IT’S STARTING: Local holiday offerings this year will include the return of the Arts Council of Princeton’s Winter Chalets at Hinds Plaza, selling gifts made by artists in various media from November 14 through December 22.

By Anne Levin

The weather is balmy and Halloween is barely behind us, but the winter holiday season is officially on.

Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are several weekends away, with a late Thanksgiving (November 28) shortening the usual gift-buying season. Drawings for Experience Princeton’s “ShopPrinceton2Win” contest began this week, and decorations will soon be hung around town. The goal is to encourage patronage of local stores and restaurants.

“There is a lot of competition out there, especially online,” said Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros, who is the liaison to Experience Princeton, the nonprofit that promotes local businesses. “You go into the big box stores, and the decorations are out. But it’s still not the same experience as going into a local shop. We have some new retail in town, and they all seem to be gearing up.”

The recently opened Graduate by Hilton Princeton hotel and Triumph Restaurant and Brewery are expected to be a draw. “They have made a really big impact and are big investments in the community, so hopefully that will translate into good residual sales for the local businesses,” said Lambros. “Tenancy is good. We don’t have a lot of empty storefronts.”

The Arts Council of Princeton opens its Artists’ Winter Chalets on November 14, running through December 22. The pop-up village on Hinds Plaza has become an annual event, with new and returning vendors selling textiles, jewelry, candles, pottery, clothing and additional pieces made by artisans.

At the Yankee Doodle Taproom, “Friendsgiving” is November 17, and Breakfast with Santa is December 1 and 8. Princeton Tour Company holds its annual Holiday Trolley Tours December 14 and 15. The Jewish Center of Princeton sponsors the annual Menorah Lighting on December 18 on the patio of the Nassau Inn, and the much-anticipated tree

lighting on Palmer Square is on November 29.

A cappella groups from Princeton University serenade on Palmer Square on December 5. At Morven Museum and Garden, the annual Festival of Trees begins November 20 and runs through January 5.

To encourage patrons to spend money while attending these events, Experience Princeton is running its contest, with weekly drawings through December 10. Customers and businesses have a chance to win $500 at each drawing. The final grand prize drawing is for $1,500.

“We have a lot of people participating already,” said Isaac Kremer, executive director of Experience Princeton. “We’ve been taking professional photos of some of the businesses, which we’ll share soon. What’s happening is the holiday season has begun earlier than usual, and we want to take advantage of that. We want to make sure Princeton is on the radar, early and often.”

Mimi Omiecinski, founder of Princeton Tour Company, has been running the annual Holiday Trolley Tours for nine years. At holiday time, the town takes on the character of “a small European hamlet,” she said.

“If you really think about it, one of the world’s most beautiful campuses is the backdrop for downtown’s festive décor and live outdoor performances from a cappella groups and choral ensembles,” she wrote in an email. “Savvy planners organize a weekend stay and score tickets to the many activities around around town. We encourage our customers to explore the offerings of McCarter Theatre, the Paul Robeson Arts Council of Princeton, Princeton University Concerts, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Chapel, and Morven’s Festival of Trees to round out a ‘quintessentially Princeton’ experience.”