Madison kicks off the holiday season in style with a weekend of fun that culminates in the Sunday, Dec. 8 Christmas Parade down Main Street.

Kick of the festivities at the Deacon John Grave House, 581 Boston Post Road, with its annual Holiday Faire Extraordinaire, a venue for unusual gifts, crafts and artworks, on Thursday, Dec. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 6 to Sunday,

Dec. 8 from noon to 6 p.m. Proceeds fund the ongoing operations of the House. For more information call 203-245-4798 or visit www.deaconjohngrave.org.

Another way to get the holiday mood going is a visit to the Friends of Hammonasset's 16th annual Christmas Tree Sale running daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. just east of the Hammonasset Beach State Park entrance just east of the Hammonasset Beach State Park entrance. For more information, contact Don Rankin at 203-245-9192.

The main event comes on Sunday, when Santa visits on the Cafe Allegre porch from

1:30 to 3:30 p.m.-bring a camera. The Christmas Parade begins at 4 p.m. at the eastern end of the Stop & Shop parking lot, marches up Samson Rock Road, and follows luminaria-lit route down the Boston Post Road, through the center of town and ends at the Town Green for the tree lighting, accompanied by caroling and cocoa. This year, people are encouraged to march in the parade to help usher Santa into town. Participants may start at the beginning of the parade route or join in the fun along the way, and pets are welcome. Enjoy a small-town, old-fashioned holiday in Madison, away from the malls and crowds.

For more information on Sunday's events, contact the Madison Chamber of Commerce (which co-sponsors the events with the Madison Beach & Recreation Department) at 203-245-7394 or chamber@madisonct.com.