‘Tis the Season

If you've yet to participate in some kind of holiday event – mandatory fun at the company Christmas party doesn’t count – you're missing out. Bonners Ferry is brimming with holiday cheer. I’d like to tell you about some upcoming events in which I hope you’ll take part. I’ll also recap a few recent events for those who couldn’t attend or didn’t know they existed. If you find yourself in that latter category, I hope to put some things on your radar for next year.

First off, I’d be remiss not to mention Moose Madness, an annual competition between Bonners Ferry High School and Sandpoint High School. The match began December 7 with both schools attempting to outdo each other by raising funds for charity. There are several events, but the whole of Moose Madness culminates on December 18 at Les Rogers Court at Sandpoint High School for girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball games, cheerleading competition, dance competition, three decibel readings, stomp routine, and a brand new event, High School Moosical. Contact the high school for more information.

Now down to the business of the holidays. Most of us recognize gift giving as a big part of the holiday season. What better than to give a gift to those who need it most? The Ministerial Association, representing a number of local churches, needs help packaging their goal of 200 food boxes for those in need this season. They are welcoming volunteers to meet in the basement of St. Anne’s Catholic church on Monday, December 21st from 8am until 4pm.

You might have heard the youth of Trinity Lutheran Church caroling on December 13. The same kids are so excited about Christmas, they want to wrap your presents! You can find them downstairs in the Fellowship Hall of Trinity Lutheran Church after church on December 21. It’s BYOWP (bring your own wrapping paper), the kids are providing the tape. I’m not saying you have to attend the service beforehand, but it probably wouldn’t hurt.

Trinity Lutheran Church will also be holding Advent services every Wednesday through December 23, one at 12:30pm and another at 6pm. The latter includes soup and bread!

Mountain Springs Church will be hosting two Christmas Eve services, one at 4pm and another at 6pm. Check their website for more information: mtspringschurch.org.

You can catch a performance of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” at Trinity Lutheran Church on Sunday December 27. The play will be part of their 10am service. See trinitylutheranbf.org for more information.

The holidays doesn’t stop there. 2016 is right around the corner and The Pearl Theater is hosting a celebration, complete with hors d’oeuvres, desserts, no-host bar, champagne toast, incredible dance mix, and photo booth. It’s the 3rd Annual New Year’s Eve Gala. Attendees will be ringing in the new year on Easter Standard Time from 6pm to 10pm on December 31. The theme this year is Black & White. Tickets are $25 per person. They are available at the door and a few places around town. Go to the thepearltheater.org to find out more.

Now, if you’ll permit me to play the Ghost of Christmas Past, let’s talk about annual events you might have missed so that you get them on your calendars for next year (if you don’t have a calendar for next year, one of those nice planner books perhaps, you should still have time to put it on your Christmas list).

This past December 4 and 5, the LDS church hosted The Night of Nativities. The event is usually scheduled for the first weekend in December. For two nights, you can expect to see a variety of nativity collections while listening to performance or Christmas music. Stay in the loop through their Facebook page: Night of Nativities.

The annual Naples Holiday Festival was celebrated on December 5. South Boundary Fire Protection District Fire Chief Tony Rohrwasser shared the enthusiasm of attendees who told him the festival was “bigger and better than in the past.” The festival had to drop their customary ice rink due to warm weather conditions, but included: a craft fair in the school gym, free face painting, and an appearance by Santa Claus, who arrived via firetruck at the Naples General Store to take pictures with children and hear their wish lists.

The Fire Station hosted ornament making and the Community Room ran Christmas shows. Both locations supplied kids with treats like: caramel apples, s'mores (roasted outside the station), candy canes, hot dogs, and popcorn. Helping Hands of Naples had a bake sale with all kinds of wonderful goodies for the season. Firefighters were busy loading trees and shuttling people around the festivities.

Fire trucks from all three departments, Paradise Valley, North Bench, and South Boundary Fire, were lit up and decorated before taking a spin to show off their holiday spirit. The finishing touch was when Santa lit up the 30 foot Christmas tree outside the Fire Station. This is an event you won’t want to miss next year, as plans include a parade through different points in Boundary County and Santa’s Workshop for kids of all ages to make a craft for Christmas.

Most recently, The Festival of Trees took place on December 11 and 12 at the Boundary County Fair Grounds. This event is 20 years in the running, produced each year by at the Fry Healthcare Foundation Board of Directors, with help from friends. This year it began with a family night full of music and treats, with a special appearance by Santa Claus. On the following night they kicked off a fundraising gala, a social dinner event that included a silent and a live auction, games, music and friends. Proceeds benefited the Boundary Community Hospital.

I’d like to leave you withsome parting thoughts. I'm sure many of you are anticipating vacation and time to spend with your loved ones. I'm looking forward to the downtime myself. I’m conscious of the fact that we don't all celebrate the same things during the holidays, we don't celebrate in the same ways either. Everyone has certain expectations and traditions. In the very least, I think we can agree that the old tradition of lighting a Christmas tree, an evergreen, in our homes is a reminder of life and warmth through the cold, dark days of winter. For some, the holidays are a dark and lonely time. Some folks might need help to experience that light and life. Community events are a way for them to connect with others and celebrate in spite of the gloom. Keep an eye out for those in need this season. Enjoy your homes, your families, and your community. As for me and mine, we're a Merry Christmas bunch, so Merry Christmas from us. See you next year.

I hope I didn’t miss anything. If I did, let me know in the comments section of the online version of this article. Keep us in mind to help you promote your holiday event next season!

#local #lifecommunity