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Santa waves from his sleigh as he marks the end of Downtown Odessa and the City of Odessa Parks & Recreation Department’s Parade of Lights Saturday night in Odessa.
(Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
Santa waves at a child as they pass by his chair while taking photos with families Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Odessans watch as the Christmas tree is lit at the opening of Starbright Village presented by First Basin Credit Union Thursday at McKinney Park. (Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
High school bands from across West Texas perform with Andrews High School Band in the Andrews Christmas Parade down Main Street Friday in Andrews. The Andrews High School band was involved in a fiery Nov. 19 crash that left its band director Darin Johns and longtime retired teacher Marc Boswell dead.(Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
A member of the LA Roller Girls circles the new Rink N’Roll skating rink during its grand opening ceremony Saturday morning at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Marcia Dalager decorates her gingerbread house with shredded wheat shingles as she take part in Spirit and Truth Church’s Gingerbread Extravaganza Saturday morning at the West Texas Food Bank. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Traffic drives past Starbright Village’s new Christmas light displays Tuesday night at McKinney Park. This years new addition to the Christmas light attraction portrays a firework display of varying colors. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
Santa reaches out to high five a young boy as he greets the crowd waiting for his arrival via helicopter Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
An Aero Care flight medic helps Santa climb out of their helicopter as he arrives for the festivities Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Bryler Ross, 2, and his sister Alyria Ross, 3, play underneath a snowman light display Friday night at McKinney Park’s Starbright Village. The seasonal attraction presented by First Basin Credit Union will remain open nightly from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. through January 6. Admission for Starbright Village is free and visitors can either chose to walk or drive through the attraction that features over 300,000 lights across 80-plus lighted displays. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
A young girl peers from the rear passenger window of a car driving through McKinney Park’s Starbright Village Friday night in Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Students that participate in the People Pride, Inc. scholarship program sing Christmas carols after the reading of the story of Christmas Tuesday at Calvary Cross. The scholarship program encourages students to maintain good grades, attendance and behavior during their elementary and secondary school educations. Those that are successful have an opportunity to receive a full scholarship to a state university. (Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
Santa poses for a photo with the Reyes family while sitting for family photos Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Chuck Wagon Gang member Lane Wilson, left, watches as families arrive for Santa’s landing the morning of Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021 at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
(Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Mark Know Flowers general manager Tom Williams decorates the Odessa Chmaber of Commerce’s Christmas tree Tuesday afternoon in downtown Odessa. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Yesenia Yarman, left, and her husband Beau walk with their children Matthew, 4, center left, and Heaven, 2, center right, as they look at Christmas light displays Friday night at McKinney Park’s Starbright Village. The seasonal attraction presented by First Basin Credit Union will remain open nightly from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. through January 6. Admission for Starbright Village is free and visitors can either chose to walk or drive through the attraction that features over 300,000 lights across 80-plus lighted displays. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Starbright Village lighting display includes over 300,000 lights and feature 80-plus lighted displays at the opening night of Starbright Village presented by First Basin Credit Union Thursday at McKinney Park. (Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
Odessans walk through lighting displays at the opening night of Starbright Village presented by First Basin Credit Union Thursday at McKinney Park. Starbright Village's lighting display includes over 300,000 lights and feature 80-plus lighted displays (Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
Andrews High School Band performs in the Andrews Christmas Parade down Main Street along with bands from across West Texas Friday in Andrews. The Andrews High School band was involved in a fiery Nov. 19 crash that left its band director Darin Johns and longtime retired teacher Marc Boswell dead.(Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
A Jeep in the Andrews Christmas Parade drives down Main Street with a billboard that reads "Andrews Strong" Friday in Andrews. The Andrews High School band was involved in a fiery Nov. 19 crash that left its band director Darin Johns and longtime retired teacher Marc Boswell dead.(Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
The Grinch rides a Honda Grom in the Andrews Christmas Parade on Main Street Friday in Andrews. The Andrews High School band was involved in a fiery Nov. 19 crash that left its band director Darin Johns and longtime retired teacher Marc Boswell dead.(Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
High school band students from across West Texas perform in Andrews Christmas Parade to honor Andrews High School Band Friday in Andrews. The Andrews High School band was involved in a fiery Nov. 19 crash that left its band director Darin Johns and longtime retired teacher Marc Boswell dead.(Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
Visitors walk past Starbright Village’s nativity Christmas light display Tuesday night at McKinney Park. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
