The Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade is Saturday, starting at 11 a.m. in Norway on Whitman Street and wrapping up at Market Square in South Paris. Courtesy Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce

OXFORD — Mother Nature has added her special touch just in time to kick off Oxford Hills’ Christmas traditions this weekend, with a bonus day to clean up after the area’s first snow of the season.

Festivities kick off Saturday with the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas Parade Saturday at 11 a.m., starting at Whitman Street in Norway and following its traditional route down Main Street to Market Square in South Paris at the entrance of Pine Street.

This year’s parade theme will once again center on those who serve with “I’ll Be Home For Christmas – In Honor of our  brave Men and Women in the Armed Forces.”

All veterans and active military are invited to march among the floats with their brethren. All floats being judged should be ready on Cottage Street by 9 a.m. Participating marchers and organizations are asked to arrive at the New Balance manufacturing entrance on Cottage Street in Norway by 9:30 a.m.

McLaughlin Garden volunteer Mary Pulsifer looks for a spot Monday morning to place the last and biggest piece of her Christmas village inside the homestead at the South Paris landmark. Pulsifer and other volunteers and staff members are preparing for the opening of the 13th annual Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce’s Festival of Trees, which begins Friday afternoon at 97 Main St. in Paris. “I have been collecting these for the past 30 years, and just don’t have room for it in my house anymore, and thought this would be a great place to display it,” Pulsifer says, while arranging the village. After trying to fit the Big Ben piece into the display, she says it is too big and will go back to her home. For more information, see www.mclaughlingarden.org. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Fire and law enforcement departments and military trucks will line up on Whitman Street by Cottage and Pearl streets.

The 13 Annual Festival of Trees and takes place at McLaughlin Garden and Homestead on Main Street in South Paris, starts Friday afternoon and runs through Sunday. This year’s sponsor is Oxford Casino Hotel.

“The trees are all decorated and filled with gifts,” said John Williams, executive director of the Chamber. “We’ll have a full house – there are 50 trees this year. You couldn’t stick another tree in there with a shoehorn.”

The trees are donated by area businesses, civic groups and individuals. Raffle tickets will be on sale at the casino for a drawing of each tree.

The barn at McLaughlin Garden will be open to the public Friday from 4-7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m.-2 p.m.