Mrs. Claus takes the center position sandwiched between an elf who took the opportunity to make sure he was seen more than her at the Minions ice sculptures in Uptown Westerville Saturday afternoon. My Final Photo for December 22, 2024.

Ice sculptures fashioned after Minion cartoon characters are placed on pedestals in Uptown Westerville as three of the collection of frozen treats decorating the sidewalks the weekend before Christmas. My Final Photo for December 20, 2024.

A carpenter attaches decorative frieze brackets to the entrance of Ampersand restaurant being built on West College Ave. in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for December 19, 2024.

A steel pin is hammered into the joint of one of the preformed steel-reinforced wall panels that will become the structure for Smash Park, a new sports complex at the corner of Cleveland Ave. and Polaris Parkway. My Final Photo for December 18, 2024.

The Hancock House on West Park at Grove gets its first driveway after Otterbein sold the historic house to an individual with a vehicle. My Final Photo for December 17, 2024.

A family walks across State Street, quickly attempting to escape the afternoon rain. My Final Photo for December 16, 2024.

A quarter of anglers from Findlay pitch their tent, and an abundance of rods are baited for blue catfish as they settle into an overnight stay along the near-historic low waters of Hoover Reservoir. My Final Photo for December 15, 2024.

The full moon and Jupiter break through an opening in a cloud layer, illuminating the sky beyond the Yarnell Farm barns. My Final Photo for December 14, 2024.

Dave Lilley pauses on his evening rounds to get a closeup portrait with a member of a traveling troupe of shepherds and kings making their way toward a bright star in the sky close to the Church of the Messiah in Uptown. My Final Photo for December 13, 2024.

The stage manager for Generation Performing Arts Center dress rehearsal checks the phone she uses as a scheduling and timing device as dancers get into position for the next sequence of the Christmas show at Westerville Central High School. My Final Photo for December 12, 2024.

A Merry Christmas top hat decoration hangs at First Responders Park where tribute and Christmas greetings are paid to the city’s first responders who gave their lives performing their duties. My Final Photo for December 11, 2024.

Rainwater drips from Christmas lights hanging from the Old Bag of Nails awning in Uptown Westerville. My Final Photo for December 10, 2024.

Four-year-old Ira studies the movement of “N” scale trains making the rounds in a display at the Westerville Public Library, where the Columbus Area “N” Scalers set up its annual display. My Final Photo for December 9, 2024.

A Christmas tree is tied onto the top of a family van after it was chosen from several hundred available at Glengary Shopping Center, where Dollar Tree is one of the anchor stores, not the price of the tree. My Final Photo for December 8, 2024.

The Westerville Symphony has a dress rehearsal at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church for its Sunday evening performance of Handel’s Messiah in the church’s sanctuary. My Final Photo for December 7, 2024.