December is a time for doing whatever makes you feel warm, safe and perhaps a tad nostalgic. My personal tradition involves watching “A Christmas Carol” on repeat; others might look forward to gingerbread house contests, tree lighting ceremonies or even Santa Claus’ visit to the Mt. Baker Ski Area.
Whether you’re continuing traditions or creating new ones, we’ve rounded up ideas for how to make the season special. Options range from Christmas crafts to caroling, Hanukkah parties and even lighted boat parades.
Tree lighting ceremonies
Blaine is ringing in the holiday season with its Holiday Harbor Lights festival Saturday, Nov. 30. The following Friday (Dec. 6), Downtown Ferndale will debut a 30-foot Christmas tree plus updated holiday decorations. Finally, the Downtown Bellingham tree ceremony happens Saturday, Dec. 7. Families are invited to sample cookies and hot cocoa in the lead-up to the main event.
In Skagit County, La Conner will welcome Santa Claus to Gilkey Square for a tree lighting ceremony Dec. 7, and Sedro-Woolley has its “Hallmark Christmas” festival that same night. Finally, Mount Vernon celebrates the season with a tree-lighting ceremony and parade on Dec. 8.
Events and festivals
Fairhaven Winterfest (running now until Dec. 21) is easily one of Bellingham’s most beloved holiday traditions. On select days, visitors can enjoy Victorian carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides and a plethora of twinkling Christmas lights. Check enjoyfairhaven.com for times plus a detailed event lineup.
The Ferndale Heritage Society’s Olde Fashioned Christmas (4–9 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7) transforms Pioneer Park into a holiday dreamscape, complete with Santa visits, children’s crafts and more than 90,000 lights.
The Holiday Port Festival happens at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 7 and 8. Attractions include Santa photos and live entertainment — but in my opinion, the gingerbread house competition is the main event.
Families in Mount Vernon can admire a forest of elaborately decorated Christmas trees at Skagit Regional Health Foundation’s annual Family Festival Days (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 30 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Saint Joseph Center).
From Dec. 6–8, Burlington Plaza will become a Winter Wonderland with character meet-and-greets, live animals, children’s activities, and even skiing and snowboarding simulations.
And for those who celebrate Hanukkah, Congregation Beth Israel has its annual Hanukkah party from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15. Attractions include latkes, a soup cook-off, dreidel games, music and even an ugly Hanukkah sweater contest.
Parties and solstice celebrations
Fairhaven hosts a Firelight Stroll from 5–8 p.m. Dec. 7 as part of Winterfest. Armed with hot cocoa and hand warmers, attendees meander down a path lined with luminaries before arriving at Stones Throw Brewery’s Winterfest Bonfire (happening from 4–8 p.m.). $1 per pint of the brewery’s Winterfest Ale will be donated to the Fairhaven Association.
Elizabeth Station has its 10th annual Darkest Days Solstice Party on Dec. 21. The staff has been stocking up on aged beers, specialty bottles and kegs specifically for the occasion — and this is your chance to try them.
The Celtic Arts Foundation in Mount Vernon is throwing a winter “ceilidh,” or social gathering, on Dec. 7. Attendees can partake in dances, live music and delicious meat pies (vegetarian options available). Tickets are $42/$37 for members and include a beverage and savory pie of your choosing.
Katts Westside Stories, aka Mount Vernon’s favorite dive bar, has its Krampus Party Dec. 7 to celebrate the folkloric demon-goat’s birthday. Krampus-themed attire is encouraged (though not required). Boundary Bay Brewery is hosting its own Krampus Holiday Fest that very same night, complete with a holiday market, three live bands and photos with Krampus himself.
Christmas parades
Nothing says “Christmas in the PNW” like lighted boat parades. On Dec. 7, The Bellingham Yacht Club hosts one best viewed from the Bellingham Cruise Terminal, Taylor Dock and Boulevard Park. The Swinomish Yacht Club in La Conner joins the fun that following weekend (Dec. 14), this year with the theme of “Classic Characters: ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ and ‘Frozen.’”
Bellinghamsters can choose from not one but two bike parades on Dec. 14: Bellingham’s Lighted Bike Parade spans the South Bay Trail and finishes at Depot Market Square, whereas Fairhaven’s “Night Light” Lighted Bike Ride, presented in partnership with Shifting Gears, begins at Hillcrest Church and ends up at the Village Green.
