Good morning, Wausau.

Smiling John’s Christmas Trees in Merrill saw more families pick real pine trees after Thanksgiving despite a heavy snow that made the area look like a winter wonderland (the farm is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday until December 14).

Customers can choose from four types of trees or request help to cut and load their tree (a local tradition that brings holiday cheer).

During the recent hunting season, Jeffrey Becker of Becker’s Wild Game and Deer Processing in Eleva processed about 400 deer in nine days and worked from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. each day while hiring 15 seasonal workers to handle 25,000 pounds of game — a busy period that highlighted the rush of gun season and reinforced a long-held local family tradition.

Guided Tour: Birds in Art Fifty

1-3 p.m. — Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum — $5 entry (includes lunch) — Explore the intersection of avian beauty and artistic expression in a guided tour.

Central Wisconsin Holiday Gift and Craft Show

9 AM - 4 PM — Central Wisconsin Convention & Expo Center — $5 admission — Discover unique handmade gifts and crafts from local artisans in a festive atmosphere.

Sweating with Santa 5K 2025

8 a.m. – 2 p.m. — Greenheck Turner Community Center (GTCC) — Proceeds support youth sports scholarships — Experience a unique indoor 5K run with Santa for the whole family.