Contributed by Sandi Mulconry / Group M Communications

Ladies and Gents Nights Offer Sales and Specials:
What better way to spend an early December evening than gathering with friends and family to sing Christmas carols, strolling to the Gazebo for a tree-lighting, warming up with hot chocolate, and then attending openings at local art galleries?

Or, over the coming weeks, taking advantage of sales and specials designed specifically for local residents?

During Skaneateles Sings, Ladies Night and Gents Night, community members will have a unique opportunity to celebrate the season, while enjoying the beauty of the village’s Victorian Christmas.

Skaneateles Sings gets under way at the library at 6 p.m. Dec. 4, with Father Christmas and Mother Goose greeting children, reading stories and posing for photos. At 6:30 p.m., the Rev. Mark Luscombe of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church will dedicate the crèche in a candlelit ceremony.

Other highlights of the evening include caroling to the Gazebo with the Dickens characters and Girl Scouts, lighting of the Christmas tree at the Gazebo, and an open house at village stores. Following the tree-lighting, Girl Scouts will serve refreshments at the United Methodist Church, 26 Jordan St., where children can pick up a free gift and enjoy a magic show by John Henry Anderson, Wonderful Wizard from the North.

New this year is a coloring contest for children 12 and under. The deadline to enter is Nov. 23; online voting will take place Nov. 25-Dec. 2 at http://www.skaneatelesjournal.com. Winners in two categories—ages 6 and under and 7-12—will be announced at Skaneateles Sings and each will receive a $50 savings bond.

Skaneateles Sings is sponsored by KeyBank and organized by the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Skaneateles Garden Club. Media sponsor is the Skaneateles Journal.

Also taking place that evening from 6 to 9 p.m. will be an opening reception for “The Beauty Is in the Details,” an exhibition of works by ceramic artist Sarah Panzarella and printmaker James Skvarch, at Imagine That…., 38 E. Genesee St., and a First Friday holiday celebration at Skaneateles Artisans, 11 Fennell St.

Special attractions during Ladies Night (Dec. 10) and Gents Night (Dec. 17) include:

• 20 percent off sales by participating merchants, including Creekside Books & Coffee, Imagine, Imagine That…., Skaneateles Town Square, Echo Off the Lake, Fleur-de-lis Florist, Paris Flea, Gallery 54, Pomodoro, Pomodoro Too, Skaneateles Furs, 5 on Jordan and Vermont Green Mountain Specialty Co. Newspaper coupon is required; see specific stores for details.

• free gift wrapping at most locations

• coupons for free drinks, with purchase, redeemable that evening at the Sherwood Inn, Mirbeau Inn and Spa, or Creekside Books & Coffee

• personal shopping assistance

• refreshments

• free parking

• raffle drawings (one each night) for an overnight stay, breakfast and spa treatment for two at Mirbeau, valued at $650

Ladies Night and Gents Night are sponsored by the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We look forward to seeing everyone at these community celebrations,” says Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Susan Dove. “Skaneateles Sings will provide a night of family fun to mark the beginning of the season, while Ladies and Gents nights are a great time to shop with a few of your friends, have some fun, and support the local economy. And, if you can’t find that perfect gift, Skaneateles Chamber gift certificates are always a hit.”

For more information, go to http://www.skaneateles.com or call the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce at 685-0552.