The town of Brundidge is steeped in Christmas tradition.

Many of the traditions date back 50 years or more. Some traditions are breaking new ground.

On Tuesday, Dec. 2, the city of Brundidge will celebrate the coming of Christmas in the old tradition and the new.

Dixie Shehane, “Christmas in Brundidge” committee chair, said Christmas will be ushered into the city in much the same fashion that it has been in the memory of most residents.

“The highlight of the Christmas in Brundidge will be the lighting of our string Christmas lights that have been a part of Christmas in Brundidge for about 50 years,” Shehane said. “Not many people can remember when these beautiful, old-fashioned lights were not a part of Christmas in Brundidge.”

As the lights show the way to Christmas in the city, the season will also be welcomed with the jingling of bells and the tooting of horns as the 2008 Christmas parade marches down Main Street.

The Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. with lineup at 5:30 in front of Pike PC on North Main Street just across from Colonial Bank.

Entries will be taken up until parade time. Just come and enter.

“We’ll have jingle bells there for the kids that want to participate in the Jingle Bell Jog,” Shehane said. “They will parade with their bells on and then participate in the Jingle Bell Jog later in the program.”

The parade will take a short Main Street route and disband at Salem Baptist Church on South Main Street.

The youth of Salem Baptist Church will present a live Nativity Scene on the church grounds that will bring awareness to the real reason for the season, Shehane said.

Everyone will then be invited to the Bass House for the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree and Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick will make a grand arrival and take a few minutes to speak to all the good little boys and girls on his way back to the North Pole.

Then, it’s off to the We Piddle Around Theater for songs and stories of the Christmas season for children ages 2 to 10.

“The Children’s Christmas Storytelling is something new and we are excited about it,” Shehane said. “There will be a short program for the children that will include Christmas songs led by Lenny Trawick and Henry Everett and a Christmas story surprise.”

Tickets for the Children’s Christmas Storytelling are free but required.

“Seating at the We Piddle Around Theater is limited so tickets are necessary,” Shehane said. “The program will last about 20 minutes.

Tickets may be picked up at Southeast Alabama Gas Company on S.A. Graham Blvd. or reserved by calling 735-2789.

Children must be accompanied by an adult but only one adult will be admitted with each family of children.