Take a sleigh ride through Sharon

By The Herald - The Herald

Christmas in Olde Sharon will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday in the western York County community. Hay rides and horse-drawn sleigh rides will be available. Santa will arrive at 7 p.m. by fire truck for pictures and Christmas lists. Food will be sold at several locations in the town. Tours include:

• American National Insurance Office, 3246 York St., been remodeled by Eddie Brimer and Jeff Faris.

• The Brimer home, 2480 Beersheba Road, the residence of Eddie, Donna and Casha Brimer.

• Historic Hill Building, 3303 York St., home of the Sharon Garden Center and Picket Fence Gift Shop and Antiques. Christmas caroling will be at 6:30 p.m. with Faith Baptist Youth Choir from Clover. Refreshments will be available.

• Museum of Western York County, 3716 Woodlawn St., with a tour and music on hammer dulcimers. Antiques and novelties will be sold. Contributions will be accepted.

• Rainey Place, 3628 Rainey Ave., built by John S. Rainey in early 1900. Admission is $5.

• Sharon Scout Hut, 3703 Rainey Ave., which has been newly remodeled.

• Small World Academy, 3714 Woodlawn St.

• St. John Baptist Church, 3726 Woodlawn St., where a tour will be given.

Hay rides will take visitors from one place to another. For details, call 803-927-1927 or 803-927-7525.

Slide show, Christmas story among local events

These other holiday events are planned:

• Bethlehem the Holy, a slide show by photojournalist Skip Schiel, will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday at Oakland Avenue Presbyterian Church, 421 Oakland Ave., Rock Hill. The show is about the current situation in Bethlehem and the 25-foot-high wall being built through the town. Schiel is an international photojournalist from Cambridge, Mass., who has spent several years in the Middle East, focusing on Arab/Israeli relationships. The free program is being sponsored by the church and the Global Mission Committee of Providence Presbytery. For details, call Helen and Bill Guiness at 803-366-7029 or Barbara Kurz at 803-329-7362.

• St. John's United Methodist Church in downtown Rock Hill will host Journey to Bethlehem 2008, a free, walk-through interactive pageant that will feature the living Christmas story. Hours are 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday. The story, to be presented by a costumed cast and crew of more than 500 people on the lawn outside the church, will follow the holy family through the annunciation, their arrival in the city of Bethleham and the birth of the Christ child in a stable on the edge of the town. The event will be presented during the city of Rock Hill's downtown ChristmasVille celebration.

• Chester Little Theatre, 100 Cestrian Square, Chester, presents "Christmas Belles," a play about three sisters who are not in the Christmas spirit, at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The annual First Nighters Christmas reception will take place after the play's Friday showing. A special 3 p.m. performance will be Sunday. Tickets are $8 for seniors and $10 for adults. To reserve tickets, call the theater box office at 803-377-1101.

• Glencairn Garden will host A Story with Santa in the Garden at 10 a.m. Saturday in the garden, 725 Crest St., Rock Hill. Santa will read "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Hot chocolate, cookies, candy canes and reindeer antlers will be provided. Children can have their picture taken with Santa. For details, call Merritt Croom at 803-329-5620.

• The Rock Hill Christmas Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The theme this year is "Always a Kid at Christmas" and the parade will showcase lighted floats. Area 11 Special Olympics athletes will be grand marshals. The parade will start on Oakland Avenue at Winthrop University and travel downtown. For details, check the Web site at www.ci.rock-hill.sc.us.

• The Fort Mill Christmas Parade will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday, with the lineup at 9:30 a.m. on Leroy Street. The parade will continue to Unity Cemetery. For information, call 803-547-2116.