Christmas caroling from door to door is almost a lost art thesedays, but the Wesson Friends of the Library believe carolers willbe only one exciting part of Friday night’s downtown “ChristmasWith Friends.”

Sponsors Marilyn Britt and Susan Alsbury said they had the ideato put together a fun town-wide night for family and friends threeyears ago, and thought it would be the perfect project for Wesson’sFriends of the Library group.

Christmas With Friends will be held in downtown Wesson from 5p.m. to 7 p.m., and will have almost an old-time Christmas feel,Britt said.

“We’ll have carolers and carriage rides and a chance for kids tosee Santa at the fire department,” she said.

The carolers will stroll through the streets singing popularChristmas tunes until 6:30 p.m. They will serenade people as wellas stopping to carol at downtown businesses. Meanwhile, Santa’selves will be busy giving out surprises to people on thestreet.

The Wesson Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring carriage rides, forwhich tickets can be purchased at the library. Meanwhile, therewill be balloon animals and clowns, and a slide for children toplay on.

Last year’s popular treasure hunt is back, too.

Participants follow clues from business to business untilfinally once they have finished the hunt, their entries will be putinto a drawing to be held at City Hall. The winner of the drawingfor the first hunt is awarded a $50 prize courtesy of Copiah Bank,and the second wins $50 courtesy of Trustmark.

“They got finished so fast last year that we decided to make ita drawing this year,” Alsbury said.

The library will be the focal point of much of the festivity asit will host story tellers every half hour from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.There will also be face painting, as well as the slide, and SnowWhite and Raggedy Ann will hand out glow sticks to children tocarry as they take part in the fun.

Revelers can stop by city hall to partake in hot cider andpopcorn, as well as a book signing by author Tricia Nelson.

City Hall will also feature an art exhibit by local artists RubyDouglas and Joyce Reeves, which will be on display until Dec.20.

Organizers said the event also allows citizens a chance toremember the less fortunate by bringing canned goods to theBrookhaven Outreach Ministries Food Bank donation box at CityHall.

Britt and Alsbury said they just wanted to make sure it was afun time for families to be able to get together and celebrate theholiday season. Proceeds will go to the Friends of the Library, andassist in funding their various programs.