The spirit of Christmas has begun to sprinkle the streets of Oakdale, thanks to the efforts of A Small Town Christmas committee and a team of volunteers.

This past weekend, community members gathered to help A Small Town Christmas Event Coordinator Ami Poncabare and her team divide and conquer placing Christmas decorations throughout the city.

“When we were kids, it was magical here. We didn’t know any different,” Oakdale Chamber CEO Cher Bairos shared. “The windows were painted; there was different stuff going on. Ami really brought me back to that the other day. So, this was her vision, of course for everything. To continue that, to have it like it was when we were little kids. When we were growing up here.”

Poncabare shared the idea for the decorated streets first came to her a few years back when driving into town. Recalling what Bairos shared, the magic of the streets decked out in lights, decorations and windows trimmed in holiday spirit.

“As a kid, that left an impression for me,” Poncabare said. “It was a very sensory connection for me.”

So through the help of a small army and a few years of buildup, 2025 aims to be the most decorated that the streets of Oakdale have been in quite some time.

“I’m just a piece of the puzzle” Poncabare humbly stated, making note of all the volunteers who worked to build, paint and place the Christmas décor. “There are many pieces to this puzzle. So many people have helped in the background. Cutting wood, doing all the different things that people don’t know about or hear about. I would feel remiss if we didn’t extend a thank you to individuals that have participated.”

Yet the decorations are just the beginning of the community celebration of the Christmas holiday season. On Saturday, Dec. 6, A Small Town Christmas will take over the community by way of events including: holiday workshops, downtown shopping with extended shop hours and street vendors, photo ops, a parade and a tree lighting.

“We want our community to engage and participate in some way,” Poncabare said of the day packed with events.

Both Ike Loa and Roberts Ferry Gourmet will host holiday workshops on that Saturday. While Ike Loa’s Mini-Candle Making is already sold out, it’s important to note the Small Town Christmas they have produced in the event’s honor. For the second year, the small business has worked with the event to sell a commemorative candle with all proceeds going to A Small Town Christmas. Roberts Ferry Gourmet will host Cindy Lou’s Holiday Wreath Workshop at 10 a.m. Advance registration is required and may be completed at smalltownchristmas.co

One of the many photo ops which will be around town includes a vintage holiday truck which will be set up in front of The Shoppe on 3rd Avenue. The photo op will be available between the hours of 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

“It’s important to know it’s a fundraiser,” Shoppe owner and Small Town Christmas Marketing Coordinator Mindy Van Til said. “We don’t make any money on that at The Shoppe; all the money goes back to Small Town Christmas.”

Organizers share money raised via sponsorship of décor, the Ike Loa candle, photo op proceeds, as well as donations, all go toward covering expenses, future decorations and varying costs. A Small Town Christmas is a project of the Oakdale Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit.

“All the candy cane sponsors, the artificial tree displays, that money raised is specifically allocated to how we can invest more into the Christmas decorations,” Poncabare said, adding that there are still some sponsorship opportunities for community members who might be interested.

“The idea is with the fundraising money we get, we’ll be able to expand those types of things,” she continued, of the larger displays sprinkled throughout town. “We have five or six new things.”

Also happening downtown on Dec. 6, The Reata will host The Grinch Experience from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and the ladies of Foxy Designs have worked hard to coordinate vendors, as well as downtown businesses, to bring back the 17th Annual Old Fashioned Downtown Christmas on North Third Ave.

Downtown Christmas on First Avenue hosted by Momma’s Closet will also be happening that day. Both events will be conducted from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Aiming to be an event for the entire family, A Small Town Christmas will also include a ‘Charles Dicken Christmas’ hosted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Story Books and Toys on South Second Avenue.

Just as this event winds down, families can make their way to either line up to participate in or get comfy and await the Annual Christmas Parade hosted by Oakdale Chamber of Commerce.

Line up for the parade begins promptly at 4 p.m.; the parade starts at 5 p.m.

“They can go to smalltownchristmas.co and sign up there for the parade and to volunteer,” Bairos said, noting the deadline to sign up for parade entry will be Dec. 3.

“They must enter through Oak to Walnut,” she continued of parade entries. Bairos further encouraged participants and attendees to visit the website to review the route.

Rounding out the event and formally launching the Christmas season will be the tree lighting at Wood Park at 6 p.m., which will once again be presented by Community Hospice and Health Services.

“The core really is about creating lifelong memories. But the subsequent piece of that is it does wonders for our local economy,” Poncabare said of watching the efforts of the team’s labor come to fruition. The Small Town Christmas team works all year planning and coordinating the season’s events. “What I think was unintended, but is super advantageous and important is, it really is to help our local businesses and support our community.”

As for what makes them most excited, Bairos, Poncabare and Van Til can hardly contain their anticipatory joy.

“Seeing all the new families that are going to come out,” Bairos shared. “You can drive through town a couple times a day and you’re going to see different stuff going on.”

“I think the nice thing, is there’s something for everyone,” Van Til said of the varying events. “I think that’s the overarching excitement about it all.”

“It really truly is about just seeing people enjoy and have that feeling when they walk away,” Poncabare concluded. “I hope that people feel touched in their moment, whatever that connection is. Where they feel the centric Oakdale grassroots environment. We really are a significant community. We are small, but mighty. I hope people recognize that everything we do here is intentional for them to enjoy.”

For additional information on A Small Town Christmas events, the parade, sponsorship or to volunteer, visit www.smalltownchristmas.co