Published November 28, 2018

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — It’s the most wonderful time of year.

The town will ring in the holiday season in style on Saturday, Dec. 1, when the Country Store, Tree Lighting Ceremony and Gingerbread House Contest return to town and the first annual Lynnfield Recreation-sponsored Light Up Lynnfield contest makes its inaugural debut.

The Lynnfield Historical Society will transform the 1714 Meeting House into the 56th annual Country Store at 9 a.m. The highly anticipated event raises funds that are used to maintain the Meeting House throughout the year.

Santa Claus will be making his first appearance in town during the Country Store at 10:45 a.m. and will be arriving by Lynnfield fire truck. Parents are encouraged to drop by the Country Store with their children and snap a few photos.

The Country Store will be selling a variety of different items such as seasonal decorations, food and gifts. The seasonal decorations that will be for sale include swags and wreaths, and the Village Home and Garden Club will be selling decorated trees once again. The food that will be for sale includes Vermont Cabot Cheese, ham and bean dinners, homemade baked goods, popcorn, jelly and jam. Mrs. Claus’ Snacks and Lunch Kitchen will be selling food as well.

Townspeople will be able to purchase a variety of gifts during the Country Store. Children and adults will be able to do their holiday shopping at Santa’s Five and Dime, where attendees can pick out gifts for their friends and family and have them wrapped on site. The Centre Club will be holding its annual lottery contest at the Country Store as well. Colby Properties is once again sponsoring Santa’s North Pole Fishing Hole and there will be a tree ornament making station as well.

The Country Store will stay open through the Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Tree Lighting Ceremony

Lynnfield Recreation’s Tree Lighting Ceremony, which is one of the town’s biggest events, will begin at 3 p.m. on the Town Common on Dec. 1.

Santa Claus will make his second stop in town around 3 p.m., and will continue his annual tradition of spreading holiday joy to Lynnfield children. The Priestley’s Fine Art Photography will be taking complementary pictures and parents can bring their own cameras as well.

The community sing-a-long, led by the Lynnfield High School Tri-M Music Honor Society and local Girl Scouts, will begin at 4:15 p.m. A member of the Board of Selectmen will welcome attendees to the ceremony at 4:30 p.m. and will help light the trees on the Town Common.

Gingerbread House Contest

Lynnfield Recreation is also hosting its 14th annual Gingerbread House Contest at Centre Congregational Church from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Dec. 1.

Gingerbread House Contest participants are required to follow these rules.

• Participants are encouraged to use their imagination when creating gingerbread houses.

• In authentic categories, entries must be made from gingerbread using only food materials.

• Kits are allowed, but imagination is encouraged to make each gingerbread house look different.

• Accessories such as little plastic animals and trees are allowed, but participants are encouraged to keep them to a minimum.

• Individual entries must be on a base no bigger than 12”x12.”

• Group/family entries must be on a base no bigger than 24”x18.” Any larger sizes must be on two separate boards, and participants will be required to pay for two entries.

• Gingerbread houses must be dropped off between 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30 at Centre Congregational Church.

• All entries must be picked up by 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1.

Gingerbread houses that are not picked up will be thrown away, and the clean up deposit of $25 will be charged to the participant’s account. All gingerbread houses need to be picked up through the rear entrance of the church on the parking lot side.

Lynnfield Recreation will present awards to the winners in the following categories: Most Original theme, Best Authentic Construction, Most Creative Use of Materials, Favorite Story Book, Best Replica of a Notable Building, Best in Show, Best Holiday Spirit, Group Best, Family Best, Best Sports Theme, Best Adult (age 18-99); Best Teen (age 14-17); Best Youth (age 10-13) and Best Child (nine and under). The winner of the Viewers’ Choice Award will be voted on by all of the contests’ participants.

The entry fee for a 12”x12” gingerbread house is $10. The entry fee for a 24”x18” gingerbread house is $20. The entry fee for a combination of sizes is $25.

In order to register for the Gingerbread House Contest, residents should visit www.lynnfieldrec.com.

If residents have any questions about the Gingerbread House Contest, call Recreation Director Julie Mallett at 781-334-9488 or send an email to jmallett@town.lynnfield.ma.us.

Light Up Lynnfield

The first annual Light Up Lynnfield Contest will give residents the opportunity to showcase their holiday spirit by entering their decorated homes into the contest.

“This has been a frenzy for some reason,” said Mallett said during the recent budget summit.

Residents are required to register for the Light Up Lynnfield contest by Wednesday, Nov. 28. The categories are the “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” inspired Clark W. Griswold, Creative Use of Lights and Neighborhood Participation. Townspeople should visit www.lynnfieldrec.com in order to register a home for the Light Up Lynnfield contest.

After residents sign up, participants’ addresses will be added to the contest’s map.

The contest’s entries will be judged on Thursday, Nov. 29 and the winners will be announced on Friday, Nov. 30.

After the Tree Lighting Ceremony concludes on Dec. 1, Lynnfield Recreation will be holding a trolley tour around town so residents can view the contest’s participating houses. The trolley tours are sold out.

“People on the trolleys will be voting for the People’s Choice Award,” said Mallett.