For new residents of Big Sandy, you might want to know why it's called the Jim Rettig Christmas Stroll. Jim was the owner of the Big Sandy Mountaineer and was an active community leader. He invested a lot of time and effort into Big Sandy. He established the Big Sandy Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture and served as president and as a board member for many years. Jim had an incredible giving spirit, which was enriched every year at Christmas. He was known to many in Big Sandy as the King of the Christmas Stroll and Parade of Lights. Even this year, as I was putting out Christmas lights on the Mountaineer building, I was asked if I was only going to put up one string of lights. That is because Jim honestly had a "Griswold" (lots of lights) on the front of the Mountaineer. After his passing from cancer, the Christmas Stroll was renamed the Jim Rettig Christmas Stroll.

Breakfast with Santa is held in the Mint Family room starting at 8:30 and ends at 10:00. Santa has generously agreed to spend a considerable amount of time with the children in the area. It's busy, so as you wait for breakfast, which costs five dollars a plate, your children can visit with Santa. Bring your camera to take pictures of Santa. Each child will be given their own personal Christmas present. Every child that comes to breakfast will be entered into a special drawing for the huge Christmas stocking stuffed with prizes.

The downtown bazar starts at 9:00 at both the Big Sandy Museum and the Big Sandy City Center. After you buy your gifts, the Sunshine Snippers 4-H Group will have a table where they will wrap your presents for a donation. The bazaar runs from 9:00 AM to 4:00.

The Big Sandy Senior Center is open at 9:00 for a bake sale. They will also be selling spaghetti dinner starting at 11:00 until 2:00

The Big Sandy Mountaineer has an open house with Grinch Cake and Christmas Punch. You will have an opportunity to say what you would like to see in the paper in the future.

During the day, you can enjoy yourself at the local bars, which are all involved with Christmas Cocktail Throw Down. Peps is serving Salty Celebration; The Mint is serving Grinch Grasshopper, and Diamonds 4 U is serving Jingle Juice. The rules for the Throw Down is on a passport you can get at any of the bars. To vote, you must get a stamp from every bar.

The Parade of Lights starts at 5:30. Awards are going to the top three with a people's choice award sponsored by the Mint.

The purchase of your buttons pays for next year's stroll, with the support of a gift certificate from Valley Furniture for the adult grand prize. The button drawing starts as soon as the parade is over.

For the first time, there are awards for the best Christmas Charater costume contest. It will start at the beginning of the button drawing at 6:00. A total of $1,300 will be awarded to the varies age groups. Adult, high school, grade school, all prizes are sponsored by local businesses.