Christmas, Hanukkah Events In The Medford Area

MEDFORD, NY — There is no shortage of things to do in the Medford area to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Tree and menorah lightings in the Medford area are:

• Dec. 3 in Bellport: There's Breakfast with Santa and a tree lighting later.
• Dec. 4 in Brookhaven: The Brookhaven Fire Department's tree lighting.
• Dec. 18 in Bellport and Patchogue: Menorah lightings

Christmas parades — often complete with Santa Claus, festively decorated floats and marching bands — are a holiday tradition, both nationally and locally.

Several big parades are taking place this year, including the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Parade in Baltimore City, Maryland; and the Christmas Boat Parade in Newport Beach, California.

Parades in the Medford area may not be able to match those in size, but the heart behind them is just as big. Parades to catch here at home include:

• Nov. 26 in Patchogue: A showing of "The Polar Express, a visit with "Santa Claus," and the Christmas Parade will follow later in the evening.
• Dec. 3 in Bellport: The annual Christmas parade
• Dec. 10 in Medford: Christmas parade

Correction: An earlier version of this story mentioned the Target Holidazzle Parade in Minneapolis, which is not a parade but rather a collection of holiday-themed events.