Yes, I am one of “those” people.  About thirty minutes after Labor Day has officially ended, I feel a strange compulsion to binge on my mother’s iced sugar cookies shaped like snowmen while listening to Nat King Cole croon about chestnuts.  I usually resist breaking out my collection of “international” Santa figurines–including Las Vegas Santa indulging his gambling addiction on the slots–until after Halloween.  But once I’ve polished off my kids’ trick-or-treat candy, I go into full-out Christmas-prep beast mode.

Yes, I am one of “those” people.  About thirty minutes after Labor Day has officially ended, I feel a strange compulsion to binge on my mother’s iced sugar cookies shaped like snowmen while listening to Nat King Cole croon about chestnuts.  I usually resist breaking out my collection of “international” Santa figurines–including Las Vegas Santa indulging his gambling addiction on the slots–until after Halloween.  But once I’ve polished off my kids’ trick-or-treat candy, I go into full-out Christmas-prep beast mode.

Kilgore High School graduate and acclaimed blues guitarist Ally Venable’s 2019 album “Texas Honey” has been named one the of top 20 blues albums of 2019 by an internet blues radio station.

Stroll under the crape myrtles at the World’s Richest Acre Park and you’ll find a cluster of bricks engraved with the names of Kilgore women who’ve been honored through the years as First Lady of Kilgore.

She Who Generally Knows Best calls it The Kilgore U-turn.

Yes, I am one of “those” people.  About thirty minutes after Labor Day has officially ended, I feel a strange compulsion to binge on my mother’s iced sugar cookies shaped like snowmen while listening to Nat King Cole croon about chestnuts.  I usually resist breaking out my collection of “international” Santa figurines–including Las Vegas Santa indulging his gambling addiction on the slots–until after Halloween.  But once I’ve polished off my kids’ trick-or-treat candy, I go into full-out Christmas-prep beast mode.

The Kilgore News Herald has announced the winners of the annual Christmas card contest. Winners are pictured here with representatives from local businesses.

Every day, it seems, the world wide web delivers up a new list of the 25 best gift ideas under $30 or the 50 best tech gifts – priced under $50 – I can still have delivered before Christmas.

Kilgore Improvement & Beautification Association has announced the winners of its 2019 Christmas Lighting contest.

As a child growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, I will never forget the Thanksgiving when my father walked in with complete strangers to join us in a meager Thanksgiving meal.  He announced their incoming as if they were part of the family and after the surprised look on my mother’s face, she quietly started setting the table for the extra guests and trying to figure out if she needed to put one more potato in the pot. We knew nothing about the family other than they needed a place to eat.

East Texas Pipe Organ Festival is announcing a special End-Of-The-Year sale.

Kilgore Public Library hosted an Open House event Friday, Dec. 6. Guests were able to partake in Christmas activities, such as making ornaments and entering a gingerbread house contest.

As a child growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, I will never forget the Thanksgiving when my father walked in with complete strangers to join us in a meager Thanksgiving meal.  He announced their incoming as if they were part of the family and after the surprised look on my mother’s face, she quietly started setting the table for the extra guests and trying to figure out if she needed to put one more potato in the pot. We knew nothing about the family other than they needed a place to eat.

Yes, I am one of “those” people.  About thirty minutes after Labor Day has officially ended, I feel a strange compulsion to binge on my mother’s iced sugar cookies shaped like snowmen while listening to Nat King Cole croon about chestnuts.  I usually resist breaking out my collection of “international” Santa figurines–including Las Vegas Santa indulging his gambling addiction on the slots–until after Halloween.  But once I’ve polished off my kids’ trick-or-treat candy, I go into full-out Christmas-prep beast mode.

Forest Home Baptist Church hosted its annual Drive-Thru Nativity this week, adding new scenes and decorations to the event, which has continued for more than two decades.

There was no heat in the Texan Theater during its first Christmas Movie Marathon two years back but last year, the newly-heated venue was snug and warm during the holiday film fest.

Kilgore Chamber of Commerce presented awards Friday morning to several groups who entered floats in the 2019 annual Kilgore Christmas Parade.

Most of you remember 1986 — Texas Sesquicentennial, the 150th birthday of the Great State of Texas.

The clip-clop of a horse’s hooves, the strumming of guitars, Santa’s hearty chuckle, families’ laughter and the ringing of bells welcoming shoppers into downtown stores – Kilgore’s Mingle & Jingle creates its own special soundtrack.

All was merry and bright in downtown Kilgore Saturday evening as shoppers, merchants, musicians and more celebrated the 2019 Mingle & Jingle soiree on Small Business Saturday.

As a child growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, I will never forget the Thanksgiving when my father walked in with complete strangers to join us in a meager Thanksgiving meal.  He announced their incoming as if they were part of the family and after the surprised look on my mother’s face, she quietly started setting the table for the extra guests and trying to figure out if she needed to put one more potato in the pot. We knew nothing about the family other than they needed a place to eat.

As a child growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, I will never forget the Thanksgiving when my father walked in with complete strangers to join us in a meager Thanksgiving meal.  He announced their incoming as if they were part of the family and after the surprised look on my mother’s face, she quietly started setting the table for the extra guests and trying to figure out if she needed to put one more potato in the pot. We knew nothing about the family other than they needed a place to eat.

Thursday was a day for thanks, family, friends and food here in Kilgore. On Friday, it was time to begin the hunt for the perfect Christmas tree.

WE hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving, too. Get your Merry Christmases ready – 25 days and counting.

Santa Claus was born in the North, Santa Flavious at a photo shoot. It was 2015. The photographer’s original Santa Claus stand-in had backed out last-minute. Costume rented, camera in-hand, the stressed shutterbug wracked her brain – who could fill out that Yuletide duds? She had a friend. He was jolly. He was whiskery. He was… fluffy. He’d do the trick.

Thankful.

East Texas Pipe Organ Festival has concluded for 2019 but an announcement from festival founder and director Lorenz Maycher means pipe organ fans can continue to enjoy the unique music on new CD releases.