Standing four feet high and 400 pounds, with another three or four feet of tined antlers, the reindeer is a sight to behold.  This domesticated creature with a chocolate and white coat usually roams in great herds in the far north, but on Saturday, Dec. 3, you’ll see it outside the Kalona Public Library.

That’s right, Santa may have traded his sleigh in for a fire engine when it comes to transport these days, but that doesn’t mean Comet and Vixen aren’t still pawing the snow around his North Pole estate.  This year, Santa’s bringing them along to Christmas in Kalona.

Live reindeer are just one of the special treats that await you this weekend.  A full lineup of activities will take you from wake-up hot cocoa to wind-down carriage ride when you attend Kalona’s annual event.

If petting Rudolph and passing your wish list along to Santa are your priorities, be sure to be at the Kalona Public Library from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. to meet the reindeer, then head over to the Kalona YMCA for a photo with Santa from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Digital photos will be available online this year, so you won’t have to wait for or carry around printed pics.

For those with a sweet tooth, cider and hot cocoa will be available at both Best of Iowa and Kalona Chocolates downtown from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Over at the YMCA, Kids can decorate a cookie from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a Cookie Walk follows from 1-3 p.m.  Choose a small or large box and fill it with your choice of a variety of homemade cookies for a wonderful holiday treat.

Get started on – or finish up – your holiday shopping downtown and at the Kalona Christmas Market.  Keep kids engaged by picking up a free stocking at the Kalona Chamber, YMCA, or Historical Village, and then collect free goodies from downtown businesses as you shop.  At the YMCA, the Kalona Christmas Market runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Crafters, artists, and vendors from Riverside, Wellman, Kalona, and beyond will have their wares for sale; among the offerings will be baskets, soaps, knives, jewelry, teddy bears, dog treats, and quilted table runners.

Fun activities will be available all day long, from live music and campfires downtown, a Christmas movie at the library, and poured painting at Kalona Brewing Company, to a Christmas tree walk and carriage rides at the Historical Village. 

Finally, don’t miss the golf cart parade at 5 p.m., followed by a sled giveaway by the Kalona Optimists at 5:30 p.m. for an unforgettable Christmas in Kalona.