County Christmas events kick off this week

It’s early December in Custer County, which means Christmas events are plentiful. A number of those events will take place this weekend, beginning Friday.
The fun begins at Custer Senior Center Dec. 5 from 8 a.m. to noon when the center hosts its annual cookie and candy walk.
Saturday’s events begin at 9 a.m. with the opening of the Santa’s Village Craft Fair at the Custer Jr./Sr. High School commons and gymnasium. This is an opportunity to shop for Christmas gifts through local vendors and businesses, and concessions will be available. There will be hourly door prizes, and there are pictures with Santa from 10 a.m. to noon.
At 9:30 a.m. the children’s Candy Cane Hunt will be begin, which will take place at Custer Elementary playground. Custer Senior Center will host a Christmas concert at 2 p.m. Saturday featuring the Sandstone Singers. The center will have an open house at this same time, and refreshments will be served. Good Karma, along with Quilted Buffalo, Deep Creek Gallery and Our Quilty Things will also host open houses Saturday.
The 1881 Courthouse Museum will host a holiday open house Saturday from 4-6:30 p.m. where visitors can tour the museum for free, enjoy refreshments in the courtroom and do some shopping in the museum book store.
The annual Christmas Parade will take place at 5:30 p.m., and will travel from Washington Street west down Mt. Rushmore Road to Fourth Street. It will be followed immediately by the lighting of the Juanita Fish Memorial Tree at Way Park.
There will be a Reindeer Building Scavenger Hunt Dec. 6. Children can stop at the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce booth at the Santa’s Village to get a game card that tells them businesses to visit downtown where they will receive  reindeer parts. Visit all the businesses to receive all the reindeer parts and build your reindeer by Dec. 12 to be entered into a drawing for a large stocking full of gifts. Game cards can also be found on the chamber’s website.
The Hills Finest will host a gift wrapping fundraiser through Dec. 21. Participants can bring their gifts to the store at 26 S. 6th St. to have the presents wrapped. The wrapping is donation only, and all proceeds will go toward the annual July 4 fireworks display. Those interested in helping or donating can call Michelle at (605) 517-5588. Wrapping times are 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
Custer Care & Rehab Center is sponsoring an “Adopt A Resident” program through which you can grab a tag from the tree at the facility and shop for that person. Presents must be dropped off by Dec. 19.
Custer Senior Center is hosting a Christmas raffle, and tickets can be purchased at the senior center. The drawing is Dec. 15, and participants will have a chance to win a pair of $50 Lynn’s Dakotamart gift cards, a $25 Ace Hardware gift card, a deluxe travel game set, red and black oven mitts, crocheted pot holders, a bottle of Prairie Berry Wine, two wine glasses and other miscellaneous items.
On Dec. 11 the 58th annual Christmas Tea will be held at 2 p.m. at Custer Community Church. Featured speaker is Mary Kettl with “Stories for the Season, Mostly True.” The event will also feature instrumental and vocal music by area musicians. Tea and cookies will follow.
The 34th annual Christmas for Kids is Dec. 13 from noon to 3 p.m. at the Custer Jr./Sr. High School theater. This event is for Custer County children up to 10 years old.
If you would like to donate to this event, assist in toy purchases or have any questions, contact Corey or Jana Virtue at custerchristmas4kids@gmail.com or at 605-890-0458.
First Interstate Bank will wrap up the Christmas events in Custer with an open house Dec. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Hermosa also has plenty of events planned, including the Hermosa Arts & History Association Christmas Carnival Sunday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hermosa School. There will be games from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and photos with Santa and Mrs. Santa. The event will also offer soups, breads and desserts for a free-will donation as well as a craft fair.
There will be a chili cookoff and bake sale Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. at 122 Vilas St. It is $25 to enter the cookoff. To reserve a table or participate in the cookoff email austinrylee1001@yahoo.com.
Children can meet Santa from 3-4:45 p.m. at the community center, and the lighting of the town tree will take place at 5 p.m. between the town office and post office. Dan and Deb Holsworth will provide hot chocolate.
This will be followed by a parade at 6 p.m., with lineup on Whitney Street. Email your entry to austin
rylee1001@yahoo.com.
Also on Dec. 13 is “Operation Blessing,” where clothes, toys and household items will be given away, sponsored by Christ’s Tabernacle. The event will be at the Beef Building of the Custer County Fairgrounds and will include chili, cookies, coffee and hot cocoa from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Argyle Volunteer Fire Department, 12000 Mountain Lion Lane, will host its annual Christmas Craft Market Dec. 19-20 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be handcrafted items of all kinds for people to purchase, and all 5 percent of all sales will be donated to the fire department.