Bay City Tribune

Bay City's Downtown Merchants Association will help bring in the holiday season on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6-9 p.m. and on Nov. 22 from 1-5 p.m. with Christmas Around the Square.

The Matagorda County Museum will also offer their Christmas gift to the community that evening when they open their doors free of charge for a special night of viewing the Christmas exhibits.

The festivities will begin with the community Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on the courthouse square.

The community is invited to gather on the north side of the courthouse to help countdown the lighting of the courthouse tree and Christmas light display.

Vicki Head, Bay City Downtown Merchants Association vice chairperson, said the city and county have partnered with the merchants this year to provide a cohesive and beautiful holiday décor around the square.

"We have worked with the city and the county to have a spectacular light display around the courthouse and the downtown shops this year," she said.

Following the lighting of the community tree each of the downtown shops will host an open house where each will offer delicious holiday treats for shoppers as they browse.

One of the highlights of Christmas Around the Square each year are the special sales and discounts offered in the stores for Christmas shoppers.

Head said each year Christmas Around the Square garners new fans that return again and again.

"People really enjoy it and count on it as one of their holiday activities every year," said Head.

The Merchants Association works hard to make it a festive event that means more to the community than just a night of shopping.

Throughout the evening local choirs and bands will set up to entertain the crowds with fun Christmas tunes.

The museum's front lobby exhibit theme this year is "Gifts of Christmas' Past" and the festival of trees features about 45 decorated Christmas trees from a good cross-section of the community.

Barbara Smith, Matagorda County Museum director, said the front lobby display will make people of many ages reminisce on their childhood Christmas' with the display of popular toys from the 1930s though the 1980s.

"It really has a way of taking you back to your childhood when you see it," said Smith.

The exhibit features items such as a 1954 erector set, Barbie dolls from the 60s, and some of the first Carebears ever to hit store shelves among others.

Last year over 350 people visited the museum during Christmas Around the Square, taking the opportunity to view the many Christmas trees decorated by elementary school classes, businesses, civic organizations, families and other community groups.

"It's always a very festive time of the year in Bay City," said Head.

"We hope everyone will come out and join the festivities in our stores."