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Ferndale at Christmastime is small-town America at its finest. Its charming shops are decorated with wreaths, ribbons and lights, and the tall, tall tree at the end of Main Street sends beautiful illumination all over town. Every year, farmers and ranchers decorate their trucks and tractors for an old-fashioned parade down Main Street to the delight of onlookers, mesmerized like Deeres in holiday lights. This year, Ferndale's Christmas Lighted Tractor Parade gets chuggin' along Sunday, Dec. 16 starting at 4:30 p.m., with judging and parade at 6 p.m., while Ferndale Community Church serves up free cookies, cocoa and cider to help sweeten the evening.

Another lighted evening delight is Humboldt Botanical Garden's Holiday Candlelight Walk, this year taking place on Saturday, Dec. 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. ($10 adults, $25 families up to five with additional children $5 each, free for kids 2 and under, free parking). Bring loved ones out for luminaries and live music, refreshments and merriment as you stroll the garden and greenhouse, all decked out in spectacular fashion with thousands of lights and hundreds of luminaries. The greenhouse will be offering complimentary cider and cookies, coloring activities and ornament making for the kids, plus a visit with Santa. And there are two roaring bonfires for warming hands and roasting marshmallows on the grounds. Be sure to bundle up and wear good walking shoes. Bring a flashlight, too. The special event runs rain or shine.