RING IT IN

WASILLA — Santa Claus, hayrides, hot cocoa, gingerbread houses, Christmas tree decorating — it’s hard to come up with a yuletide base the city’s weekend celebration hasn’t already covered.

Bethany Buckingham, curator of the Dorothy G. Page Museum in downtown Wasilla, said that the event, the Wasilla Community Christmas Celebration, is usually a big draw.

“We usually get about 400 people every year. It’s one of our biggest events of the year,” she said. “There’s a lot of preparing for it.”

This year, Buckingham said, she’s praying for good weather on Saturday. She’s gotten it the last couple years, but prognosticators have her worried.

“They’re like, ‘it’s supposed to be ice and sleet,’ I’m like, ‘that’s fine, it can happen after 5,’” she said. “Just make sure everybody gets home O.K.”

So, the list of things to do:

• Children’s activities and crafts

• Hayrides around the historic town site

• Decorating the city Christmas tree

• Hot cocoa, cider and cookies

• Photos with Santa

• Gingerbread house competition

• Art exhibit

• Tree lighting ceremony

The event is free and runs 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday.

The art exhibit is a yearly event with submissions from the community. One year featured dozens of drawings from kindergarteners.

“That was neat to have that plastered on our walls,” she said.

Another year there were submissions from high school students.

Submissions are due Friday at the museum and the requirements are that they be holiday themed and 12 inches by 12 inches in dimension, or 12-by-12-by-12 in the case of sculptures.

The name of the show? 12 x 12 Days of Christmas.

“It’s kind of changed every year, that’s why I don’t know what we’re going to get,” she said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Wasilla Community Christmas Celebration

WHERE: Dorothy G. Page Museum, downtown Wasilla

WHEN: Saturday, Dec. 3, 1:30 to 4 p.m.