Pack the sled, all you elves, it's a busy few days....The Midcoast is alive with holiday activities this weekend, including Holiday on the Harbor in Rockport Village this afternoon (4 to 7 p.m.) Enjoy the magic of the luminaries lighting Pascal Avenue and Rockport Village, benefiting United Mid-Coast Charities. Enjoy caroling and refreshments in the village, where local vendors will offer a gift of treats and specials. Pascal Avenue will be closed to traffic and trolley rides will be available. Park at the old Rockport Elementary and take the trolley to the village for caroling at Rockport Harbor. While the streets are lit up by luminary candles on both sides and closed to traffic, take a ride through Rockport on a horse-drawn carriage during the Holiday on the Harbor festivities from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

There will also be a bonfire and tree-lighting and sing-along at Lincolnville Beach at 4 p.m.. All are welcome. Santa arrives thee by fire engine around 4:30 p.m., music and stage performances, fairs and even a "Frozen 5K" event in Northport. And did we forget to mention there will be lots of places to get free cookies and hot chocolate. Yep, check out all the open houses below!

Following is the schedule of events for Christmas by the Sea, including information about Rockport's Holiday on the Harbor event Saturday, Dec. 1 and Union's Christmas in the Country festivities Sunday, Dec. 2. For more information, visit the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce website.

Thursday, Nov. 29

6 to 9 p.m.—P.A.W.S. Auction for Animals. Combination live and silent auction with light hors d'oeuvres and cash bar. All proceeds will benefit P.A.W.S. Animal Adoption Center (formerly the Camden- Rockport Animal Rescue League). High Mountain Hall, Mountain Street, Camden.

Friday, Nov. 30

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Windsor Chairmakers, 2569 Atlantic Hwy. (Route 1), Lincolnville Beach. Celebrating 25 years in business with cider and cookies.

10 a.m. to 10 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Camden Merchants' Co-operative. Sign up to win a basket filled to the brim by our merchants. A $100 value. 10 Mechanic St., Camden. FMI: 236-6010.

Noon—A lunchtime piano and flute interlude for the holiday season, presented by Steve Weston and Amy Maier, in the First Congregational Church sanctuary, 55 Elm St., Camden. Free of charge; donations gratefully accepted in support of the Friends of Music concert series. FMI: 236-4821.

5 to 5:30 p.m.—Santa arrives in West Rockport at Midcoast Recreation Center, Route 90, West Rockport.

5 to 6:30 p.m.—Opening Reception, Camden Public Library. Holiday selections performed by CHRHS vocal and instrumental students. Bring new or like new hats, mittens, gloves, and scarves to decorate the Hat & Mitten Tree.

5:30 p.m.—Pairings 101. A food and wine pairing with holiday themed bites by Lani Stiles of Megunticook Market. Reservations required, $20. Cellardoor Winery, Lincolnville. FMI: 763-4478.

5:30 to 8 p.m.—Holiday Wine and Cheese Pairing at Thomas Michaels Designers, Elm Street, Camden.

6 p.m.—Christmas by the Sea Parade begins on Union Street, Camden. Come and see what's new as the parade travels through town to the tree lighting at Harbor Park.

6 to 8 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Camden National Bank with horse and carriage rides at the Chestnut Street entrance. Warm up inside with cookies, hot cocoa and holiday music. Camden National Bank, 2 Elm St., Camden.

6:30 to 9 p.m.— A Walk Through Bethlehem, Chestnut Street Baptist Church, Camden. Experience the First Christmas. Walk the streets of Bethlehem, listen to the characters' stories, and visit the stable where Christ was born. FMI: 236-2195.

6:45 p.m.—Santa presides at the community tree-lighting ceremony in Harbor Park. Hot drinks provided by Camden Lions Club.

7:30 p.m.—The Nutcracker, Atlantic Ballet Company's full length version of this reknowned holiday production. Tickets $20 adults, $14 children 12 and under and seniors. Available at HAV II (Camden), The Reading Corner (Rockland), Opera House video (Belfast) and Personal Bookshop (Thomaston). On the day of the show, Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St., Camden. FMI: 236-7963.

