GETTING INTO THE YULETIDE SPIRIT

Between Charles Dickens and merry olde Ste. Genevieve, the Christmas spirit is ranging far and wide this weekend.

Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" will be presented at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Show Me Center. The full-scale musical production is being staged by the American Family Theater.

The company takes an audience-involvement approach to this update of the classic story of Scrooge, the Crachet family and the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. It features an original score and a cast of seven actors.

Cape Girardeau's Historic Christmas Tour kicks off Friday and Saturday and continues on Fridays and Saturdays until Christmas. The stops on the 1-4 p.m. tour are the Cape River Heritage Museum, the Glenn House, Longview and Old St. Vincent Church.

Tickets are $6 for adults and $2.50 for children.

Also in Cape Girardeau, the Downtown Christmas Walk will be from noon-5 p.m. Sunday, featuring drawings and hospitality treats.

Meanwhile, in Ste. Genevieve the 8th annual Country Christmas Walk will be held on Friday and Saturday. The oldest town in Missouri will brim with traditional Christmas cheer from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. both days.

Each historical home in the town will be distinctively decorated, and antique and specialty shop merchants will greet shoppers with complimentary refreshments. Many restaurants will offer special holiday menus.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus will tour the downtown Saturday in a horse-drawn carriage. Children can ride with them or be photographed for a fee throughout the weekend.

A tree-lighting ceremony with entertainment will be held at 6:15 p.m. Saturday on the Courthouse Square.

A candlelight tour of the French Colonial Linden and Guibord-Valle houses will be conducted from 6-9 p.m. Saturday.

A local wind ensemble will present a program of Christmas music at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Catholic church.

The annual Holiday of Lights decoration contest in Cape Girardeau will be judged Monday from 6-9:30 p.m. Driving tours will be given Dec. 10-12, from 7-8:30 p.m. Listings of decorated areas for self-guided tours will appear in the Southeast Missourian after the judging results are tabulated. Tickets for tours can be purchased for $1 at The Fantasticks in the Plaza Galleria.

Christmas is also taking over Chester, Ill., this weekend. The city's annual Christmas Walk will begin Friday with "the Grand Illumination" at Chester square at 5 p.m. and will continue through Sunday.

Santa will arrive in Chester at 10 a.m. Saturday via barge. The schedule includes a chicken and dumplings supper Friday, a house tour Saturday and a Christmas concert Sunday.

Also this weekend, historic Kimmswick will host the Christmas Candlelight Walk. Visitors will be able to tour six homes, each of which has been decorated with its own theme.

There will be strolling carolers, refreshments and carriage rides from 5-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 3-7 p.m. Sunday.

Tickets are $5 for adults, $2.50 for students. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.

Those who attend are reminded to bring a flashlight.

Hanover Lutheran Church will present a German/English Christmas service at 7 p.m. Dec. 13.