Morton has multiple seasonal events planned in December for its citizens.
The season will start off with a parade of lights on Dec. 3, presented by the Morton Lions Club. Alex Arellano, president of the club, said it’s the third year the city is holding the event, but the first year that the Lions are hosting it.
For the parade, attendees can watch all kinds of vehicles – pick-ups, lawnmowers, cotton harvesters – drive through the city, decorated with lit-up Christmas lights.
Participants of the parade will line up their vehicles at Strickland Park at 6 p.m. The parade will begin around 6:30 p.m., driving to loop around the city’s courthouse and return to the park.
“It helps bring the Christmas spirit back to Morton and everybody gets to have fun decorating their cars or whatever to run them through town,” Arellano said. “It just is a lot of fun.”
During the parade, the Lions Club will be selling chili, cornbread, cocoa and coffee at Morton’s senior citizen center from 5:30-8 p.m.
Arellano said they like to have the event around local businesses, as senior citizens can sit and watch the parade even though the weather will be cold.
“We line up with local businesses and everything when they’re doing events to bring more business to their side, and also just try to get people out and about,” Arellano said.
Next to the courthouse, floral and gift shop Butterfly Kisses will be hosting an open house from 59 p.m. the same day. The informational flyer revealed that special guests Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be at the shop at 6 p.m.
Arellano said kids will be able to take their pictures with Santa at the open house.
People participating in the parade of lights are asked to not have Santa in their vehicles.
Arellano said the Lions Club has multiple events and programs for Morton throughout the year, some of them in collaboration with the city.
“Being such a small community, we like to have stuff for the kids to come and for everybody to just come out and have family time, and just be able to say hi and create some community spirit,” Arellano said.
Another one of the events the club has, a pancake supper, will be held on Dec. 12.
Arellano said it used to be a fundraiser, but now it’s more for the community.
The Lions Club works with the local school for their Christmas pageant, and pancakes will be served while the kids preform. Arellano said they make sure everybody attending is fed.
Other Morton organizations will be holding their own open houses during the season.
On Dec. 4, the City of Morton will hold their Christmas open house from 2-4 p.m. at the Morton City Manager building.
The informational flyer details food, drinks and door prizes for attendees of the event.
Arellano said City Bank Morton will have their open house on Dec. 11.
Information about the events can be found on the organizations’ Facebook pages.