Saturday, Dec. 1

8 a.m. to 1 p.m.—Rockport Garden Club Holly Berry Fair, Rockport Opera House, offering decorated gingerbread houses, hand-painted lobster buoys and mussel shell trees, handcrafted items and hostess gifts, vintage and costume jewelry, Grandma's attic, baked goods and "Appetizer Alley," offering samples of frozen appetizers and soups ready for your holiday entertaining. FMI: 236-0388.

9 a.m.—Thomas F. Chester Memorial Frozen 5K. Registration 9 a.m., race at 10 a.m. Point Lookout, Route 1, Northport. West Bay Rotary sponsors this challenging run. Men's and Women's divisions. Race proceeds and business/individual sponsorship donations go directly to ALS. FMI: 975-0134 or www.frozen5k.com.

9 a.m. to noon—Beltie Holiday at Aldermere Farm. Spend some time at Aldermere Farm going from station to station learning about and visiting with the calves and making Beltie holiday crafts to take home. Shop for your holiday Beltie items, enjoy some refreshments and learn all about how you can get involved at Aldermere Farm and the Erickson Fields Preserve. Baked goods will be for sale to help support the Aldermere Achievers 4-H club. Free. FMI: www.aldermere.org.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.—Holiday Craft Market and Open House at Windward Gardens. Join us for a craft sale and holiday foods. 105 Mechanic St., Camden. FMI: 236-4197.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m.—St. Thomas' Christmas Fair, 33 Chestnut Street, Camden. An array of holiday hand crafted items and decorations, sweets, jewelry, vintage Treasures, and a soup luncheon. Proceeds benefit St. Thomas' Family Services.

9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Hoboken Gardens in Rockport. Special sales, refreshments, mulled cider and special events.

9:30 a.m.—Santa arrives by boat at Rockport Harbor. FREE photos with Santa at Rockport Marine, made possible by photographer Mark Haskell.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.—Holiday Bazaar at Merryspring. A variety of plants, greens, wreaths, live arrangements and gifts. FMI: 236-2239 or www.merryspring.org.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Camden Merchants' Co-operative. Sign up to win a basket filled to the brim by our merchants. A $100 value. 10 Mechanic St., Camden. FMI: 236-6010.

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Windsor Chairmakers, 2569 Atlantic Hwy. (Route 1), Lincolnville Beach. Celebrating 25 years in business with cider and cookies.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.—Carriage rides through Camden. Re-live an old-fashioned New England Christmas aboard a horse-drawn carriage. Boarding at Camden Riverhouse for a tour through downtown. FREE.

11 a.m.—Brunch and Fashion Show at Hartstone Inn, pairing fashion and food. Featuring new collections by Leonard's and brunch, including Raspberry Parfait with Lemon Poppy Seed Cake, choice of three entrees and assorted desserts. $23.95 per person. Reservations required. Hartstone Inn, Elm Street, Camden. FMI: 236-4259.

Noon—Santa arrives by tug boat in Camden Harbor. Children's Story Hour with Santa follows at the Library.

1 p.m.—Freephotos with Santa at The Rig, 56A Elm St., Camden. Made possible by photographer Mark Haskell.

1 to 3 p.m. — Christmas Crafts and Cookies at Owl & Turtle Bookshop, 33 Bayview St., Camden.  On hand will be Liza Walsh, author of Fairy House Handbook and Jeff Bowman, author of Island Friends, and cookies made by the authors of The Community Table: Recipes and Stories from Midcoast Maine. FMI: 230-7335.

1 to 4 p.m.—Creative holiday gift wrapping by students of The Watershed School at the corner of Washington and Mechanic streets.

2 to 4 p.m.—A Victorian Christmas at the historic Conway House on the grounds of the Camden-Rockport Historical Society (Route 1, next to Hannafords Shopping Plaza). Free admission, donations appreciated. FIM: 236-2257.

