Staying near for winter break: Pullman during the holidays

Not all Washington State University students leave Pullman for winter break. It is true that the majority of students have plans to go home for the holidays or to take a vacation, but there are a rare few that join the Pullman locals to celebrate and enjoy winter break. “I’m just looking forward to sleeping,” said Jordan Jameson, a fall 2013 WSU graduate. “That and going to Rico’s. I doubt I’ll do much to celebrate Christmas.” For students 21 and over, the downtown bars, such as Rico’s, are a great place to relax and enjoy warm company without loud music and large crowds. There are plenty of pool tables, gourmet sandwiches and live music to entertain all types of people. Another downtown bar, Sports Page, is an excellent location to catch a game on one of the several flat-screen televisions. Other students stay in Pullman to work during the holidays. Jared Lindorfer plans to stay in Pullman and work at the University Recreation Center. With most of the student population out of town, the Rec will be empty with the exception of community members and the few students who stayed. For those still in Pullman for the holidays, the town hosts a wide selection of festive activities. Local choirs, bands and orchestras host evening concerts; there is a community art show, tree festivals, a candy cane hunt and much more. For specific days and times of events, visit http://pullmanchamber.chambermaster.com/events/. Traveling can be near or far. You can go across the country or stay local. Whatever your distance, there is always something to be explored!

Find a Way to Travel

Find a Way to Travel

A look at how students prefer to experience their travel adventures.

All images were captured by Courtney Morris

Upcoming Christmas Events on the Palouse

Exciting holiday events are coming to the Palouse in the next week.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be holding two Christmas events to kick off the season.

On Sunday December 8, there will be a Community Christmas Music Festival held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Moscow. The church building is located at 2600 W “A” Street, directly behind Staples.

The event will feature choirs from Community Children’s Choir of Pullman, Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and select choirs from Pullman High School, as well as soloists performing on the harp, organ, and hand bell. Additionally, the congregation will be able to sing along throughout the program.

“It’s more than a little program of Christmas carols,” said Rachel Udy, who has been in charge of organizing the Community Christmas Music Festival for two years now. “It’s coming together to be a part of something greater than us all, and most people will walk away having wiped a few tears from their eyes because of the joy they feel in their hearts.”

Admission to the event is free, and non-perishable food items will be accepted and donated to local food banks. Refreshments will also be served after the program has concluded.

“This program means a lot to me. The whole event is organized and carried out all by volunteers. It takes countless hours of planning and preparation to put on an event of this size,” Udy said. “I hope that in years to come, musicians in our area will await a phone call, inviting them to participate, and hope that the event will become so successful, it will be difficult to house all those who want to attend!”

Udy said though everyone can take away something different from this event, there is a lot to be learned from it.

“In a world that is often commercialized and full of political correctness during the month of December, most people today still crave the peace and comfort that comes through entering a house of worship, with people from their own community, to remember why we celebrate the centuries-old holiday of Christmas.”

Another event happening next week is Nativities Around the World.

Of this event, Udy said one of the purposes of it is to bring people together.

“One of the many reasons is to host an event where anyone can come and enjoy…regardless of religion,” she said. “It provides an opportunity for people from all over the community to…be a part of something that ties us all together, regardless of where or how we may worship.”

This Nativities Around the World event will also be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but at a different chapel than the Community Christmas Music Festival. The chapel is located at 1657 S. Blaine St. in Moscow, across the street from Safeway, Taco Bell, and Wingers.

“What our hope is this year is that we can bring everybody who enters into this building leaves with the spirit of Christ, that they come away with a feeling of love and feeling of the knowledge that the savior’s birth was important,” said Gail Schoenberg, who organized the event. “It’s a time for the community to pull together—not just one church, but people of all faiths to come in and feel peace.”

Nativities Around the World will be held Wednesday December 11 through Friday December 13 from 6-9 p.m. each night. It will also take place on Saturday December 14 and Sunday December 15 from 12-9 p.m. Admission is free and open to anyone. More than 400 nativities from all over will be on display for the event.

Schoenberg said that people from the community bring in their nativities to display and that they have nativities from every country in the world to share with the community.

Schoenberg has strived to make this a community event.

“We have gone out to the interfaith counselor and made invitations to them,” she said. “We have invited every church to participate and to bring their choirs or individual singers. We’ve advertised in the papers, we have a website, we’re on Facebook. We’ve extended invitations to the whole community.”

A pass-along card for the event states “this is an interfaith community effort involving people from all over the Palouse and nativity displays from across the globe. With music and activities for the whole family, this event promises an enjoyable experience.”

For more information about Nativities Around the World, go to www.moscownativity.org.