Help Banner Elk’s hurricane recovery while making lasting memories during this weekend of traditional holiday activities. A Small Town Christmas begins with the town tree lighting Friday evening and continues throughout the weekend with events like breakfast with Santa, a holiday carol sing, cookie decorating, ornament making, Christmas-themed walking tours of Apple Hill Alpaca Farm and shopping in the walkabout town. Saturday afternoon closes with a Christmas parade at 6 p.m. followed by festivities that include mini-train rides and visits with Santa. Choose-and-cut Christmas tree lodging packages are available, and often there’s snow tubing at Sugar Mountain Resort and Beech Mountain Resort.