Fun, festive and free. You really can’t beat that combination.

The countdown to Christmas offers a wide array of free events to fill the season with cheer even if shopping has left your wallet feeling slim.

Here’s a list of events that won’t cost a dime while creating priceless memories — at least one for each day of December.

Dec. 1: Head over to Kailua for the Castle Medical Center Community Tree Lighting Ceremony. The annual event starts at 6:15 p.m. and features music, Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday munchies, a free gift (while supplies last) and free trolley rides to see the lights on the Windward side.

Dec. 2: Kaimuki gets into the Christmas spirit with a parade down Waialae Avenue, featuring schools, lighted city vehicles and music at 6 p.m.

Dec. 3: The Windward Choral Society will perform its Winter Concert at 7 p.m. at the Windward United Church of Christ. Call 254-5717 for more information. (The concert repeats at 2 p.m. Dec. 4.)

Dec. 4: Experience wintery weather at Calvary Church of the Pacific’s Winter Wonderland from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., featuring food, Christmas crafts, Santa pictures, craft fair booths and 10 tons of snow. The church is located at 99-400 Aiea Heights Drive. Call 488-6825 for information.

Later, head over to the Mayor’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony/Parade. Features more than 2,000 marchers, 40 vehicles, and 15 floats and bands. Begins at Aala Park at 6 p.m., proceeds to King Street, and ends between Punchbowl and South streets, where the city tree will be illuminated.

Dec. 5: Celebrate Hanukkah with storytelling, a sing-along and games at 3 p.m. at Borders. Events vary by store, but celebrations will take place at the Waikele, Pearlridge, Ward and Kaneohe stores. Best for ages 3-8. Visit www.borders.com for more information.

In the evening, Central Union Church will put on its 63rd presentation of Handel’s Messiah at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary. Call 941-0957.

Dec. 6: What better way to start the holiday season than a visit to the big man. Mall Santas arrived in late November and will be poised to listen to the requests of good girls and boys through Christmas Eve.

Dec. 7: Listen to "The Smiley Snowman" by M. Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton at Barnes and Noble story time at 11 a.m. at Ala Moana Center. Call 949-7307.

Dec. 8: Enter the Star-Advertiser’s Keiki Kalikimaka ornament contest for the chance to win $100, $75 or $25. Click here for the entry coupon.

Dec. 9: See Santa sign at the 19th Annual Deaf Santa Celebration from 9 a.m. to noon at Pearlridge Center, Uptown. Call 488-0981.

Santa will also visit the Pearl City Public Library at 10 a.m. Keiki can tell Santa what they want for Christmas and will receive a goody bag from Santa’s helper. Registration is requested. Sign up at the Children’s Reference Desk or call 453-6566.

Dec. 10: Shaka Santa visits the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa three Fridays for photo ops from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Dec. 10, 17 and 24. Call 923-1234 or visit waikiki.hyatt.com.

Dec. 11: The second Saturday in December is always the height of the season of Christmas fun and this year is no different. Here is a sampling of events:

» Santa arrives on the beach local-style in a canoe at 9 a.m. on the beach fronting the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach. There will be keiki hula performances and complimentary photos with the man in red. Visit www.outrigger.com for more information.

» Have a snowball fight in the sun at Pearl Highlands Snow Days in Hawaii Nei event. The shopping center is bringing in 40 tons of snow from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free train rides for the keiki.

» Take a ride on an antique firetruck, walk down Candy Cane Lane for holiday crafts and treats, and visit with Santa and Rudolph from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kapolei Shopping Center. Visit www.inKapolei.com.

» Hawaii Yacht Club and Aloha Tower Marketplace will host a Christmas Boat Parade, with decorated boats leaving Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor about 5:30 p.m. and heading to Aloha Tower before returning to the harbor.

Dec. 12: Find a display good enough to eat at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani resort lobby. Santa’s German Gingerbread Village, a 14.5-foot-high by 24-foot-wide edible "Winter Wonderland" is on display through Jan. 3. Call 922-5811 or visit www.princess-kaiulani.com.

Dec. 13: The weather forecast at Windward Mall calls for blizzards, courtesy of the Snow Flurry Tree. The tree produces a simulated 15-minute snowfall at the top of every hour from 1 to 8 p.m. daily (except at 4 p.m. Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, and 5 p.m. Dec. 24).

Dec. 14: Learn to create Christmas boxes and tags from Jacob Nihipali using Cricut at 6:30 p.m. at Kahuku Public & School Library. Registration is requested and limited to 25 participants. Call 293-8935.

Dec. 15: The trees get all the glory, but the 25th annual Holiday Wreaths Exhibit at Honolulu Hale is worth a trip in itself. The exhibit is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. through Jan. 2. Call 768-6622.

Dec. 16: Learn how to make Christmas cards at a 90-minute demonstration at 11:30 a.m. at Ewa Beach Public and School Library. Registration is requested. Call 689-1204.

Dec. 17: Christmas in Hawaii always brings the mermaids out of hiding at the Mermaids Hawaii Water Show at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel. For more information on the synchronized swimming performance, visit www.MermaidsHawaii.com.

In the evening, see the lights of Pearl Harbor from the water with 30-minute boat tours presented by the National Park Service and U.S. Navy on Dec. 17, 18 and 19 from 6:10 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the USS Arizona Memorial Visitor Center on the day of the tour. Tours depart approximately every 10 minutes. Canned good donations are appreciated. For information, call 487-3327, ext. 21 (after Dec. 7).

Dec. 18: The Honolulu Boy Choir presents its 36th annual Christmas concert, "Merriest Hawaiian Christmas," at 7 p.m. at Central Union Church. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Call 592-5043.

Dec. 19: The Honolulu Academy of Arts Family Sunday takes a holiday turn with its "Keiki Christmas" theme from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit www.honoluluacademy.org.

Dec. 20: Shoppers will welcome the distraction at Ala Moana Center’s Mele Trees of Light, an automated light show at Centerstage synchronized to music. The Christmas music cues up every half-hour, evenings through Dec. 23.

Dec. 21: Bring your dogs, cats and other small animals (caged or leashed) to Windward Mall to pose with Santa from 6 to 9 p.m. Call 235-1143.

Dec. 22: Salvation Army Nativity will perform its annual live Nativity show Dec. 21 to 24 at the Waioli Gardens, 2950 Manoa Road. Shows run every 35 to 40 minutes from 7 to 10 p.m. Call 988-2136.

Dec. 23: Write a letter to Santa at Windward Mall’s "Dear Santa Letter-writing Station," open during mall hours through Dec. 24 at Center Court. Keiki who send their wish lists to Santa will receive a reply in the mail (44-cent postage stamp required).

Dec. 24: Wrap your gifts and watch the Holiday Classics marathon all day on ABC Family, with Rudolph, Frosty and all the iconic stop-motion animated critters of your youth.

Dec. 25: Stay home and enjoy Christmas with family and friends.