Now that the Thanksgiving Day leftovers are nearly finished, the next holidays are just around the corner. And nothing will get you into the spirit of giving faster than the Holiday Festivities in the Norwich Square!

The festivities take place on Thursday, December 7, from 4pm–7pm on the Norwich Green. Admission to the celebration is free for all, including non-residents of Norwich. 

Read on for details about what this year will entail.

Local stores and restaurants will open their doors for three hours of special deals and holiday cheer. For example, the Norwich Bookstore will be celebrating the start of the season with 20% off books storewide and 30% off selected featured cookbooks. 

This is a family-friendly event—the Norwich Public Library will be hosting a free screening of Despicable Me 3 from 6–7:45 so kids will be well entertained while parents do some shopping.

Many local stores will open their doors for an evening of tasting, sampling, and holiday shopping. Consider bringing reusable shopping bags to save on plastic and paper. Also, consider bringing along a group of friends. Make it a gals’ or guys’ night out on the town, with shopping followed by dinner at any of the local restaurants such as Carpenter and Main or the Norwich Inn.

You might even make the Holiday Festivities in the Norwich Square a date night for shopping for presents. These not-to-be-missed sales will allow you to get some of your holiday shopping out of the way well in advance of the rush. The variety of shops taking part also means you’ll find gifts for just about everyone on your list. Watch for books, clothing, gourmet food items, and homewares and decorative crafts, and you may be able to wrap it all up in one festive and fun evening.

The decorations alone make this event worthwhile. Look forward to glistening walkways and light-bedecked trees lining the green. This event marks the start of the holiday season with all its trimmings. Candlelit walkways will guide you from one shopping establishment to the next and will light up the wares of every store you enter. Refreshments will be served, and you can look forward to enjoying the holiday glow with many residents of the Upper Valley as they cherish the season of giving together.

So this year, skip the bundles of items you were considering in your online shopping lists at large, corporate websites. Instead, head to Norwich on December 7 and purchase special, more meaningful gifts that will have an important impact on the local economy. Give back—not only to your family members and friends but also to your neighbors and their entrepreneurial efforts and endeavors. When you shop locally, you can be sure about the origins and quality of your purchases, and you’ll feel great knowing that your dollars will remain in your community to strengthen it and ensure its vitality.