December – The Western Howl

Written by: Taylor Duff | Lifestyle Editor

Every winter, Oregon comes alive with holiday happiness and colorful activities that capture the enchantment of the season from all angles. Whether one is looking for a stunning light show, a cozy Christmas market or a festive parade, there’s something for everyone. From the twinkling of millions of lights at the Silverton Christmas Market to the distinct appeal of a floating Christmas Ship Parade, Oregon’s holiday festivities provide an abundance of opportunities to create memories with family and friends.

The Silverton Christmas Market: Nov. 21 – Dec. 31. This yearly event at Oregon Garden Resort in Silverton turns the grounds into a winter paradise with over 1.5 million lights. The market is themed like a German Christkindlmarkt and features traditional German delights such as bratwurst and lebkuchen, as well as homemade gifts and crafts from local sellers. Families may enjoy snow-free tubing, comfortable fire pits and picture opportunities with Santa.

Umpqua Festival of Lights in Roseburg: Nov. 24 – Jan. 1. This drive-through light festival at Roseburg’s River Forks Park has the world’s tallest Nutcracker statue, standing 41 feet tall. It also features millions of glittering lights and dynamic shows. Visitors may expect festive music, themed decorations and, on some nights, visits from Santa and local choirs.

Holidays in the Park, Lebanon: showcases Dec. 7 in Ralston Park. This community event features the annual Christmas tree lighting, carolers, festive decorations and family-friendly activities. The major feature is an illuminated Christmas parade that winds through downtown Lebanon, contributing to the small-town holiday atmosphere.

Tis the Season Christmas Bazaar: Nov. 22 – 23 in Woodburn, Oregon. A major holiday craft market with a variety of handcrafted products from local craftsmen, including seasonal decorations, jewelry and homemade foods. This bazaar is ideal for finding unique, handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list.

Christmas Arts and Crafts Event: Dec. 7, Rosedale Friends Church conducts an arts and crafts show to celebrate the holiday season. There will be cookie decorating, ornament making and snacks. All ages are welcome to attend this free event.

Unique World Christmas Pop-Up: Dec. 7 – 8. A themed pop-up that celebrates Christmas customs from throughout the world, with immersive exhibits from several nations. Each section features cultural characteristics, decor and, in some cases, delicacies unique to that nation, making this an enjoyable learning experience for people of any age.

Portland’s Christmas Fashion Show: Dec. 8th, Portland offers a holiday-themed runway event to highlight the ingenuity of local designers. Models wear festive attire suitable for holiday parties and gatherings, making this a fashionable way to start the season.

ZooLights: ZooLights are open Nov. 22 – Jan. 5. The Oregon Zoo’s annual ZooLights show includes millions of LED lights that illuminate the zoo’s paths and exhibits, converting the space into a brilliant display and providing a festive experience for families and friends alike.

Crafty Wonderland: Dec. 13 – 15. This Portland holiday market has over 200 artists exhibiting a diverse range of handcrafted products, including art prints, pottery, clothes and accessories. Crafty Wonderland, known for its quirky, indie ambiance, is a popular destination for unique gifts while also supporting the local artist community.

A Charlie Brown Christmas – Live: Dec. 21 and 22. This theatrical presentation of the popular Christmas special features memorable sequences with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang. It’s a nostalgic, family-friendly event with live music, including the popular “Linus and Lucy” theme.

Holiday on Main: Dec. 7 – 8. Many small communities in Oregon celebrate with “Holiday on Main” festivities, which include tree lightings, seasonal business decorations and visits from Santa. It’s an opportunity to support local businesses while also experiencing the beauty of Oregon’s community-focused events.

Bend Christmas Parade: happening Dec. 7. This beautiful parade travels through downtown Bend, featuring floats, marching bands and local groups dressed in Christmas lights. The event often draws enormous audiences and concludes with Santa’s appearance, adding to the festive Christmas ambiance.

Christmas Ship Parade: daily Dec. 5 – 20. Portland has a unique custom in which brilliantly adorned boats cruise down the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, creating a sight of lights on the water. The Christmas Ship Parade may be seen from a variety of waterfront locations across the city, with good viewing points attracting joyous crowds.

Mt. Hood Christmas Train: will last from late November till early January. This magnificent train trip takes guests on a picturesque excursion through the snow-covered vistas of Mt. Hood. On board, children may see Santa, sing holiday songs and enjoy seasonal treats, making it an ideal family excursion.

Oregon’s holiday festivities provide seasonal happiness for everyone, from crowded markets and bright light displays to comfortable train excursions and small-town parades. Whether searching for artisan products, going on a snowy adventure or admiring the dazzling lights, these gatherings brighten the season. Gather with loved ones, sip some cocoa and immerse oneself in Oregon’s Christmas enchantment to make memories and enjoy the season’s pleasure.

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu

The Western Howl

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Resources for tough times during the holidays

What to do when the holiday blues strike

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

There’s no amount of eggnog, Hallmark movies or peppermint bark that can fully cure the holiday blues. There are great parts of the holidays, don’t get me wrong. Half the fun is in buying gifts for family and friends, drinking too much hot chocolate and cozying up in bed to sleep the day away.

The overall Christmas cheer and elaborate colorful lights around town do help ease the gloomy, cold days that have set in. There’s no denying that this year has been a whirlwind, and with everything combined, the encroaching Yuletide can sometimes feel like an emotional tsunami. The reality is that sometimes the holidays are just plain difficult, even if it can generally be a positive time. We’re only human, and everyone is just trying their best with what they’ve got. How we deal with trying times is ultimately up to us, but there are resources available to prepare for the upcoming holidays and New Year.

