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. There will be Caroling on the Common from 1 to 3 p.m. today sponsored by the Framingham History Center. Come to Historic Village Hall and share in a traditional holiday celebration! Voices of MetroWest, a premier multi-generational community choir, leads the caroling and welcomes all who wish to sing along! Santa will be here, and children can create a keepsake ornament to take home. Enjoy a tasty treat while sipping hot cocoa, and be sure to see the display of vintage decorations including some from Dennison Manufacturing. Free admission; nominal purchase for keepsake ornament. The Center's mobile gift-shop will be open with unique-Framingham stocking stuffers, books and gifts!Please bring a non-perishable food donation for a local food pantries

2. First Parish in Framingham will hold its Annual Guatemalan Jewelry, Ornament and Scarf Sale today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds support indigenous artisan families and a Guatemalan elementary school for children whose families have limited means, through Under the Same Moon, a 501c3 charity. The school has received over $100,000 donations from the charity for teacher salaries, educational materials and healthy snacks.

3. Dr. Eli Brookner, the principal engineer fellow from Raytheon Company is the guest speaker at the Temple Beth Sholom Brotherhood Breakfast at 9:45 a.m. today. He will talk will detail about the the amazing breakthroughs and accomplishments of the company over the last 90 years. The talk will start with a simple explanation of how radars and phase-arrays work. Throughout his talk Dr. Brookner will insert some of his beautiful travel slides from such places like Israel, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Turkey and India. Cost is $8 per person at the door and free to temple brotherhood members.

4.  Celebrate the season with Mass Ballet's Nutracker Sweet & Treats at Lincoln-Sudbury High School today at 1:30 p.m. Enjoy beautiful costumes, music and ballet as young dancers from around the region bring Clara, the Sugar Plum Fairy and the Nutcracker to life! This sneak peek dress rehearsal performance is free. Children who attend this "Sweets & Treats" event will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with The Sugar Plum Fairy and receive a treat! Tickets are available for the actual shows next weekend Dec. 14-15-16.

5. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be visiting the Access Framingham television studio tonight from 7-8. He and Mrs. Claus will be taking phone calls from all the good boys and girls in Framingham.The number to call is 508-875-5403. For additional information, click here.