As if bikes and boats weren’t enough, Lynden ups the ante with decked-out farm equipment at the Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade Dec. 7. Get ready to see wagons, tractors, and other vehicles parading down Front Street in all their festive splendor.
Sedro-Woolley’s holiday parade happens at 5 p.m. Dec. 7 during the Hallmark Christmas event. Mount Vernon also has a glitzy holiday parade at 5 p.m. the next day (Dec. 8), just before the city’s tree lighting ceremony.
Holiday crafts and workshops
Whatcom Museum is hosting Handmade Holidays — or rather, “cozy craft parties” — in the Rotunda Room as part of its month-long Deck the Old City Hall event. Participants in this free series can make a Taylor Swift-inspired friendship bracelet (Dec. 7), Lego ornaments (Dec. 14) and/or solstice-appropriate luminaries (Dec. 21). Check online for hours and registration info.
Corner Taphouse in Fairhaven has a wreath-making workshop (Nov. 30), and Larrabee Lager Co. will host a Painting with Pints event (Dec. 17). If you prefer your crafts to be edible, Hela Provisions is throwing a Let’s Make and Eat Fondue party on Dec. 12.
Finally, kids ages 6–12 can participate in a DIY Gift Making event at Cordata Park Pavilion on Dec. 15. The Bellingham Library also has a craft event for ages 4–12 on Monday, Dec. 23.
Santa Claus sightings
Mount Baker isn’t quite the North Pole, but it’s as close as we can approximate in Whatcom County. Fittingly, the Mt. Baker Ski Area has its annual Holiday Photos with Santa event Dec. 14–15. For those who prefer skates to skis, Bellingham Sportsplex’s “Santa Skate” event is on Dec. 21. Yeager’s Sporting Goods has “Santa pictures in Toyland” as part of a 12-hour sale on Dec. 5.
Mount Vernon’s Sound Lumber Cedar building also becomes a makeshift North Pole throughout December. Visit iheartsantaclaus.com to schedule photos, or keep up with his antics on Instagram @iheartsantaclaus.
Santa is stopping by Bellewood Farms in Lynden every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., Dec. 7 through Christmas. Visitors can also periodically catch carolers and musicians from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., or enjoy warm apple cider from Bellewood’s farm store.
Other spots to meet Santa include the Fairhaven Village Inn (Saturdays through Dec. 21), Bellis Fair Mall (daily through Dec. 24), Bellingham Nissan (4–6 p.m. Dec. 10) and Skagit Acres (Friday–Sunday through Dec. 22).
Concerts, carols and performances
Cordata Presbyterian Church’s Caroling at Cordata event (Dec. 1) is for those folks who’d rather sing carols than listen to them. Expect cocoa, candy canes and everyone’s favorite Christmas standbys. A few weeks later, Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club has its annual free caroling event (Dec. 14) with children’s musician Dana Cohenour.
If you’ve never been to a Holiday Ukulele Concert, here’s your chance: Bellingham’s Community Ukulele Players will perform at Old City Hall from 3–4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8. The following Sunday, Dec. 15, students of Brooke Bates Music Studio will sing “Classic Carols” at the museum from 2–3 p.m.
Families can catch a live rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” on Saturday, Dec. 7 at Mount Baker Theatre. The Bellingham Symphony Orchestra’s ninth annual, family-friendly Holiday Magic! concert also takes place at Mount Baker Theatre Sunday, Dec. 15. Audiences will be treated to a guest appearance from Ibidunni Ojikutu and Richard Hodges, the latter of whom is director of voice studies at Western Washington University.
The Bellingham Chamber Chorale’s Christmas concert/fundraiser, entitled “Rejoice!”, happens Saturday, Dec. 14 at the Lairmont Manor. Other holiday concerts include Vox Pacifica’s WinterSong at the First Congregational Church of Bellingham (Dec. 6), Magical String Celtic Yuletide at the Lincoln Theatre (Dec. 22) and Noel: A Celtic Christmas at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center (Dec. 14).
Cocoa Laney is CDN’s lifestyle editor; reach her at cocoalaney@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 128.
