On Saturday before the town's tree lighting, the Lynnfield Historical Society will host the 50th annual Country Store event. Each year, fundraising event offers local residents a chance to get a jump on some holiday shopping with locally made items, in an old-fashioned country Christmas setting.

To mark the occasion, Steve Richard of the historical society sent in these photos taken at various Country Store events over the years. Richard reported that the Country Store event started at the Old Meeting House in 1962, around the time the historic structure was renovated once it was no longer used as the town fire station. The historical society probably started a few years before that, he added.

Anyhow - I'll go in to the Lynnfield Patch archives as well. This column is one of the oldest things on this website, which went live on Nov. 23, 2010, focusing on those take-home ham dinners they used to have. But it's still one of my favorite ones possibly ever. Check it out and see if you agree.

Also - across the street at the Centre Congregational Church, don't forget to stop in Saturday and check out the entries in the annual gingerbread house contest.