Sing carols, visit Santa, watch the trees of Lincoln Street light up with a surprise, and collect handfuls of discounts and promotions in historic Newton Highlands this Friday!

The Holiday Sing & Stroll is sponsored by the independent merchants who make up the Newton Highlands Village Merchant Coalition, who last year discovered Newton’s welcoming community by starting the tradition.

“It was the first time I felt the bakery was part of the community,” said Eunice Feller, owner of Bread & Chocolate. The bakery and café will reprise its successful can drive for the Newton Food Pantry as part of the event. “We were able to give back to this city that has embraced us,” Feller said
Moe Khalaj agreed.
“It brought the entire neighborhood together,” said the owner of Walnut Market. “It was a lot of fun.” This year, Khalaj will again offer a wine tasting during the stroll, as well as discounts on bottles.
He joins more than 20 other mom-and-pop businesses along Lincoln and Walnut streets who are offering special deals Friday: $10 gift certificate give-aways at Village Kids and Green Planet Kids, $20 wash and blow-dries at Davis Salon, crafts at Indalo and raffles-including one for a Candy Bar Centerpiece at Indulge.
Time-pressed families can pick up 99 cent pizza slices at Newton House of Pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches for a 5-can donation at Bread & Chocolate, free hot chocolate for kids at the Rox Diner or mulled cider at 51 Lincoln. Santa will be in the house at Green Planet Kids from 6 – 8 pm, so bring your camera.
The merchant coalition is the first organized village retail group in the city, according to Annabelle Ship of Green Planet Kids. She hopes merchants in other villages will follow suit. The benefits are social as well as financial, she points out:
“After last year’s event, more of us knew each other’s names, and we were smiling and waving from across the street,” she said. “The energy changed overnight.
The Stroll and Sing-Along starts at 5 pm. Tree lighting and candlelight singing begin at 7 pm at the plaza at Lincoln and Hartford streets. For a full list of special offers, pick up a flyer at participating Newton Highlands Village businesses.