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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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OK, now it’s time for Christmas season

Santa and Mrs. Claus appear inside a floating boathouse at Casco Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene Tuesday evening as boats from Coeur d'Alene Cruises pass by. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)
From Staff Reports The Spokesman-Review
Santa and Mrs. Claus appear inside a floating boathouse at Casco Bay on Lake Coeur d'Alene Tuesday evening as boats from Coeur d'Alene Cruises pass by. (Jesse Tinsley / The Spokesman-Review)

Santa has been loitering in malls for a good week now, but the holiday hoopla begins in earnest today.

Coeur d’Alene will christen the season tonight with a downtown parade and fireworks display, followed by the lighting of a Christmas tree – the world’s tallest living one, they say – and a giant light show outside the Coeur d’Alene Resort.

For an enchanting break from the shopping frenzy, free horse-and-carriage rides begin this afternoon in downtown Spokane and Saturday in downtown Coeur d’Alene.

Intricately decorated Christmas trees go on display today at the Davenport Hotel and Coeur d’Alene Resort – benefits for the Spokane Symphony Orchestra and Kootenai Health.

And Santa Express, the Spokane store where children can shop for inexpensive gifts, begins its month-long run today as well.

If you have any energy to spare after digesting the Thanksgiving spread and pawing through Black Friday bargain bins, here’s the lowdown on these holiday treats:

“The Coeur d’Alene Downtown Association holiday parade starts at 5 p.m. tonight at 8th Street and Sherman Avenue. It will last about an hour. Afterward, revelers will gather at Independence Point and outside the resort for the fireworks display over the lake and start of the Holiday Light Show, featuring more than a million lights on 225 displays.

“Santa Express, a holiday retail store for shoppers ages 4-12, opens at 10 a.m. today on the skywalk level of the Crescent building on the corner of Main and Wall streets in downtown Spokane. Proceeds benefit Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, a shelter for children at risk of neglect or abuse. The store will be open daily through Dec. 23. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Gifts are priced from 50 cents to $7.50, and will be wrapped.

“Christmas Tree Elegance, the Spokane Symphony Orchestra benefit, begins with free viewing of 12 trees on the Davenport Mezzanine, 10 a.m.-9 p.m., and continues through Dec. 8. Details: www.spokanesymphony assoc.org.

“Festival of Trees, sponsored by the Kootenai Medical Center Foundation to expand critical care facilities, runs through Monday at the resort. It starts today, 5-9 p.m., with the Friday d’Lights tree viewing. Details: www.thefestivaloftrees.com.

“Free horse-and-carriage rides to view lights and holiday decorations in downtown Spokane, originating at the corner of Main Avenue at Wall Street, start today and run through Dec. 24. Sponsored by Spokane Teachers Credit Union and Downtown Business Improvement District. Fridays, 3-8 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays, noon-5 p.m.; Dec. 24, noon-3 p.m.

“STCU also will provide free horse-drawn wagon rides in downtown Coeur d’Alene, beginning at First Street and Sherman Avenue, on Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 5 p.m.