Parades? Gingerbread houses? Tree lightings? How do you get in the holiday spirit?

Winter holiday activities in Whatcom County offer everything from simple crafts for children to displays of fantastical gingerbread houses, lighted parades and historical representations of Christmases past.

Celebrations start with special activities the day after Thanksgiving in Fairhaven, followed by other popular events, including the annual Olde Fashioned Christmas and the Port Fest, then wrap up with the Note of Thanks, a post-Christmas activity at the Bellingham Public Library that allows children and families to create original cards that show appreciation for gifts received during the holidays.

Olde Fashioned Christmas

Pioneer Park in Ferndale, which features a dozen buildings representative of life in the late 1800s, comes alive every Christmas with a yuletide theme.

Buildings such as a post office, one-room schoolhouse, private homes and church are decorated for the season and staffed with volunteers dressed in period costumes

You’ll find Santa Claus, holiday-themed craft activities, cookies baking in the ovens, horse-drawn carriage rides and refreshments.

Olde Fashioned Christmas is 5-9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30; 1-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for children (free for age 1 and younger).

Lighted Christmas parade

Lynden celebrates the holidays with a nod to its rich Dutch heritage, featuring a Lighted Christmas Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 1. Activities include a breakfast at the community center, a visit from Sinterklaas at the Inn at Lynden, and a a day-long Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt.

It culminates with a 6:30 p.m. lighted parade of lighted fire trucks, tractors, cars, floats, wagons and farm equipment starting at the Fairgrounds on Front street and traveling down Front Street to Third Street.

Lynden Chamber of Commerce is the main organizer: lynden.org, 360-354-5995.

Holiday Port Festival

Along with the Old Fashioned Christmas, the Holiday Port Festival is one of Bellingham’s most iconic and beloved events.

A three-day festival features performances by local choirs, bands and dancers – plus a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

But the highlight is the annual gingerbread house competition, which offers quaint, whimsical and sometimes spectacular creations. Designs sometimes feature local and regional activities and architecture, such as the Space Needle in Seattle or the Whatcom Museum’s Old City Hall galleries.

Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in Fairhaven. Details: portofbellingham.com, 360-676-2500.

Lighted Boat Parade

Bellingham Yacht Club’s annual Lighted Boat Parade, a festive cruise from Squalicum Harbor to Fairhaven, starts at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1. Good vantage points are Boulevard Park, Taylor Dock or other sites along the shore that offer a view of Fairhaven Bay.

Deck the Old City Hall

Whatcom Museum’s annual Deck the Old City Hall, featuring decorated trees, will be on display from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from Nov. 23 to Dec. 30 in the Rotunda Room of the Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St. Admission is by donation, and proceeds are used to support museum exhibitions and programming.

Details: 360-778-8930, whatcommuseum.org.

Let’s make presents

Library branches in the Whatcom County Library System feature one-hour Let’s Make Presents programs for children to make simple gifts such as bookmarks throughout December. These free programs are geared toward children from kindergarten to fifth grade, and all materials are provided. Details: Search under “events” at wcls.org.

Movies, crafts, Note of Thanks

▪ Bellingham Public Library offers its annual workshop to craft a card or message expressing gratitude for gifts received during the holiday season or for any occasion, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 27.

▪ A drop-in winter crafts project for ages 4-12 is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 19, in the lecture room. All supplies will be provided.

▪ Winter movie matinees, featuring new release movies, are 2-4 p.m. on Dec. 17-18, Dec. 20-21, Dec. 26 and Dec. 28 in the lecture room. All ages are welcome. Call 360-778-7200 for movie titles.

Stories for the season

Bellingham Storytellers Guild is planning a “Ladders to the Moon” multicultural event to celebrate the winter solstice and seasonal holidays, said the Storyteller’s Doug Banner.

“It’s a real nice mix of music and stories of the times,” Banner said.

Performances are on the third Friday of the month. The Storytellers are moving to a new performance venue and the location hasn’t been finalized, he said. Check the group’s Facebook page for details.

Winterfest in Fairhaven

Winterfest in Fairhaven features Father Christmas in the Gazebo and other locations around the seaside shopping district starting Friday, Nov. 23.

Tree lighting is 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 24 at the Village Green.

Santa’s Mailbox is at the Village Green through Christmas and Santa may respond to some of the letters, if contact information is provided.

Saturday activities from Dec. 1 to Dec. 22 include horse-drawn carriage rides, a holiday market and entertainment by Bellingham Circus Guild, Bellingham Showstoppers, Opus Performing Arts and Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth.

Details: fairhavenwinterfest.com

Fairhaven Fa La La Caroling Competition is 3-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 at the Village Green.

The dates of the port festival were corrected Nov. 30, 2018.

This story was originally published November 24, 2018 at 8:00 AM.