The 12 days of Christmas
1. Kick off the season at the tree lighting ceremony
Join the Hoover community in kicking off the holiday season on Monday, Dec. 1, at 5 p.m. in the main parking lot of City Hall for the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. A Hoover City School choir performs and a student will light the Christmas tree during the ceremony. Santa will make a grand entrance on a fire truck and take pictures with all the children. There will also be a Christmas Sing-a-Long, snow play area, and light refreshments served.
For more, visit hooveral.org.
2. Shop for gifts while supporting wildlife
Shop the Holiday Craft and Bake Sale at Veterans Park on Dec. 13 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.. Enjoy holiday-themed crafts and ornaments, handmade jewelry, gifts with a natural theme, jams, jellies, preserves, baked goods, frozen casseroles, smoked ham and turkey breasts and more. Visit with Santa from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m., enjoy free refreshments and meet glove-trained education birds. All proceeds benefit the Alabama Wildlife Center.
For more, visit awrc.org.
3. Visit Santa at the Riverchase Galleria
Christmas is not complete without a visit from Santa Claus. Through Christmas Eve, visit Riverchase Galleria to get your picture taken with Santa Claus. For extra fun, bring your furry friend on Monday nights through Dec. 15 starting at 6 p.m. for pet photos with Santa. Receive a special Rudolph Activity Pack with the purchase of any Santa photo package on Dec. 3 and Dec. 10.
You can purchase your picture package in advance online. For more, visit riverchasegalleria.com
4. Catch a showing of Elf
Watch Elf at the Hoover Public Library on Dec. 22 in the Library Theatre. This hilarious Christmas film tells the tale of a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts on Christmas Eve and is transported back to the North Pole and raised as an elf. Years later Buddy learns he is not really an elf and goes on a journey to New York City to find his true identity.
For more, visit, hooverlibrary.org
5. Attend a Christmas Lighting Memorial at Star Lake
On Sunday, Nov 30, Starlake Garden Club will host a Christmas Lighting and Memorial for Wayne Thompson, Star Lake’s beloved “Duck Man” who passed away earlier this year. The event will begin at 3 p.m. at the Star Lake pier and will feature Christmas carol singing, led by members of the choir of First Baptist Church of Hoover, followed by dedication of a new park bench in memory of Thompson and his wife, Alyleene, a noted Hoover author. Donations to the Garden Club for Star Lake improvements and beautification projects will be accepted. Donors will receive a copy of Alyleen’s book.
6. See Santa arrive in South Pointe
The South Pointe subdivision of Hoover has been hosting Santa for 20 years this Christmas. He arrives in a fire truck and joins the children for hot cocoa one Saturday in December. Please join the neighborhood to celebrate 20 years of the South Pointe Santa on Saturday, Dec. 13, at the South Pointe clubhouse.
7. See Santa arrive in your neighborhood by fire truck on Christmas Eve
The Hoover Fire Department will be escorting Santa and his helpers around the city on Christmas Eve. This has been a long-standing tradition of the Fire Department for at least 15 years. He will be escorted around the city between 3:30 and 8:30 p.m. trying to reach as many areas as possible. If there is inclement weather, Santa will be at each fire station from 5 to 7 p.m. Also, please remember that all of our fire engines with Santa are on duty. They may have to deviate from Santa duties to respond to emergencies.
For more, visit hooverfiredeparrment.org.
8. Make fun gifts at a holiday gift workshop
Make fun gifts for friends and family at the Hoover Public Library’s holiday gift workshop in the children’s programming room. The event is recommended for first-through third-graders.
For more, visit, hooverlibrary.org
9. Shop for holiday greenery
On Saturday, Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aldridge Gardens will be having a Holiday Greenery Sale. Find bundled greenery for all of your holiday trimmings. There will also be a limited selection of Christmas trees from Mountain Scouts Christmas Tree Sales Association available. The sale will be held behind Aldridge House, on the patio of Roots, the garden and gift shop. Stop in Roots for more holiday shopping, open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more, visit aldridgegardens.com.
10. Catch a show at Moonlight on the Mountain
Head to Hoover’s unique music venue to watch entertaining holidays shows such as a A Celtic Christmas with Jil Chambliss, Don Penzien and Ed Miller on Dec. 18 or Sam Pointer’s Acoustic Christmas on Dec. 6. Also stop in for open mic nights happening throughout the month.
For more, visit moonlighonthemtn.com.
11. Witness the Christmas Spectacular at the Library
Head to the Library Theatre at the Hoover Public Library for a Christmas Spectacular featuring a special presentation from “That Puppet Guy,” followed by a visit from Saint Nick on Dec. 16. Refreshments served. For more, visit hooverlibrary.org.
12. Volunteer at the Garage Giveaway
The annual garage-sale style event, which will take place on Dec. 6 at the Hoover Met, allows those who have a financial need to browse and take home the donations. The event is always in need of volunteers looking to donate their time, money or possessions to the event.
For more, visit garagegiveaway.com.