Glendale provides backdrop for a country Christmas

Glendale is looking to give visitors a taste of a traditional Christmas in the weeks leading up to the holiday.

Jill Pickett

Santa Claus arrives in Glendale by horse-drawn carriage during the Christmas in the Country parade on Saturday morning.

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Jill Pickett

Armanda Dalton, 12, left, and her sister Irene, 8, munch on treats served in one of the local shops having open house as part of Glendale's Christmas in the Country on Saturday.

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This weekend marked the first of Glendale’s Christmas in the Country celebration. The town’s parade kicked things off Saturday morning and led into open houses in stores and free carriage rides. Pictures with Santa and Christmas music were offered, too.

Judy Reynolds of Franklin stopped by The Mercantile as part of her visit to Glendale. Reynolds said she loves shopping at the stores and after last year’s event she knew she would return.

“We’ve been planning this for a long time,” she said.

Reynolds said it feels like a small-town Christmas.

“We like it because it’s so quaint here,” she said.

Sherry Creek, owner of The Mercantile and Shabby Chic Sherry, said merchants try to achieve that nostalgic feeling, or “Christmas in Mayberry” as she called it, referring to the small town featured in the “The Andy Griffith Show.”

“It’s like an old-fashioned Christmas,” she said.

Mike Cummins, president of the Merchants Association, which plans the event, was pleased with the first day. The music, refreshments and wassail continue in the  stores Dec. 11 and 18.

Cummins said the association begins planning for the event about six months in advance. Glendale Fire Department is part of the preparation as well.

“It’s a community-wide effort,” he said.

Kelly Cantrall can be reached at (270) 505-1747 or kcantrall@thenewsenterprise.com.