By CAROLINE CARMICHAEL / Staff Writer

Chilton Christian Academy in Jemison is hosting its first-ever Christmas Village at CCA, set to climax on Dec. 1 with a Christmas shop, silent auction and CCA-famous Philly cheese steaks beginning at 4 p.m. and ending around 9 p.m.

Other food items include hot dogs and sausages.

First through sixth graders will perform a Christmas play called Jingle Bell Beach at 6 p.m. in the gym, after which food and shopping will reopen for guests.

Third grade teacher Pam Harmon of CCA said the play is particularly special to sixth graders, who traditionally perform key roles each year.

The Christmas shop and silent auction will be located in the fellowship hall at Victory Baptist Church.

The silent auction will end at 7:45 p.m.

“It’s usually a mad house,” Harmon said of the silent auction. “It’s more like a game [of] ‘who can outbid the most’ on all our fun items.”

Harmon said auction items will be featured each day this week on the CCA Facebook page.

Other special sellable items featured at the Christmas Village include fresh sweets from a “Sweet Shoppe,” T-shirts and homemade ornaments and crafts created by students.

Harmon said students can purchase Christmas Village items throughout the week.

“They can buy items for everybody in their family — moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, even their pets,” Harmon said. “They can buy presents for them, and they will be wrapped up and labeled so the kids can take them home and put them under the tree.”

Harmon said Christmas Village items are from a Florida Christmas shop company, and they range in price from $1-10.

“We also have certificates that you can purchase in the office to buy your Christmas trees from Neely Farms,” Harmon said. “You can go cut your own Christmas tree down.”

Harmon said Neely Farms certificates are $50 for trees and $25 for wreaths, and are available for purchase throughout the week.

A Neely Farms tree will be set up at the Christmas Village event, featuring Neely Farms ornaments also available for purchase.

A photographer will be present to offer a memorable Christmas treat to families.

“We will have a room set up for family Christmas pictures,” Harmon said.

The first family 5 by 7 inches photo is $5. Additional photos are $3 each.

“We’re excited,” Harmon said of the event.

Harmon said the school is hosting the Christmas Village in lieu of its usual fall festival, which had been a concern for the school’s new gym floor.

“I have wanted to do one of these Christmas shops for years!” Harmon, who had presented the idea for having a CCA Christmas village, said.

This year, Harmon said, the school was “on board” to have a go with the Christmas Village.

Money raised from the Christmas Village will help fund the new gym floor.

Victory Baptist Church is located at 23240 U.S. Highway 31 in Jemison.

For more information, visit the CCA Facebook page or call the school office at (205) 688-4455.