While generations of anxious children have yearned for a glimpse of St. Nicholas on Christmas Eve, this year Ella Wilson and Jack Stovern will enjoy something a little more lasting, as they experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel with this rosy-cheeked legend as he appears in Dowagiac’s upcoming Candle-light Christmas Parade.

The 5-year-old daughter of Jenn and Greg Wilson and the 6-year-old son of Eric and Cindy Stovern won the two giant gift baskets, which the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce featured in its children’s drawing Christmas Open House Weekend.

The three-day annual event Nov. 19-21 kicked off the Chamber’s two-part Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration that culminates Friday, Dec. 3, as this community’s Candle-light Christmas Parade takes to the streets.

Monday, when the Chamber presented the two gift baskets to the children, Ella and Jack also received a special invitation to accompany Dowagiac’s Old-World Santa in the holiday parade.

Vickie Phillipson, Chamber of Commerce and DDA program director, said the two Dowagiac youngsters were among 245 children who registered for the free drawing on Saturday at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria, where Dowagiac’s Old-World Santa greeted families within the elegant Pompeii Room.

The Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration is proudly presented by Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital and the Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s two-part $7,100 yuletide event was underwritten, in part, by five corporate sponsors: Matthew Cripe Dental P.C., Dr. Charles Burling and Dr. Jon Gillesby, Family Fare, Leader Publications and The Timbers of Cass County.

In addition to the children’s drawing, the holiday celebration also awarded $200 in Universal Dowagiac Gift Certificates to eight lucky shoppers who entered the Open House Drawing.

Winners of the gift certificate drawing, which awarded a $25 gift card to each individual, were: Donna Fassler of Belmont; Peggy Foster, Betty Knapp and Beva Little, all of Dowagiac; Chris Knapp of Sister Lakes; Janet Tacy of Benton Harbor; Stacy Toy of Decatur; and LaVonne Guentart of Niles.

Phillipson said the winners receive their gift cards in the mail.

Participating sites of the open house drawing were: Booth’s Country Florist and Gifts, Hope’s Door Thrift Store, Iconik, Imperial Furniture, Laurie Anne’s, The Marshall Shoppe, Oh My, The Red Raven, Shirley’s Flowers, Who Knew? Consignment and Wounded Minnow Saloon.

Dowagiac’s holiday celebration continues Friday, Dec. 3, as Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital, the Chamber and corporate sponsors host one of southwestern Michigan’s largest lighted holiday events, the Dowagiac Candle-light Parade.

Chairing this year’s annual procession of lights is Trish Brazo, team leader for Huntington Bank, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. The lighted parade of floats and marching units steps off at 7 p.m. as the procession encircles the downtown, traveling Main to Front Street, Division and Depot Drive.

Pre-parade entertainment will be presented at Front and Beeson streets, beginning at 6 p.m., as this community’s tree-lighting ceremony returns.