In 1971, Elk City’s Old Town Museum launched what would become one of the community’s most cherished holiday traditions with its first Old-Fashioned Community Christmas. Held each December, the celebration was designed to bring residents together during the winter season, increase interest in the museum at a quieter time of year, and honor Elk City’s long-standing Christmas heritage. At its heart, the event focused on fellowship, history, and hometown pride. Values that continue to define the celebration more than five decades later.
That inaugural Old-Fashioned Community Christmas centered around a community Christmas tree, decorated by the young people of Elk City. Children were invited to bring handmade ornaments to hang on the tree, turning it into a reflection of creativity, family involvement, and youthful excitement. Local Girl Scouts played an important role, crafting decorations and encouraging participation while helping guide the younger children. In a charming nod to tradition and nature, children were also encouraged to bring doughnuts to hang on the tree for birds. Waterproof ribbons were provided to ensure the ornaments and treats survived the winter weather, blending holiday cheer with a sense of stewardship for the outdoors.
Festivities that first year included a visit from Santa Claus, who delighted children by handing out treats and sharing in the excitement of the season. Holiday carols filled the air as the Baptist Youth Choir performed familiar songs that many residents recognized from their own childhoods. Members of local young women’s groups served hot chocolate to attendees, offering warmth and hospitality on a cold December evening. Meanwhile, the Women’s Clubs of Elk City took charge of decorating the gazebo where the Christmas tree was placed, adorning it with lights and artificial greenery that completed the old-fashioned holiday scene.
Some in the community may also remember a particularly memorable feature of those early celebrations, the bicycle parade that escorted Santa Claus to the gazebo. Children decorated their bicycles and rode through town as part of the festive procession, creating a joyful and uniquely hometown spectacle. Elk City High School students contributed as well through the “Hanging of the Greens,” helping decorate the area and prepare the grounds for the celebration. Their involvement reflected the event’s emphasis on engaging all generations and reinforcing a shared sense of ownership in the tradition.
The goals behind the Old-Fashioned Community Christmas were both practical and heartfelt. Organizers hoped to draw more visitors to the Old Town Museum during the winter months, create an attractive seasonal display for both citizens and tourists, and most importantly, foster a strong sense of community spirit during the holiday season. By focusing on simplicity, participation, and historical roots, the event stood apart from commercialized celebrations and emphasized togetherness over spectacle.
The celebration also served as a commemoration of Elk City’s first recorded Christmas, held in 1901 at the Herring and Young Store while it was still under construction. That early gathering featured Elk City’s first Christmas tree, a cottonwood cut from Elk Creek and decorated with colored paper. The town’s first Santa Claus was O.I. Massey, a figure still remembered in local history. Even in its earliest days, Elk City embraced the idea that Christmas was best celebrated as a shared community experience.
Elk City’s Christmas traditions stretch even further back. In 1914, enterprising citizens established a municipal Christmas tree for the public. A large cedar tree was erected at the corner of Main Street and Broadway, where a chorus of 200 voices sang beloved holiday songs. Newspaper accounts from the time emphasized that everyone was invited big and little, young and old alike to gather, celebrate, and make merry. That inclusive spirit would become a defining characteristic of Elk City’s holiday traditions for generations to come.
As the years passed and the community grew, the Old-Fashioned Community Christmas evolved. What began as a modest gathering gradually expanded into the large-scale festival residents now know as Christmas in the Park. Today, the event draws hundreds of families each season to enjoy dazzling light displays, double-decker bus rides, trolley and wagon rides, a train, and the beloved carousel that has become legendary in its own right. Ackley Park transforms into a glowing winter wonderland, offering both nostalgia and wonder for visitors of all ages.
While the scale of the celebration has grown, the heart of the event remains rooted in its beginnings. Christmas in the Park continues to honor the values established decades ago community involvement, shared traditions, and a celebration that brings people together. Families return year after year, creating new memories while revisiting traditions passed down through generations.
From early Christmas gatherings in unfinished buildings to bicycle parades and handmade ornaments, Elk City’s Old-Fashioned Christmas laid the foundation for what is now one of the region’s most beloved holiday traditions. Though the name and setting have changed over time, the spirit remains the same: a community coming together to honor its past, celebrate the present, and share the joy of the season.
