Like the frosty air that signaled the change in seasons, the Village of Montgomery’s Olde Fashioned Christmas, an annual celebration held last Saturday, signaled December’s looming holidays as residents stuffed their faces with sweets, jammed out to jolly music, and enjoyed each other’s company.

Members of the Montgomery Fire Department and Boy Scout Troop 31 opened the day with their tree and wreath sales from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. At 9:30 a.m., attendees participated in a 4-mile race across the village, with proceeds going towards the Montgomery Community Funds, Toys for Tots and Valley Central families in need of support.

“I think it’s a great idea. Montgomery is a small town, and everyone comes together and celebrates before Christmas,” said Patrick Legare, a volunteer firefighter and boy scout, giving his thoughts on the Olde Fashioned Holiday.

Between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., the Montgomery Montessori School hosted a vendor fair on Clinton Street, spotlighting local businesses and giving residents shopping options galore. The Knights of Columbus, an organization of Saint Mary’s Church, joined the mix at 3 p.m. and offered free snacks and hot cocoa.

“We love it. Our director organized the fair,” said Alex Scotto, a member of the Montgomery Montessori School.

Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., members of the First Presbyterian Church sold homemade soup to raise funds for the building’s maintenance, including cream of crab, winter vegetable and seafood chowder. The church also hosted a Live Nativity around 3 p.m.

“I love it, it’s nice to get away from phones and trends and go back to something more familiar,” said Marge Elkin, one of the church’s volunteers who sold soup.

The Montgomery Village Museum opened its doors between 3 and 5 p.m., offering visitors plentiful desserts and displaying special decorations for the occasion. Skip Chambers, the owner of Chambers’ Tractor Sales, drove residents around the village on his hay wagon, starting near the museum.

“It’s my first time here, everyone’s friendly. If it was a little warmer, it would be nicer,” said Catherine Murphy Maione, a vendor who sold her oil paintings at the fair.

From 2 to 4 p.m., Valley Central Middle School and High School students performed at the village hall and filled the air with several classic Christmas songs. Musician Kevin Cronin followed up with more holiday songs from 4 to 5 p.m.

Around 2:30 p.m., children screamed in delight as they saw Santa Claus whirl by on a fire truck. At 3 p.m., Santa toured the vendor fair on foot and settled down at the village’s bandstand, where he took photos with children and their families.

“I like the location, town, and it’s a nice little community. I prefer this over the bigger stuff,” said Anthony Nemeth, a vendor of Nemeth Orchards, who sold cider and baked goods.

The day wound down around 4 p.m. when members of the Montgomery Montessori School roasted marshmallows and ate s’mores with attendees. The celebration reached its climax at 5:15 p.m. when the village hall’s tree, previously leafless and barren, shined bright blue and illuminated the area. Attendees cheered and children ran across the village hall’s lawn, concluding another successful Olde Fashioned Holiday.