Saturday: Del Ray Tree Lighting, Santa Visit, Christmas Caroling

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Mark your holiday calendar: The Del Ray Annual Tree Lighting, Luminaries and Visit with Santa will take place this weekend -- Saturday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. sharp at the Pat Miller Neighborhood Square at Mt. Vernon and E. Oxford avenues in Del Ray.

• Be sure to stick around and visit businesses that will be open late for shoppers and offering holiday specials.

(Bill Blackburn and Mike Anderson are donating a 25-foot plus tree and Cathy Puskar is donating work crews to help get the tree up.)

Watch a video from last year's tree lighting here, courtesy of Mango Mike:

Be sure to bring your singing voice to the tree lighting for Christmas caroling with local singer/songwriter Kate Moran as well as the Shrinemonters, and local school choirs including the T.C. Williams High School Choir.

Visitors will get a chance to warm up with some hot chocolate courtesy of Evening Star and Buzz Bakery, take photos with Santa (photos will likely be completed by 7 p.m. so plan accordingly) and admire more than 2,000 luminarias lighting up the Avenue in memory of Nancy Dunning, a popular local real estate agent whose death stunned the community in 2003. Every year since Dunning's death, items are collected in her memory and donated to Carpenter's Shelter.

Bring donations

Please bring any of the following to the Tree Lighting and drop in the marked boxes for Carpenter's Shelter:

• Disposable diapers
• Wash cloths
• Toothpaste, tooth Brushes
• Deodorant
• Razors/shaving cream
• Metro Smart Trip Cards
• Food – canned goods (soup, vegetables, ramen, easy Mac)

Volunteers needed

Please note that volunteers are needed as follows:

• Saturday, Nov. 26 at 1 p.m. to help decorate the Avenue. Meet at Mt. Vernon and E. Oxford avenues.
• Saturday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. to fill and distribute the luminarias (bags with sand and candles) along Mt. Vernon Avenue
• Saturday, Dec. 3 at 4 p.m. to light luminarias
• Saturday, Dec. 3 at 10 p.m. to extinguish and pick up luminarias. Meet at Mt. Vernon & E. Oxford.

To help, email pmiller1806@comcast.net

Decorated trees competition

Decorated trees along Mount Vernon Avenue will be competing for the Best Decorated Tree. Non-profits have done the decorating and will be competing for a cash prize, based on votes. Each tree will have a sign with a number on it. Voters can choose their favorite and vote online beginning Dec. 5 (a link will be provided when voting begins). Voting will be open until 5 p.m. Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and the winning nonprofit will receive $500 from the Del Ray Business Association.