Festivities begin at 2 p.m. and last until 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. Courtesy photo

This year’s Christmas in the Park celebration at the Murphy City Hall Complex will start earlier in the day than last year, beginning at 2 p.m. and lasting until 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.

A holiday market with vendor booths will offer seasonal snacks and a variety of unique and handmade Christmas gifts for every age.

Santa will be on hand until 5:45 p.m. for pictures and to take verbal orders from youngsters. Visitors will also be able to submit letters to Santa, vets and service members.

CoServe will sponsor Winter Wonderland-themed inflatables, there will be an ice-skating rink, families can gather around fire pits to roast marshmallows for sticky s’mores and lovers of the board game Candy Land can play a life size interactive version with live characters Princess Lolly, Mr. Mint, Gramma Nutt and King Kandy.

Created in 1948 by polio patient Eleanor Abbott, the board game consists of a winding, linear track made of 134 spaces. No strategy is involved since players don’t make choices; only follow directions.

Aqua Tots Murphy will sponsor a Reindeer Food Bar, live reindeer will be on hand from 2:30-5 p.m. and Primrose School of Breckenridge Park will help kids to create ornaments and lighting of the city’s Christmas tree by City Hall Pond will take place at 5:45 p.m.

On-site parking is available throughout the City Hall complex lot.

As part of their annual toy drive, members of the Murphy Fire Department will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for boys and girls to benefit the Collin County Advocacy Center. They can also accept cash donations at the event.

New unwrapped toys can be dropped off from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fire Department foyer until Friday, Dec. 6.

The Fire Department will also be escorting Santa around town atop a fire engine, starting Monday, Dec. 9.

Santa will be visiting neighborhoods from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., except Sunday, and his helpers will distribute candy to the crowds. He asks parents to accompany small children to keep them safe as the fire engine passes by or stops briefly.

Murphy residents can track his progress on an interactive map available at www.murphytx.org/480/Santas-Ride.

The city’s first Jingle Jog 5K & 1-Mile Reindeer Dash will be held Saturday morning, starting at 8:30 a.m. for the untimed Reindeer Dash followed at 9 a.m. for the timed 5K.

The awards ceremony will be at 9:45 with prizes for the overall top three male and female finishers – as well as the top three male and female runners 12 and under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70-up.

All participants receive a long-sleeve shirt, a finisher medal, a jingle bell and bib.

Registration is $25 and there is a link on the city’s Facebook page: facebook.com/cityofmurphy.

Packets may be picked up from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2 to Friday, Dec. 6, at the Murphy Community Center, 205 N. Murphy Road. Packets will not be available on Saturday, Dec. 7.

Also Saturday, Wylie is hosting its annual downtown Arts Festival from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on North Ballard Avenue.

Proceeds benefit the City of Wylie Public Art Program.

The annual Wylie Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting begins on Ballard Avenue at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, followed by the lighting in Olde City Park.

The CPKC Holiday Express, formerly KCS, returns to Wylie from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, at the Oak Street crossing on Birmingham Avenue.

Visitors can meet Santa Claus and walk through the three-holiday train cars. The event is free, open to the public and no tickets are required.

The restored Southern Belle passenger train that pulls the Holiday Express into town. The Southern Belle provided luxury service between Kansas City and the Gulf Coast region from 1940 to 1969.

For more stories about the Murphy community see the next print, or digital edition of the Murphy Monitor. Subscribe today and support local journalism.