Traditional Christmas band SimpleGifts is returning to Albert Lea for a seventh time to bring holiday cheer through music.

SimpleGifts will be playing 7 p.m. Sunday at First Lutheran Church, 301 W. Clark St. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 on the day of the show and $10 for students.

Tickets can be bought at Marshall Street Music, Hy-Vee, Stadheim Jewelers and online at simplegiftsmusic.net.

The band consists of Billy McLaughlin, Billy Oehrlein, Heather Moen, Laura MacKenzie, Ashleigh Still, Torie Redpath and Amy Courts. These musicians play guitar, percussion, violin, celtic whistle, flute, concertina, bagpipe, piano, melodica and vocals.

McLaughlin said SimpleGifts is unique in the world of Christmas music as they don’t play commercial songs such as “Frosty the Snowman” or “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” but rather more spiritual hymns.

With their collection of instruments and song choices, McLaughlin said the band creates a sound most people haven’t heard of before and the best way he can describe it is “modern Old World sound.”

Every time SimpleGifts has come to Albert Lea, McLaughlin said their audience has gotten bigger. He said he enjoys coming to cities like Albert Lea because it lets people experience live music without having to drive to Minneapolis and find parking and get a hotel room.

Ultimately, McLaughlin said Albert Lea feels like his southern Minnesota home.

“It’s a special night for us to be coming back.”

The band itself started out of a personal problem for McLaughlin. He was a solo guitar player for many years but started to crave playing in a group. About that time he developed some problems with his hands that hindered his guitar playing ability.

Out of this, SimpleGifts grew and as they started recording around late fall, they decided to put out some Christmas music. Then the band started to play at churches for live shows and has grown from that, McLaughlin said.

McLaughlin said this is a multigenerational event that will be fun for all members of the family.

“Kids love it as much as the parents do,” McLaughlin said, “Grandparents seem to love us even more.”

 

Friday

• The Freeborn County Humane Society at 101 James Ave. is holding a Five Dollar Felines event from noon to 5 p.m. All cats and kittens will be $5.

• The Freeborn Area Cancer Auction will begin at 6 p.m. at TB3’s Bar & Grill, 408 Park St., Freeborn. Proceeds go to the Fifth District Eagles Cancer Telethon.

 

Saturday

• The Small Business Saturday Shopaholic Sale-bration will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Theodore’s Catholic Church’s Marion Hall, 315 E. Clark St. Local small businesses will be selling their wares at this indoor shopping event.

• The Albert Lea Farmers Market will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Northbridge Mall, 2510 Bridge Ave.

• It’s Yule Tyme in Alden will begin at 11 a.m.

• The Met: Live in HD presents Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia,” which will begin at 11:55 a.m. at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center, 147 N. Broadway. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students.

• The Freeborn Area Cancer Auction will begin at 1 p.m. at TB3’s Bar & Grill, 408 Park St., Freeborn. Proceeds go to the Fifth District Eagles Cancer Telethon.

• The Alden Area Lions will present its annual dinner theater at 3 p.m. at the Alden-Conger School, 215 N. Broadway, Alden. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at Accents, Home Town Sweets, American Bank or from any Lions member. A roast beef supper will follow the program.

• The Walters Volunteer Firefighters annual oyster stew and chili feed will be from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Walters Fire Hall. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children 10 and younger. Oyster stew, chili, bread, cheese, homemade bars and beverages will be served.

 

Sunday

• The Festival of Trees open house will be from 1 to 4 p.m. at Northbridge Mall, 2510 Bridge Ave.