5 Events for Getting Into the Holiday Spirit This Weekend

Here are five events happening this weekend around eastern Southampton Town for children and adults alike to lift  spirits this holiday season:

1. Join Stony Brook Southampton on Friday evening for the Lighting of the Windmill, a 300-year-old landmark currently undergoing repairs following damage from Hurricane Irene in 2011. The yoke that supports its blades was cracked, and the windmill had been without its crown, according to the college.
Repairs are slated to be completed in time for the lighting ceremony. The event begins at 5 p.m. A reception will follow in Chancellors Hall with refreshments and music — and  John Reid the Balloon Twister.

2. Join The Laurel Group at Baywoods in Water Mill on Sunday between noon and 4 p.m. for a Holiday Open House, featuring unique holiday decorations, wreaths, trees, poinsettias and gifts — and a visit from Santa. Guests are asked to bring a nonperishable food item for donation to a local food bank.

3. The Conservatory of Ballet and Danse Arts presents its annual production of the timeless holiday classic "The Nutcracker" at Southampton High School this weekend. The Conservatory promises, "From the moment the curtains part, you will transported to a fantastic world of magic and dance. Join Clara as she goes on a magical journey from her family holiday party, through fierce battles and swirling snowflakes, to the exotic Kingdom of the Sweets where dreams come to life and magic is real." Julia Talasko, of East Hampton, and Cornelia O’Connor, of Southampton, will trade off the lead role. Performances are Friday at 7 p.m., Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for children 4 to 17 and seniors 60 and older, and free for children 4 and younger.

4. For a twist on the holiday classic, catch "Mixed Nuts" at Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, presented by Studio 3. Local dancers perform this new take on "The Nutcracker," featuring break dancers, tappers, ballerinas, jazz dancers and an "enchanting" lyrical dance performance, according to Studio 3. You can catch the show Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for children and seniors.

5. Visit the Southampton Historical Museum's Rogers Mansion in Southampton Village for the "1950s Christmas in Southampton" exhibition. According to the museum, the exhibition is family oriented, taking a look back at some of the Christmas decorations, toys and gifts children and adults received during the 1950s. Photographs from several Southampton family archives are included, as well as a recreation of a 1950s living room with a tree.  The Rogers Mansion is open Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 for the general public, and free for members and children 17.