3 p.m.—The Nutcracker, Atlantic Ballet Company's full length version of this reknowned holiday production. Tickets $20 adults, $14 children 12 and under and seniors. Available at HAV II (Camden), The Reading Corner (Rockland), Opera House video (Belfast) and Personal Bookshop (Thomaston). On the day of the show, Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St., Camden. FMI: 236-7963.

3 to 6 p.m.—Herbs for Winter Health Talk by Deb Soule. Open house offering tea and cookies at Avena Botanicals, 219 Mill St., Rockport. FMI: 594-0694.

4 p.m.—Tree lighting, bonfire and sing along at Lincolnville Beach. All are welcome. Santa arrives by fire engine around 4:30 p.m.

4 to 7 p.m.—Holiday Wine Tasting. Come see the luminaries on Pascal Avenue and taste some wines in celebration of Rockport's Holiday on the Harbor. Get warm by the fire and mingle with friends. RAYR - the wine shop, 67 Pascal Ave., Rockport Village. FMI: 230-7009.

4 p.m.—Ringing in the Season. A Christmas concert featuring Joyful Bells of Belfast, Choral Bells and Penobscot Bay Ringers of Camden and Pine Tree Academy Bell Ringers of Freeport. First Congregational Church, 55 Elm St., Camden. Doors open at 3 p.m. and pre-show music starts at 3:30 p.m. A free-will offering will be taken to benefit 63 Washington Street, a Camden home for seniors. FMI: Leigh Smith, 230-6628.

4 to 7 p.m.—Holiday on the Harbor. Enjoy the magic of the luminaries lighting Pascal Avenue and Rockport Village, benefiting United Mid-Coast Charities. Enjoy caroling and refreshments in the village, where local vendors will offer a gift of treats and specials. Pascal Avenue will be closed to traffic and trolley rides will be available. Park at the old Rockport Elementary and take the trolley to the village for caroling at Rockport Harbor.

4:30 to 7:30 p.m.—Carriage rides through Rockport. While the streets are lit up by luminary candles on both sides and closed to traffic, take a ride through Rockport on a horse-drawn carriage during the Holiday on the Harbor festivities.

6 p.m.—Holiday-themed Winemaker Dinner. Chef Deconinck of Natalie's will be preparing a four-course menu inspired by European traditions. Each course will be paired with Cellardoor Wines. $90pp; reservations required. Cellardoor Winery, Lincolnville. FMI: 763-4478.

6:30 to 8:30 p.m.—A Walk Through Bethlehem, Chestnut Street Baptist Church, Camden. Experience the First Christmas. Walk the streets of Bethlehem, listen to the characters' stories, and visit the stable where Christ was born. FMI: 236-2195.

Sunday, Dec. 2

11 a.m. to 3 p.m.—Holiday Open House at Hoboken Gardens in Rockport. Special sales, refreshments, mulled cider and special events.

1 to 4 p.m.—Creative holiday gift wrapping by students of The Watershed School at the corner of Washington and Mechanic streets.

3 p.m.—The Nutcracker, Atlantic Ballet Company's full length version of this reknowned holiday production. Tickets $20 adults, $14 children 12 and under and seniors. Available at HAV II (Camden), The Reading Corner (Rockland), Opera House video (Belfast) and Personal Bookshop (Thomaston). On the day of the show, Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St., Camden. FMI: 236-7963.

5 p.m.—Spaghetti Supper put on by the Rockport Masonic Center, 361 Main St., Rockport. Also featuring a raffle and silent auction. Proceeds to benefit 63 Washington Street, an assisted living residence in Camden for people over 60. Adults $7, children under 10 $4.

6 p.m.—Christmas in the Country, tree lighting on Union Common with Father Christmas, bonfire, singing carols free cookies and hot cocoa.

7 p.m.—25th annual Holiday Concert with Anne Dodson & Friends at the First Congregational Church Sanctuary, 55 Elm St., Camden. Tickets: In advance, $12 adults, $6 children 6-12 at Rock City in Rockland and Owl & Turtle in Camden. Suggested donation at the door, $14 adults and $7 children 6-12. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. FMI: 236-9576.