourth grade Elementary Concert at Sac City at 7 p.m.

Dec. 5-11: Sac City Public Library’s Scholastic Book Fair.

Dec. 3: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church supper, 5:30 p.m., Advent Service at 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 4: Chamber-Main Street Making Holidays Happen Lighted Christmas Parade, 6 p.m; Santa’s Castle at Tea with Lillian, 519 West Main St., following parade.

Dec. 4 – Jan. 5: Avenue of Lights at Chautauqua Park – open nightly from 5 to 10 p.m.

Dec. 6: Santa’s Castle at Tea with Lillian, 519 West Main St., 10 a.m. to noon.

Dec. 7: Tree Lighting Memorial, Farber & Otteman Funeral Home, 2 p.m.

Dec. 11: Winter Program is at the Sac County Conservation Center in Hagge Park, 6 p.m., preregister by calling (712) 662-4530.

Dec 12: Library’s Wee Reads Christmas Party, 10 a.m.; United Bank of Iowa Holiday Open House, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dec. 13: Kids World’s Breakfast with Santa, 8 to 10:30 a.m.

Dec. 16: Ambassador’s Christmas Party at Sac County Cattle Company.

Dec. 21:United Methodist Church Children’s Christmas Program at 10:30 a.m.

Dec. 24: United Methodist Church Candlelight Christmas Eve Services, 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.; First Presbyterian Church Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, 7 p.m. St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Candlelight Christmas Eve Service, 5 p.m., Children’s Christmas Program, 7 p.m.; Resident Christmas Party, Park View, 2 p.m.

Dec. 25: St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Christmas Service, 9 a.m.

STRATFORD

Dec. 6: Lion’s annual holiday soup lunch, Stratford Evangelical Lutheran Church, 11:30 a.m.; Santa Lucia pageant, Stratford Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2 p.m.

Dec. 7: Christmas program, McGuire Bend United Brethren Church, 10:30 a.m.

Dec. 11: Stratford Community School Program, 6 p.m.

Dec. 14: Stratford Evangelical Lutheran Church Christmas program, 10:30 a.m.; inaugural Stratford Community Progressive Christmas Story, 4:30 p.m., Stratford Evangelical Lutheran Church, Calvary Methodist Church, First Baptist Church of Stratford.

TITONKA

Dec. 13: Christmas in Titonka, 9 a.m.

WEBSTER CITY

Dec. 6: Holiday Monthly MarketplACE at ACE, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Webster City Community Chorus 28th Annual Holiday Concert, 7:30 p.m..

Dec. 7: Webster City Community Chorus 28th Annual Holiday Concert, 3 p.m.

Dec. 13: Christmas at the Bridge, 9 a.m. to noon.

Dec. 14: Trinity Lutheran Children’s Christmas Program, 11 a.m.