YULE LIGHTS, PARADES SCHEDULED FOR AREA

Sure Santa Claus knows if you've been bad or good, but does he know who has the best holiday lights display in town?

Organizers of the Holiday of Lights activities in Cape Girardeau will know that answer after their annual Holiday of Lights competition Dec. 4.

Each year the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and the Convention and Visitors Bureau sponsor a bus tour and lighting competition to add to the holiday cheer.

Each entry must be nominated before Dec. 1. The forms can be picked up at the West Park Mall or chamber office. Judging will be Dec. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m., and three homes or businesses in each of seven sections of the city will win. Nominated houses or businesses should turn on their lights during the judging.

Event chairwoman Adele Kupchella said the judging committee often gets repeat nominations.

"There are some houses that do an outstanding job and get nominated every year anyway," she said.

Bus tours of the nominated houses will be held Dec. 8, 9, 15 and 16. The bus will depart at 7 each night from the former Port Cape West restaurant in the West Park Mall. Tickets are $1.

For people who would rather see light displays at their leisure, the Cape Girardeau County Park offers a drive-through tour of holiday displays. It is sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and will be lit Wednesday through Jan. 3.

Last year 122 displays from area civic groups, clubs and individuals were exhibited at the park. There is no charge for the displays.

Even the Salvation Army hopes to brighten the Christmas holidays for people in Southeast Missouri with its Tree of Lights campaign. KFVS-TV/Channel 12 weather forecaster Charlie Neese will chair the annual event.

The campaign goal is $150,000. The money raised will help provide more than 4,000 people with food, clothing and children's toys as well as gifts for nursing home patients. It also funds other Salvation Army programs throughout the year.

"I'm confident that 1995 will be the most successful ever for the Tree of Lights," Neese said.

The largest portion of the Tree of Lights campaign comes from the annual kettle drive, which began throughout the area last week.

Almost half the money raised during the Tree of Lights campaign comes from the kettle offerings, said Salvation Army Capt. Robert Gauthier.

For more information about the Tree of Lights campaign, call 335-7000.

Other surrounding cities are also gearing up for the holiday season with parades and light displays.

In Jackson, several events will help spread the holiday cheer. A lights display at the city park, Christmas homes tour and parade are planned for next month.

The Jackson Jaycees are sponsoring the annual Christmas parade Dec. 2. It begins at 1:30 p.m. and the theme is "Hometown Christmas." The deadline for float entries is Tuesday. For more information, call Patty Reisenbichler with the Jackson Chamber of Commerce at 243-8131.

When the parade winds down, Jackson residents can head to the city park to see the drive-through displays lit.

The Christmas outdoor displays at the Jackson City Park will be lit at dusk on the evening of Dec. 2. The displays will remain lit until New Year's Eve.

"This could truly become a spectacular drive for everyone around our area to enjoy," said Vanita Jones, president of the Jackson Merchants Association, which is helping sponsor the event.

The Jackson City Council and Parks Department also are promoting the park displays. The drive will begin at the park entrance nearest the swimming pool off U.S. Highway 61 and continue to North Union Street.

Another Christmas tradition is the Christmas Home Tour, sponsored by the Jackson Swim Team. Four homes and one church will be open to the public on Dec. 3 from 1 to 5 p.m.

The St. James United Church of Christ in Tilsit was added to the tour as a site for local music groups to perform during the afternoon of the tour.

Tickets for the tour cost $6 at the door or $5 in advance. They can be purchased at Roziers, Horst Pharmacy, Main Street Fitness or from a swim team member.

In Chaffee, residents can enjoy a Christmas parade Dec. 2. It will begin at 1 p.m. at the parking lot on North Main Street. The theme is "I'll be Home for Christmas."

The parade is sponsored by the Chaffee Lions Club and the Chaffee Chamber of Commerce. For more information or to register a float, contact Randy Dooley at 887-3225 or H.B. Rice at 887-3555.