You better not shout and you better not cry this Holiday Season! Mayor Craig A. Moe and the Department of Parks and Recreation have put together some great virtual events for December!

In spite of the pandemic, Laurel Parks and Recreation staff will be bringing you 24 Days of Season’s Greetings to help make the holiday season cheerful in a safe, CDC-compliant way.

Following are a just a few of the events in store for you throughout December:

• December 1^st – Get in the spirit and decorate your house! The Holiday Decorating Contest is on and nominations need to be in by December 11^th. Nominate a neighbor or business by calling 301-725-7800 or emailing [email protected].
• December 7^th – The Laurel Armory will be illuminated virtually this year on Monday, December 7^th at 5:30pm, so be sure to like and follow the City of Laurel’s Facebook page, City of Laurel – Government – to watch!
• December 9^th – Make an appointment for Paws and Claws photo session with Santa! Get your pet in their best holiday garb and come down to the Laurel Armory, 422 Montgomery Street, for a picture of Santa with your pet. Photo area will be outside and CDC guidelines of social distancing and mask wearing will be in place. To make an appointment, call 301-725-8088.
• December 10 – Help celebrate Hanukkah by sharing your favorite recipe! Laurel Parks and Recreation will be posting some holiday recipes you can try.
• December 11 – Challenging all our residents to create a Holiday Ornament! The ornament is due by 8:00pm on December 11^th and all of our residents’ ornaments will adorn the City’s Christmas Tree in the lobby of the Laurel Municipal Center. Drop your ornament off at the Robert J. DiPietro Community Center, 7901 Cypress Street, or the Laurel Armory, 422 Montgomery Street.
• December 13 – Santa will be in the parking lot of the Robert J. DiPietro Community Center on December 13^th from 10am – 1pm and you can drive through and wave to him and receive a sweet treat. Be sure to bring your holiday wish list so he can take it back to the North Pole with him!
• December 21 – Paint a holiday-themed piece of art for Virtual Paint Night! Cost is $15 for a session and an additional $35 for the art supply kit. If you go to https://tinyurl.com/PRSeasonsGreetings, you can register and see the different paintings you can create! There will be a class at 5:00pm and one at 7:00pm on Monday, December 21^st.

Check out the calendar above and you’ll find other holiday treats like a Holiday Scavenger Hunt, Hot Cocoa nights, recipe swaps and more!

Mayor Moe says, “Though the holiday season will be celebrated differently due to the continuing fight to stop the spread of the virus, we have to remember we are in this together and we must rise above. By working together and creating these moments of fun, we can ensure a safe and joyous holiday season for our families.”

To find out more about these safe, social distancing events, visit the Laurel Parks and Recreation webpage at https://tinyurl.com/PRSeasonsGreetings. This page details what is happening each day, so get ready to have some fun!