The annual Christmas in the Hills celebration in Hot Springs begins tonight, highlighted by the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree at the Evans at 6:00 and the Journey of Lights Parade at 6:30. This year’s theme is “White Christmas.”

Starting things off from 4:30 to 6:00 will be the Italian dinner at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, followed at 5:00 by the arrival of Santa and Mrs Clause at the The Evans…where the Sandstone Singers will lead everyone in caroling.

Then at 6:00…it’s the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree at The Evans, helped by music from the Hot Springs High School Les Chanteurs.

The Journey of Lights Parade also starts at 6:00, but at the South Dakota State Veterans Home before making its way downtown. Grand marshal is Pat Coffield, who was selected for her contributions to the area. The parade will be followed by a soup supper fund raiser at the United Churches for a Haiti medical mission.

Tomorrow, Christmas in the Hills offers the Crafters’ Marketplace from 9-4 in the Mueller Civic Center with vendors who make a variety of beautiful high-quality gifts and products by hand. Admission is $1, but gift wrapping is free for all purchases.

Capping off the day will be community caroling in the Mueller Auditorium, with the admission a donation to the local food bank. On sale throughout the day and evening at the Mueller will be tickets to Sunday’s Christmas Tea at the Pine Hills Retirement Community at 1:00, followed by the Tour of Homes.

Six homes are on this year’s tour, including four built in the 1890s and one that is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Tour is included with a ticket for the Tea.