Starbright Village lighting display includes over 300,000 lights and feature 80-plus lighted displays at the opening night of Starbright Village presented by First Basin Credit Union Thursday at McKinney Park. (Jacob Ford|Odessa American)
Decorator Stephanie Lopes helps decorate one of the winter wonderland trees on display at Music City Mall as they prepare for the holiday season Tuesday afternoon at Music City Mall. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
A dog named Kio looks out from the bed of their family’s truck as they drive through Starbright Village’s Christmas light displays Friday night at McKinney Park. The seasonal attraction presented by First Basin Credit Union will remain open nightly from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. through January 6. Admission for Starbright Village is free and visitors can either chose to walk or drive through the attraction that features over 300,000 lights across 80-plus lighted displays. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Landon Padilla, 8, holds out his plate of pancakes for his mother Michelle to pour syrup over as they attend the Pancakes with Santa event Saturday morning at Grace Christian Fellowship. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Kendall Smith, 6, right prepares to take a bite of pancakes as she attends the Pancakes with Sanat event with her family Saturday morning at Grace Christian Fellowship. The event featured free pancakes, pictures with Santa, a mock snowball fight and arts and crafts. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Santa, portrayed by Ralph Banegas, listens to Willow Goins, 6, as she tells him her Christmas wish Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at Grace Christian Fellowship. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Wyatt Cross, 7, left, and his brother Oakley, 9, look at model trains as they travel by in the Museum of the Southwest’s Trains and Trucks event Saturday afternoon in Midland. Saturday the museum hosted an open house featuring a gingerbread house workshop and Trains and Trucks which showcased classic cars, industrial vehicles and the museum’s model train depot. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Brigette Thoma, center, builds gingerbread Christmas trees with her sons Kyler, 7, left and Kian, 11 at the Museum of the Southwest’s gingerbread workshop Saturday afternoon in Midland. Saturday the museum hosted an open house featuring a gingerbread house workshop and Trains and Trucks which showcased classic cars, industrial vehicles and the museum’s model train depot. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Jinna Garza, 5, whisper into her father Travis’ ear as they pick out candy to decorate their gingerbread house with Saturday afternoon at the Museum of the Southwest. Saturday the museum hosted an open house featuring a gingerbread house workshop and Trains and Trucks which showcased classic cars, industrial vehicles and the museum’s model train depot. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
A small Santa blends in among tiny pedestrians in the Museum of the Southwest’s model train depot Saturday afternoon in Midland. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
A model Thomas the Tank Engine ravels around the Museum of the Southwest’s model train depot during their Trains and Trucks event Saturday afternoon in Midland. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Christian Costilla and Savannah Archuleta look at model trains as they travel by in the Museum of the Southwest’s Trains and Trucks event Saturday afternoon in Midland. Saturday the museum hosted an open house featuring a gingerbread house workshop and Trains and Trucks which showcased classic cars, industrial vehicles and the museum’s model train depot. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Jeremy McGraw and Kelly Mortensen watch as their son Finn McGraw, 5, talks with Santa, portrayed by Craig Griffith, Saturday afternoon at the Museum of the Southwest in Midland. (Eli Hartman|Odessa American)
Blue Santa, portrayed by Ector County Independent School District Officer Matt Gonzales, waits to hand off a present to Kaitlyn Kirk, second from right, and her daughter Zaeli Fletcher, 6, as he delivers gifts to families in need with the ECISD Police Department Friday afternoon at the Marvin Gardens Apartments. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
Blue Santa, portrayed by Ector County Independent School District Officer Matt Gonzales, hands a present to Kaitlyn Kirk, center, and her daughters Zaeli Fletcher, 6, left, and Zohei Fletcher, 4, as he delivers gifts to families in need with the ECISD Police Department Friday afternoon at the Marvin Gardens Apartments. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
Ector County Independent School District Police Officer Jonas Anzures, left, and student crime stoppers hand deliver gifts to the Kirk family as they spread the Christmas cheer by providing Christmas presents for families in need Friday afternoon at the Marvin Gardens Apartments. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
Bralea Loffler, second from right, prepares a cup of hot chocolate for her daughter Eleanor, 6, during Crossroads Downtown’s Christmas party Wednesday evening at Crossroads Downtown Campus. The free event hosted by Crossroads Downtown Campus featured hot chocolate, games, music and giveaways.
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus portrayed by husband and wife Doy and Terri Smithson hand out candy canes to children as they take part in Crossroads Downtown’s Christmas party Wednesday evening at Crossroads Downtown Campus. The free event hosted by Crossroads Downtown Campus featured hot chocolate, games, music and giveaways.
Michael Werner, right, takes a photo of his friend Burke Millard with Mr. and Mrs. Claus portrayed by husband and wife Doy and Terri Smithson during Crossroads Downtown’s Christmas party Wednesday evening at Crossroads Downtown Campus. The free event hosted by Crossroads Downtown Campus featured hot chocolate, games, music and giveaways.
Odessa High School cheerleader Celeste Estrada, 17, yells for defense in the second half of Odessa High’s game against Permian Tuesday night at the Permian High School Filedhouse. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American)
