DEBORGIA – The old schoolhouse in DeBorgia will be alight with holiday cheer Thursday evening at the town’s annual community Christmas celebration.

According to John DuBois, one of the event’s organizers, this is the fourth year for the event. The evening is expected to be full of revelry and fun as community members come together to enjoy the evening’s holiday treats.

“It’s very old fashioned, very hokey,” said DuBois. “But it’s wonderful.”

The evening will begin with a bonfire in a field out front of the schoolhouse where people can toast marshmallows, sing Christmas carols and enjoy the warm fire as a community. As the evening wears on, the festivities will move inside where more carols will be sung along with performances by students from the St. Regis Public School.

DuBois said music would be performed by students from the high school. In previous years, students have played band instruments for the event.

“There may be some instrumental work,” said DuBois. “Last year, [the kids] played their saxophones.”

There will also be choir singing directed by Derek Larson, music teacher at the St. Regis school. However, for some the highlight of the evening may come from another source.

There will be a special visitor to the festivities. Santa Claus himself will arrive at the schoolhouse by fire truck for part of the evening. According to DuBois, Santa has decided to take time out of his busy schedule to visit the community for a little while. He saw how good the kids of Mineral County have been this year and decided to make a special visit.

DuBois said Santa’s arrival would be heralded by the fire truck’s lights and the scream of sirens as the engines approach. He said the spectacle was a lot of fun and a sight to behold.

Santa is expected to bring cookies and take some time to hear what kids want for Christmas. This is a part of the evening, which is open to both kids and those who are kids at heart.

“The kids can be whatever age,” said DuBois. “If they consider themselves a kid at 55 or 65, we enjoy having them.”

According to DuBois, the event has been advertised all around the county, reaching east to Superior and west to Haugan and Saltese. He said the Schoolhouse Foundation’s goal was to get as many kids to the event as they could.

While the weather forecasts predict the area to warm up some before the event, the possibility of snow exists. DuBois was not concerned and said there were no plans to change anything in the evening should a storm move in.

In fact, DuBois would almost welcome snow as it adds to the ambiance of the event. He recalled how at last year’s event it began snowing and Santa’s arrival through the snowfall made for a perfect picture of the season.

“If it snows, it just makes the magic better,” said DuBois. “I don’t think we’d change things at all.”

The event will take place from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 7 p.m. Thursday, December 12 at the old schoolhouse in DeBorgia. Cookies and hot chocolate will be provided at the event, courtesy of the Happy Homemakers. DuBois expects the event to be a lot of fun and hopes the community will enjoy it.

“We just want to bring as many people out as we can and just enjoy an old fashioned good time,” said DuBois.