The Weyburn Chamber of Commerce will kick off the holiday season on Sunday, Dec. 5 with a series of events and the introduction of passports for Christmas shopping in Weyburn.

Lunch with Santa will be held at the Weyburn Square Mall from 12:30-2 p.m., street hockey in the Canadian Tire parking lot from 1:30-3 p.m., and horse drawn hay rides at New Age Electronic parking lot from 2-4 p.m., said Chamber manager Cindy Bell.

Face painting will be set up at Snup 'N' Mo's Clothing from 2-4 p.m., a barbecue will be held in downtown Weyburn from 2-4 p.m. and reindeer candy canes will be made in the mall from 3-4 p.m., she said.

Cookies, hot chocolate and hot apple cider will be served at various business locations, along with Christmas carols, she said.

The goal is to promote local shopping, said Bell. Eighteen businesses are involved with the passport. Consumers will get their passport stamped with each purchase and will enter passports into a draw for two $500 prizes.

Many businesses will follow the same opening hours during the season as the mall, she said.

That means they will be open all Sundays in December from noon to 5 p.m. Beginning on Wednesday, Dec. 15, the bulk of businesses will be open from 9-9 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. During the week of Dec. 20-23, most businesses will be open from 9-9 p.m.

Bell said the Chamber's Christmas Parade of Lights will be held on Thursday, Dec. 16, starting at 7 p.m. Participants should be prepared to line up at 6:30 p.m. at the Weyburn Exhibition Grounds.

Hot chocolate will be served at the bonfire in the Sears parking lot after the parade.