Our daily column, 5 Things You Need to Know Today, will help you to get your day started and offer you some fodder for water cooler conversation.

1. Tonight is the 21st Annual holiday tree lighting event for the Town of Framingham. The Framingham Girl Scouts will lead the crowd in a holiday sing-a-long on the steps of the Memorial Building in anticipation of Santa's arrival on a Framingham fire truck. The sing-a-long begins at 6:15 p.m. When Santa arrive with Mrs. Claus, he will push the button to light the Framingham's holiday tree, located in front of the Memorial Building. Afterwards the Scouts and the crowd are invited inside Nevins Hall for more festivities, sponsored by the Town of Framingham. Kids (and families) can have their photo taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus. There will be face painting, coloring activities and entertainment. The Framingham High School music department students and students from the Performing Arts Center of MetroWest will perform.

2. Framingham Girl Scouts will begin selling Girl Scout cookies today. If you need a Thin Mint or Caramel deLites fix there will be a Girl Scout cookie booth inside Nevins Hall at the Memorial Building tonight at 6. Cookies are $4 a box.

3. A Framingham man has been sued and ordered to stop any contracting services without a license after allegedly engaging in home improvement projects without proper registration, failing to complete the work, and misappropriating tens of thousands of dollars from a consumer, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced.

4. The Marian Mainstagers present Holiday Pops 2012. Tonight's peformance begins at 7:30. Tickets are $10 at the door.

5. Celebrating their 50th season, the A Capella Singers will perform a holiday concert Saturday night at Fisk Memorial United Church in Natick. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and are available by phone or at the door.members include Michelle DaCosta, Carol DiCenso, Jane Eyler, Olga Kouchpil, Betty Lehrman, Betsy Lindsey, Julie Rundlett and Sheryl Stockless.