Bonham, Texas -- Christmas in Bonham is just around the corner, and this year, we are celebrating all 7 Lakes in Fannin County! Around here, “Christmas on the Lake” could mean a lot of different lakes.

This year’s holiday theme celebrates the growing role our lakes play in Fannin County’s identity, recreation, tourism, and future. From Lake Bonham and Bonham State Park Lake to Bois d’Arc Lake, Lake Crockett, Lake Coffee Mill, Lake Ralph Hall, and Lake Fannin, each one adds something special to the story of our area.

Those lakes give us plenty of Christmas inspiration, too. Think Santa fishing from the dock, decorated boats, cozy cabins, campfires, camping under the stars, wildlife, evergreens, plaid blankets, and Christmas lights reflected across the water.

We hope local businesses, parade entries, organizations, and families will really have fun with the theme and show us what Christmas on the Lake means to them. The City of Bonham is even carrying the theme into downtown with a storefront decorating contest, giving businesses another chance to help turn Bonham into one big lakeside Christmas celebration.

And, of course, the Bonham Area Chamber of Commerce will be bringing back three favorite holiday traditions across two festive weekends in historic downtown Bonham.

The season kicks off on Saturday, November 28 with the Christmas Tree Lighting & S’Mores Cook-Off around the Fannin County Courthouse Square. Local teams will serve samples of their best s’mores creations from 5:30–6:30 p.m., while an anonymous panel of judges samples right alongside the public to choose this year’s champion. The winning team will take home a trophy — and, more importantly, some well-earned s’mores bragging rights.

The community Christmas tree will officially light at 6:00 p.m. with the courthouse bells, and holiday tunes and twinkling lights will help set the mood for a cozy start to the season. There is no cost to enter the S’Mores Cook-Off, but teams must register in advance and provide their own setup, ingredients, supplies, and samples.

The celebration continues on Friday, December 4 at 5:30 p.m. with the Christmas Parade & Hot Cocoa Hop. This year’s parade is all about participation and Christmas spirit — no judging, no competition, just a chance for businesses, churches, organizations, families, walkers, floats, and decorated vehicles to join the fun.

Parade entries are encouraged to go all-in on Christmas on the Lake. We want to see fishing Santas, decorated boats, campgrounds, cabins, wildlife, lake-life Christmas scenes, and whatever else your imagination comes up with.

While the parade circles the square, local nonprofits will be stationed throughout the interior of downtown for the Hot Cocoa Hop, selling hot beverages and keeping the proceeds to support their own organizations. It’s an easy way to warm up while supporting local causes at the same time.

The holiday weekend continues on Saturday, December 5 with the Holiday Wine Stroll & Taste of Bonham. More details about this year’s event will be announced soon, but go ahead and keep the evening on your calendar.

None of these traditions happen without a lot of hands behind the scenes, and there are plenty of ways to get involved. We’re looking for S’Mores Cook-Off teams, parade entries, Hot Cocoa Hop nonprofits, volunteers to help decorate, folks willing to spread the word in person and online, and extra hands for cleanup and teardown once the celebrating is done.

Registration for the S’Mores Cook-Off, parade, and Hot Cocoa Hop closes Friday, November 20.

Special thanks also go to Fannin County for taking on the giant job of installing the vintage Christmas decorations, Fannin Electric Cooperative for helping erect the community Christmas tree, and the City of Bonham for wrapping and lighting the downtown landscape trees.

Whether you decorate a storefront, build a float, toast a marshmallow, volunteer for an afternoon, or simply bring your family downtown to enjoy it all, we hope you’ll be part of Christmas on the Lake.

Three Bonham traditions. Two festive weekends. One very merry community.

Want to get involved? Contact Kristi at Kristi@BonhamChamber.com or 903-583-4811.