Rachel Thompson/News-Register##A shepherd (Caybrie Bradley), left, joins Joseph (Joseph Marks) and Mary (Natalie Bradley, holding a doll for the Christ child) in the live nativity scene at Baker Creek Community Church on McMinnville’s Baker Creek Road. Members of the congregation took part in the program Friday and Saturday night, including choir members who sang as visitors passed by the manger scene.

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Addie Bradley, playing a shepherd, pets Skye, the sheep, during the nativity scene Friday night on the front porch of the church. Donkeys, named Emma and Smoochie, along with other animals, added to the realistic portrayal of the story of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Shepherds carried handmade crooks, each of a different design.

Rachel Thompson/News-Register##Santa Sal Solano and Elf Tristen Brink, 11, sing “Feliz Navidad” as they greet customers in the “Hispanic Musical Santa” event Saturday at The Reel Hollywood Video store in McMinnville. The shop’s giant gumball machine complemented the Christmas decorations in the store. Children visiting with Santa got to sing along or play the maracas or tambourine, and the elves gave out candy canes. Kids could get their photo taken with Santa for a donation that went to The Soup Kitchen @ St. Barnabas.

Starla Pointer/News-Register##At the McMinnville American Legion hall, Auxiliary members Susan Haley, Carol Doege and Glena Smith fill Christmas stockings with cards and snacks Tuesday for veterans in Yamhill County care homes. In the background, other auxiliary members set out cans and boxes of food this week so veterans and other people in need could “shop” for what they need over the holidays.

Starla Pointer/News-Register##Officer Jake Blair, center, hands a bag of treats Saturday to David Lee Russell, 1, during the Carlton police department’s annual Santa Patrol event. David was on a walk with his mother, Christie Russell, when officers and Santa stopped to visit with him. Also pictured, from left, are Chief Kevin Martinez, Christy Martinez, and officers Tim Jordan and Micah Steeves.

Submitted photo##Susan Muir, director of the McMinnville Parks and Recreation Department, and Karen Ostrand, president of Friends of the Senior Center, pose with Santa. The jolly old elf visited the McMinnville Senior Center Friday to listen to the wishes of people at the Friends of the Senior Center’s annual Christmas open house. They ask him for good health for themselves, their offspring and their friends. “Most are thankful for the blessings they have and want those to continue,” Santa said. Those blessings include having the senior center, a place to engage in all sorts of activities, from cards to shuffleboard to quilting to exercise, he said. In addition to whispering to Santa at the event, seniors enjoyed refreshments provided by the Friends organization. Then many stopped to have their photos taken with St. Nick by his helper, Mary Maas. Santa told the News-Register said he enjoyed stopping at the senior center on his travels. He is on a mission this year, he said. “ We need a lot of love; some places more than others. We need to spread a lot of cheer and love all around the world.”