Financial stress and food insecurity can affect many people during their life, and extra help can be the difference between eating some nights versus not. Western has its own Food Pantry, and updates can be found on their Facebook and Instagram page, @WOUFoodPantry.

There’s also a comprehensive list of food pantries and hunger relief organizations in Marion and Polk County that can be found at https://marionpolkfoodshare.org/get-help/. Services like these are available to anyone facing any level of food insecurity. This website lists the name of the organization, as well as their address and phone number, and their hours of operation.

There are many helplines and text services that can potentially help those who need someone to listen, talk to or get additional help. It can be extremely difficult to ask for help when needed the most, and if you or someone you love could benefit from these hotlines, don’t be afraid to just check these out. If they aren’t quite what you’re looking for, that’s okay too.

SAMHSA National Helpline: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can direct people to helpful resources, treatment facilities and support groups in the area at any time. Call 1-800-662-4357.
NEDA Helpline: National Eating Disorders Association offers confidential support for anyone coping with an eating disorder, or for concerns about disordered eating habits and actions. There’s also a chat option on their website, nationaleatingdisorders.org/. Available 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (ET) Monday through Thursday; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Friday. For their crisis support, call 1-800-931-2237 or text ‘NEDA’ to 741741.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: Confidential assistance with trained professionals for people experiencing domestic violence, or questioning if they’re in an abusive relationship. There’s also an online chat on their website, thehotline.org/. Call 1-800-799-7233 or text ‘LOVEIS’ to 22522 at any time.
Veteran Crisis Line: For veterans and service members in crisis, there are specially-trained VA responders available at any time. Call 1-800-273-8255 or text 838255.
NSPH Hotline: National Suicide Prevention connects people to local crisis centers and offers confidential support from trained staff at any time. Call 1-800-273-8255.

The holidays are stressful in general and there’s a lot going on in the world, and it’s perfectly normal to have days where you’re feeling anxious or down in the dumps. The holiday blues affect more people than we realize, but if you or someone you love is seriously struggling, please reach out to these resources and to those around you. If it is ever a true emergency, call 911. From one human being to another, just get through the day as best as you can. Acknowledge your needs for today, take care of yourself, and reach out to family and friends. Know that the sun will always rise and set, and we can try again tomorrow.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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Make a wish on the Geminids

The largest meteor shower of the year arrives December 13

Allison Vanderzanden | Lifestyle Editor

Every year in the middle of December, the night sky glistens with the celestial bodies of the Geminids meteor shower. This meteor shower produces as many as 120 meteors per hour, making this event exciting for both experienced astronomers and novice stargazers. The Geminids peak this year on Dec. 13 and 14 under the nearly new moon.

To best view the meteor shower, head outside, away from city lights, let the eyes adjust to the dark for about half an hour and look straight up to view as much of the sky as possible. Be prepared for the cold and bring winter jackets, blankets and some hot cocoa to enjoy the show.

Contact the author at avanderzanden19@mail.wou.edu

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Catch the latest episodes of “Big Mouth” online

December starts off with new episodes of “Big Mouth”

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

“Big Mouth,” the raunchy and relatable adult-animated sitcom is returning for a fourth season, which will be available on Netflix on Dec. 4.

Netflix released an official trailer on Youtube in mid-November, giving fans a sneak peek of Coach Steve supervising the pool, Jessi attending therapy and learning about anxiety and chaos caused by the young tweens’ Hormone Monsters. Guest stars will include Maria Bamford as Tito the “anxiety mosquito,” and Zach Galifianakis as “Gratitode.”

Along with the latest fourth season, Netflix announced on Twitter last July that “Big Mouth” has also been confirmed for a fifth and sixth season in the near future.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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Christmas events to rock your stockings

Celebrate the season in style

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

There’s no shortage of holiday events in Oregon that anyone can go to ⏤ including virtual and drive-thru events as well as in person events with social distancing measures.

First, is the virtual ScanFair from Nov. 29 through Dec. 6, where shoppers can find handcrafted gifts from online vendors. There will be a great variety of vendors, including Gnome Werks Toys, Swedecraft and Folk Art of Norway. Extra information on this virtual holiday event can be found at nordicnorthwest.org/scanfair.

The holiday fun doesn’t stop there; families can visit Santa at the Riverfront Carousel in Salem at “Santa’s Carousel Workshop,” where participants can snap a few pictures with ol’ Saint Nick before he returns to the North Pole. Visits are always free, and folks can look into the many photo options they have. There must be no more than six people in one group, but there are also options for virtual visits from Santa. Anyone can schedule Zoom meetings or get a custom video message from Santa, where it would be available to view on Christmas Eve.

If nothing else, make sure to send a letter to Santa this year, so he can decide if you’ve been naughty or nice. Forms for the letters are on their website or in person next to Santa’s bright red mailbox by the carousel. More information and details on reservations are located at, salemcarousel.wixsite.com/salemcarousel/santa-at-the-carousel.

Even though the holidays will look a little different this year at the Portland Zoo, that won’t stop this year’s special drive-thru experience and holiday get-together. ZooLights Drive shows off the elaborate display of 1.5 million lights that are strung throughout the zoo. Viewers can take in the eleven brilliant light displays, some of which include: fantasy lane, glowing grove and light tree lane. This event will run from Nov. 23 to Jan. 10, 2021, with the exception of Dec. 25. Tickets range in price and can be purchased up to seven days in advance on their website, shop.oregonzoo.org/#/SpecialEvents.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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Oregon holiday festivities

Resources for tough times during the holidays

Make a wish on the Geminids

Catch the latest episodes of “Big Mouth” online

Christmas events to rock your stockings

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